Endowment funds ensure the YMCA can serve generations to come. Each fund represents a lasting investment in youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility—providing critical, ongoing support where it’s needed most.
Click on the links to learn more about each of these giving opportunities!
SUPPORTING ACCESS, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
William G. White, Jr. Family YMCA
• Dr. Pam Peoples-Joyner Endowment Fund – Reaching Our Potential – Provides access for teens to a safe, supportive environment through free YMCA memberships, connecting them to wellness resources, mentorship, and positive out-of-school experiences that foster healthy development and long-term success
• Darryl Head Endowment Fund – 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.
EXPANDING WELLNESS AND AQUATICS OPPORTUNITIES
Kernersville Family YMCA
• Laura Ann Fuller Restricted Endowment Fund – Aquatics – Enhances aquatics programming, including swim lessons and water safety education for all ages
• Beusse Aquatics Endowment – Aquatics – Expands access to aquatic facilities and programs that promote safety, confidence, and lifelong health
CREATING LIFE-CHANGING OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES
YMCA Camp Hanes
• Welfare Family “Send a Kid to Camp” Fund – Camp scholarships – Provides financial assistance so all children can experience the growth, independence, and connection that camp offers
• Van Camp Family Rifle Range Fund – Rifle range – Maintains and enhances a safe, structured environment for outdoor skill-building and confidence development
• George Collins YMCA Camp Hanes Endowment – Provides annual funding for children from Wilkes County to attend YMCA Camp Hanes, ensuring access to transformative outdoor experiences
EMPOWERING YOUTH THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND GROWTH
Youth Development
• Coach Bill McClain GIDE Endowment – Supports youth development programming that builds character, strengthens relationships, and encourages positive life choices and supports the GIDE at the YMCA program
BUILDING STRONG YOUTH AND SAFER COMMUNITIES
Wilkes Family YMCA
• James Cook Youth Sports Endowment Fund – Supports youth sports that build teamwork, confidence, and lifelong healthy habits
• Bryan Collins and Alison Collins Endowment – Safety Around Water Drowning Prevention – Expands access to life-saving water safety education, helping prevent drowning and build confidence in and around water
PROMOTING WATER SAFETY AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
Davie Family YMCA
• Wood Family Endowment – Aquatics – Supports swim instruction, water safety programs, and equitable access to aquatic activities
SUPPORTING EARLY CHILDHOOD SUCCESS
Jerry Long Family YMCA
• Elizabeth Eller Brown Endowment Fund – Bright Beginnings – Ensures children have access to essential school supplies and resources, setting them up for success from the very first day of school
UPCOMING ENDOWMENTS
• Scott Spillman Endowment Fund – Greatest Need – Provides flexible funding to address the most pressing needs in the Yadkin community, ensuring programs remain responsive and impactful
• The Charlie Lee Clifton Endowment Fund – The purpose of the fund is to provide scholarships at the William G. White, Jr. Family YMCA for the Community Leadership Academy through the Achievers program
Each YMCA branch maintains a General Endowment Fund that provides ongoing, annual support for essential operational needs, ensuring long-term stability and impact in the communities we serve.
In addition, the YMCA of NWNC Board of Volunteers designates unrestricted estate gifts as quasi endowments, allowing those unexpected dollars to strategically support the YMCA’s mission over time.
Why Endowment Matters
Endowment gifts are invested to generate annual income—providing reliable, long-term funding that allows the YMCA to respond to community needs, expand access, and ensure no one is turned away due to inability to pay.