YMCA of South Hampton Roads

What YMCA of South Hampton Roads does

YMCA of South Hampton Roads is a non-profit community organization operating 21 physical branches across southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, headquartered in Chesapeake, VA. It serves nearly 250,000 people annually through three integrated program verticals: youth development (state-licensed before/after-school care, preschool, summer day camps, overnight camps including Camp Silver Beach, Camp Arrowhead, Camp Red Feather, and the military-family-focused Camp Grom, plus youth sports leagues in volleyball, soccer, flag football, and cheerleading), healthy living (fitness memberships, group exercise classes, personal training, swim lessons, the EGYM Smart Strength Circuit, Myzone heart-rate tracking, and clinical programs such as Sentara Clinical Fitness, LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA, and Parkinson's Fitness & Boxing), and social responsibility (Open Doors financial assistance, Phones Down Eyes Up water-safety campaign, blood drives, and community events). Programming is delivered through on-site branch facilities, partner public schools across eight school districts, and a Virtual YMCA digital channel accessible via the YMCA Pulse mobile app (iOS/Android) and SGA Software membership portal. The organization is an independent member association of YMCA of the USA, governed by a board under President and CEO Anthony Walters.

The business model combines recurring subscription revenue (individual, family, corporate, virtual, and insurance-partnered memberships including SilverSneakers and Renew Active) with per-session program fees across childcare, aquatics, sports, and personal training, supplemented by philanthropic donations (annual giving campaigns, the Charity Golf Classic) and third-party subsidized care payments (DSS, United Way). Pricing is unit-level and tiered — e.g., before/after-school care ranges from $60–$142 per week depending on member status and location — with a sliding-fee Open Doors program ensuring access regardless of income. Customer acquisition relies on community-led GTM: school district partnerships, referral programs (20/20), community events, and multi-channel digital presence (website, location-specific Facebook pages, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, email).

Recent strategic activity centers on portfolio optimization and capacity expansion in core markets. In May 2026, the Y sold the Greenbrier North branch and redirected proceeds to fund renovation and expansion of the flagship Greenbrier Family YMCA in Chesapeake, with no staff layoffs as Greenbrier North personnel transitioned to other network branches. The technology stack is operational rather than proprietary: SGA Software for membership management, the YMCA Pulse mobile app for member-facing scheduling and communication, and vendor-supplied fitness hardware (EGYM, Myzone). No AI/ML capabilities, developer-facing APIs, or proprietary technology platforms are documented in available source material.

Name

YMCA of South Hampton Roads

Legal name

YMCA of South Hampton Roads

Website

https://ymcashr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

YMCA of South Hampton Roads is a non-profit operating 21 branches across southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, serving nearly 250,000 people annually through youth development, licensed childcare, fitness memberships, youth sports, aquatics, and clinical wellness programs for families, military families, and seniors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Fitness, Recreation, and Child Care Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Community fitness memberships
• Youth development programs
• Licensed child care services
• Aquatics and swim lessons
• Youth and adult sports leagues

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesapeake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Monthly or annual membership fees providing access to fitness facilities, pools, and program discounts. Membership includes various tiers including individual, family, and corporate membership options.
2. Program Fees: Fees for child care programs (preschool, before/after school, summer camp), youth sports leagues, swim lessons, personal training, and fitness classes. These are typically weekly or per-session fees.
3. Donations and Charitable Giving: Philanthropic contributions from donors supporting scholarships and financial assistance programs that enable participation regardless of ability to pay. Annual giving campaigns and special events like the Charity Golf Classic generate significant donations.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate membership programs allowing businesses to provide YMCA access to employees as a workplace benefit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

YMCA of South Hampton Roads is a nonprofit community-services organization that operates 21 physical facilities delivering fitness memberships, group exercise and personal training, state-licensed child care (preschool and before/after-school care), aquatics and swim lessons, youth and adult sports leagues, day and overnight camps, and youth-development programs for families in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Membership dues, per-program fees, philanthropic donations, and corporate wellness partnerships fund the operations, with the Open Doors financial-assistance program ensuring access regardless of income.

Product overview

The YMCA of South Hampton Roads offers a broad portfolio of community-focused programs and services organized around three core areas: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The organization operates as a multi-location fitness and community center network (21 locations across Virginia and North Carolina) offering fitness memberships as its foundation, supplemented by specialized health and wellness programs (Personal Training, EGYM Smart Strength Circuit, Myzone Heart Rate Tracking, REGYMEN Fitness, and clinical programs like LIVESTRONG® and Sentara Clinical Fitness), competitive and recreational youth sports (volleyball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading), and aquatics (swim lessons, teams, safety programs). The portfolio includes substantial child care and camp programming: before/after-school care, early learning/preschool, summer day camp, and specialty overnight camps (Camp Silver Beach, Camp Grom, Camp Arrowhead, Camp Red Feather). The organization also provides virtual programming through its Virtual YMCA and mobile app. The Open Doors financial assistance program enables access regardless of income. The product ecosystem is accessed primarily through physical facilities and an online membership management portal; no developer-facing API or named third-party integrations are documented.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Tee - Hampton Roads: Youth golf development program serving Hampton Roads area
• YMCA at JT's Camp Grom
• YMCA Camp Silver Beach
• YMCA Camp Arrowhead
• YMCA Camp Red Feather
• YMCA Conference & Retreat Center at Silver Beach
• Open Doors
• Phones Down, Eyes Up

Products and services

• Membership Programs Tiered access to 21 YMCA facilities providing fitness centers, pools, group classes, and program discounts, including individual, family, corporate, virtual, and senior program variants (SilverSneakers, Renew Active, One Pass) plus military-added benefits.
• Fitness Classes Group exercise classes including cardiovascular, cycling, high-intensity interval training, strength training, stretch/yoga/Pilates, kids fitness, martial arts and boxing, water exercise, and Zumba/dance, available to YMCA members across facilities.
• Personal Training One-on-one or small-group coaching with nationally certified trainers who build personalized workout plans for members across all YMCA locations.
• Swim Lessons Structured swimming instruction for all ages and skill levels, from beginner water safety to advanced stroke development and competitive swimming.
• Before and After-School Programs State-licensed child care for school-age children ages 4 to 14 focused on safety, health, social development, and academic enrichment, available 6:00am to 6:00pm at select YMCA and partner school locations.
• Early Learning and Preschool State-licensed early childhood education for children ages 2 to 6 focusing on school readiness, social development, and foundational learning through play-based activities.
• Summer Day Camp Full-day summer day camp for school-age children providing activities, social development, and supervised programming during school break.
• YMCA Camp Silver Beach Traditional overnight summer camp on the Eastern Shore offering outdoor recreation, skill-building, and character development for youth and families.
• YMCA at JT's Camp Grom Adaptive camp and recreation facility for veterans, wounded service members, military families, and individuals of all abilities, featuring accessible spaces and inclusive programming.
• YMCA Camp Arrowhead Summer camp in Suffolk offering traditional outdoor activities and camp experiences for youth.
• YMCA Camp Red Feather Summer camp in Virginia Beach providing youth development through outdoor activities and community-building programs.
• Youth Volleyball Co-ed and girls volleyball leagues for ages 9 to 18 offered across spring, fall, and summer seasons, emphasizing skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
• Youth Soccer Soccer leagues and instructional programs for ages 3 to 18 emphasizing teamwork, fair competition, skill development, and family involvement.
• Flag Football Flag football program for ages 3 to 18 emphasizing throwing and catching skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
• Youth Cheer Cheerleading program for ages 3 to 18 focused on confidence-building, teamwork, and character.
• Virtual YMCA Remote access to YMCA programming including live and on-demand fitness classes available to members as a virtual membership option.
• YMCA Pulse App Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling members to access fitness schedules, facility information, branch details, news, and alerts from their devices.
• LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Cancer survivor support program providing physical activity and supportive resources to adults recovering from cancer treatment.
• Sentara Clinical Fitness Medically supervised clinical fitness program developed in partnership with Sentara Healthcare for individuals with specific health conditions.
• Parkinson's Fitness and Boxing Specialized fitness program for individuals with Parkinson's disease using boxing-inspired exercises to improve mobility, coordination, and strength.
• First Tee - Hampton Roads Youth development program using golf to teach life skills, character values, and healthy living to young people ages 5 to 18.
• Safety Around Water Water safety initiative providing drowning-prevention education and swim skills for children, including scholarship-funded lessons.
• Lifeguard Training and Certification Professional lifeguard certification program including CPR and first aid training for individuals pursuing aquatic safety careers.
• Drop-In Care Flexible, short-term child care available while parents use YMCA facilities, with capacity-based busy meter tracking at select locations.
• Open Doors Financial Assistance Need-based financial assistance program using a sliding fee scale to ensure anyone can access YMCA membership and programs regardless of income.
• Blood Drives Blood donation events hosted in partnership with the American Red Cross and Blood Connections to support regional blood supply needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,731 children received swim and drowning prevention lesson scholarships in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlood donation partnership where the YMCA hosts regular blood drives at multiple locations including Mt. Trashmore Family YMCA, Suffolk Family YMCA, Taylor Bend Family YMCA, Outer Banks Family YMCA, and Eastern Shore Family YMCA. The partnership helps prevent blood shortages and saves lives in the community.
• Outer Banks Hospital Blood ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlood donation partnership extending the Y's blood collection efforts into northeastern North Carolina communities through Outer Banks Hospital Blood Connection.
• National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host the NHSCA 37th Annual High School Nationals Wrestling Tournament in Virginia Beach. Nearly 6,000 wrestlers from all 50 states compete. The Y provides 800 volunteers to keep score for each match during the tournament.
• Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the YMCA's 33rd Annual Charity Golf Classic. 31 teams gathered at the scenic waterfront course, raising over $96,000 for scholarships and financial assistance programs.
• YMCA at JT's Camp Grom Board of DirectorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard of directors supporting Camp Grom, a specialized facility serving veterans, wounded service members, military families, and individuals of all abilities with adaptive recreation, family programming, and community connection.
• PhonesDownEyesUp.orgcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWater safety campaign partnership with national YMCA initiative encouraging parents and caregivers to put phones away when monitoring children around water. Includes pledge platform and educational resources.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Planet Fitness: The largest low-cost fitness chain in the U.S., offering $10/month memberships focused on basic gym access. Directly competes with the Y's core fitness membership value proposition, particularly for price-sensitive individual members.
• Gold's Gym: An established nationwide fitness club chain offering memberships, group classes, and personal training. Competes for the same adult fitness member demographic as the Y, though without the Y's youth development and community service mission.
• Life Time Fitness: A premium nationwide fitness operator offering memberships, group fitness, child care, and youth programming at large multi-use athletic facilities. Overlaps with the Y's core fitness and family programming, though Life Time is a for-profit premium operator with a different scale and price point.
• 24 Hour Fitness: A national mid-market fitness club chain offering memberships, group exercise, and personal training. Competes directly with the Y's fitness membership offerings in markets where both have regional presence.

Direct peers

• YMCA of Greater New York: The largest YMCA association in the U.S., operating dozens of branches across New York City with comprehensive fitness, child care, and youth programming. Directly comparable as an autonomous member of YMCA of the USA serving a major metropolitan area with diverse programming.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago: A large multi-branch YMCA association serving the Chicago metropolitan area with similar fitness, child care, and youth development programming. Operates as an autonomous local YMCA association with comparable multi-site branch structure.
• Boys & Girls Club of America: A national nonprofit youth development organization operating club facilities focused on after-school programs, sports, and youth education. Highly comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit serving youth and families through community-based facility networks.
• JCC Association of North America: The umbrella organization for Jewish Community Centers, which operate multi-service facilities offering fitness, child care, camps, and cultural programming. Directly comparable community center model with membership-based operations and youth development mission.

Others

• American Camp Association: The national accreditation body for summer camps and a resource network for camp operators. Comparable in that the YMCA operates multiple accredited overnight and day camps (Silver Beach, Arrowhead, Red Feather, Camp Grom), aligning with ACA standards for youth camp programming.
• Sentara Healthcare: A regional healthcare system in Virginia/North Carolina that operates a clinical fitness partnership with the YMCA at select locations. Functioning as both a strategic partner and a comparable community-health-focused organization with overlapping population health goals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ymcashr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/YMCASHR1
• Facebookfacebook.com/YMCAofSouthHamptonRoads
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ymca-of-south-hampton-roads
• Instagraminstagram.com/ymcashr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries28 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YMCA of South Hampton Roads