🠈 Young Men's Christian Association 🠊
The Young Men's Christian Association is an international non-profit organization dedicated to provided a positive recreational facilities in urban areas.
The YMCA was founded by George Williams (1821 ??? 1905) in 1844 to provide safe housing and recreation in a Christian environment for young men who were venturing into London during the Industrial Revolution.
The World Alliance for the YMCA was established in Geneva Switzerland in 1878. The YMCA has a federated model for governance and the individual YMCA Centers have a great deal of autonomy. YMCA of the USA is headquartered in Chicago.
In 1946, John Raleigh Mott (1865 - 1955), who played a fundamental role in expanding the YMCA in the US while promoting world peach, received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The YMCA was often development in conjunction with scouting and has played a role in the development of athletes and the development of the futsal.
YMCA facilities used to include inexpensive dormitories and sported over 100,000 beds making it the largest hotel chain of its day. This practice is now uncommon. Facilities today often include pools, fitness centers and recreation facilities.
Local YMCA programs are largely autonomous. Local YMCA programs include summer camps, swimming pools. Some facilities work with local schools to offer preschool and after school programs.