Darryl Head is transitioning from his role as President and CEO of the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina to serve as President and CEO of the YMCA of the First Coast in Jacksonville, Florida. Over nearly four decades of YMCA service—including 20 years in Northwest North Carolina—Darryl’s leadership has left a profound and lasting impact on our organization and the communities we serve.

The Darryl Head Endowment is established to honor his legacy and ensure that his commitment to servant leadership and developing others continues for generations to come. This endowment will specifically support youth and families engaged in the YMCA’s Reaching Our Potential (ROP) program by providing access to transformative experiences at YMCA Camp Hanes. 

Reaching Our Potential offers middle and high school youth a safe haven to grow during out-of-school hours. This referral-based initiative allows the Y to invest in the next generation by championing mental health and fostering the resilient spirit that helps every young person reach their God-given potential. 

Darryl is deeply passionate about both initiatives—expanding opportunities for youth through ROP and creating life-changing experiences at Camp Hanes. He understands that when young people are given the chance to step outside their daily environment, build confidence, and connect with caring mentors, their potential is unlocked in powerful ways. 

Through this endowment, ROP participants—many of whom face financial barriers—will have the opportunity to attend Camp Hanes where they can grow in confidence, independence, and character in a safe and supportive environment.

Darryl’s YMCA journey began as a child participating in Y programs and continued as a young lifeguard and camp staff member—an experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to service. Throughout his career, he has led with vision, humility, and a deep belief in the potential of all people.

Since joining the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina in 2006, Darryl has helped expand the organization’s reach and deepen its community impact. Yet his greatest legacy is the people he has influenced—staff, volunteers, and young people—who have grown under his leadership.
Through the Darryl Head Endowment, his legacy will live on—opening doors for youth, strengthening families, and ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve.

To make a gift by check, please mail it to:
YMCA of Northwest North Carolina
Attn: Val Elliott 
YMCA of NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
100 N Main Street, Suite 350
Winston Salem, NC  27101

To give by check, stock, or IRA charitable distribution, please contact:
Val Elliott
336 676 3831 
v.elliott@ymcanwnc.org