young mens christian association of athens, ga

What young mens christian association of athens, ga does

The Young Men's Christian Association of Athens, Georgia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization founded on March 26, 1857, operating a 90,000 sq ft flagship facility at 915 Hawthorne Avenue in Athens, GA (opened 1967), supplemented by a residential camp in Tallulah Falls. The organization delivers youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility programming to approximately 11,000 people annually across Northeast Georgia, spanning children and youth (4,000+ participants), families, adults, seniors (~800), and individuals with special needs (~50 in adaptive programs). Core product lines include memberships (Adult, Family, Senior, and Health Club tiers billed monthly), Camp Kelley summer day camp (celebrating 90 years), specialty and sports camps, swim lessons (group and private, ages 6 months through adult), lifeguard certification, adaptive swim and music therapy, Sunshine Studio for adults with special needs, personal training, group exercise, and a 45-year-old annual Run Through the Woods 5K fundraiser.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring membership subscriptions (month-to-month bank drafts on the 15th of each month via the Daxko Online platform), per-session program fees (swim lessons $70–$200, camps $140–$155/week, private swim packages), and diversified charitable revenue — including an Annual Campaign with a $250,000 goal, planned-giving/legacy gifts, round-up donations, and grants from Kroger Foundation, Jackson EMC Foundation, Publix Charities, and the USA Swimming Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led: walk-in enrollment at the front desk, online registration via operations.daxko.com, community-event outreach (5K, volunteer pipeline of 250+), and partnerships including a 2012 strategic alliance with Piedmont Athens Regional that embeds clinical health services on-site two days per week. A cancer wellness program is delivered through the Loran Smith Center at Piedmont at no cost to members. The organization is currently mid-execution of the Building Community Campaign, an $11 million capital campaign ($6.8M raised) — its first major capital effort since the 1967 build — with Phase Two renovations underway as of May 2026 to expand youth locker rooms and family restrooms. Technology stack is non-proprietary and standard for the YMCA network (Daxko SaaS, web-based content, social channels); no AI/ML or proprietary software is in evidence.

Name

young mens christian association of athens, ga

Legal name

The Young Men's Christian Association of Athens Georgia

Website

https://athensymca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1857

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Athens YMCA is a 168-year-old nonprofit community organization in Athens, GA operating a 90,000 sq ft facility that delivers memberships, swim lessons, day and residential camps, youth sports, adaptive programs, and fitness services to approximately 11,000 people annually across Northeast Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

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), Campus Recreation Centers & Fitness Facilities Operations (EDALAIAD), Adventure/Outdoor Base Hostels (Ski/Surf/Trek) (THAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Community recreation services
• Youth development programs
• Aquatic education programs
• Adaptive recreation services
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Monthly membership fees drafted on the 15th of each month from bank accounts or credit cards. Perpetual month-to-month memberships with no long-term contracts required. Prepaid annual memberships also available.
2. Program Fees: Fees for youth programs, summer day camp, swim lessons, sports camps, specialty camps, personal training, and other recreational programs. These are typically one-time or per-session charges.
3. Annual Campaign Donations: Charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and family foundations to support financial assistance programs and beneficial program improvements. Annual campaign goal of $250,000.
4. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including IRA & retirement plan designations, life insurance beneficiary designations, bequests in wills or trusts, real estate gifts, and stock/wire transfers.
5. Membership Round-Up: Members can round up their monthly membership fee to donate to the annual campaign through bank draft or credit card.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Athens YMCA is a nonprofit community organization that sells facility memberships and a broad suite of recreational, aquatic, youth-development, and adaptive programs. Core offerings include monthly memberships with access to fitness facilities and pools, group and private swim lessons, summer day camps, specialty and sports camps, residential overnight camps, youth programs, personal training, adaptive swim, music therapy, and lifeguard certification. Services are delivered primarily at the 90,000-square-foot Athens facility and the Athens Y Camp in Tallulah Falls, with revenue drawn from memberships, program fees, and charitable donations.

Product overview

The Athens YMCA is a community-focused nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of health, fitness, and youth development programs. The core offering centers on family memberships providing facility access, supplemented by structured program categories: aquatic programs (swim lessons, adaptive swim, lifeguard training, private lessons), youth development (Camp Kelley day camp, residential Athens Y Camp, sports/specialty camps, youth programs), adaptive services (adaptive swim, music therapy, Sunshine Studio), fitness services (personal training, group exercise), and health partnerships (cancer wellness, health education). Programs operate through the main facility at 915 Hawthorne Avenue with support from an online membership system, and are designed to serve all ages and abilities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Athens Y Camps: Includes Athens Y Camp (boys' overnight camp) and Camp Chattooga (girls' overnight camp), offering one and two week sessions in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
• Camp Kelley
• Sunshine Studio

Products and services

• Athens YMCA Memberships Recurring memberships providing access to fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, group exercise classes, Child Watch, and discounts on programs. Offered in Adult, Family, Senior, Senior Couple, Family Health Club, Ladies Health Club, and Men's Health Club tiers with month-to-month billing or annual prepaid options.
• Group Swim Lessons Group aquatic education classes for Parent/Child (ages 6 months-3 years), Youth (ages 3-12), and Adults (ages 13+), delivered in 30- to 45-minute sessions meeting twice weekly over four weeks. Focus is on water safety and stroke development.
• Private Swim Lessons One-on-one swim instruction for ages 3-12 in 30-minute sessions ($35-$100) and ages 13+ in 60-minute sessions ($70-$200), sold in packages of 2 to 8 lessons.
• Lifeguard Certification Course Comprehensive lifeguard training covering BLS, First Aid, Emergency Oxygen, and Water Rescue Skills, with prerequisites (350-yard swim and 2-minute tread). $200 ($50 non-refundable), and free for participants who commit to working at the Athens YMCA Fall-Winter 2026/7.
• Camp Kelley Day Camp Summer day camp program for children ages 5-12 offering swimming, trails exploration, sports, team building, and literacy/STEAM activities over a nine-week schedule running May through July at $150 per child per week. Family membership holders receive $25 off the weekly fee and a waived registration fee.
• Sports and Specialty Camps

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,000 people served annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Piedmont Athens RegionalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership created in 2012 to promote wellness in the community. Piedmont Athens Regional provides a Community Educator and Safe Kids Coordinator on-site at the Athens YMCA two days a week offering free blood pressure screenings, nutritional consults, and certified wellness coaching. The partnership aims to reduce risk factors associated with chronic diseases and empower YMCA members to improve and maintain their health. The Loran Smith Center at Piedmont Athens Regional also provides cancer wellness support including classes, support groups, counseling, and nutrition services at no cost for cancer patients.
• Safe Kids WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to help families and communities keep children safe from injuries. April Dorsett serves as the Athens Safe Kids Coordinator for Safe Kids Worldwide. The program focuses on preventable injuries, which are the #1 killer of children in the United States.
• The Lily Pad SANE CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Child Abuse Prevention initiative. Collaborates with the Athens YMCA and Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center to host sessions centered around protecting children during Child Abuse Prevention Month.
• Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Child Abuse Prevention initiative. Collaborates with the Athens YMCA and The Lily Pad SANE Center to host sessions centered around protecting children during Child Abuse Prevention Month.
• Dance FXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal dance studio partnering with the Athens YMCA for the new Dance Camp (Summer 2026). Dance FX provides experienced instructors for campers to explore choreography, teamwork, and self-expression.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YMCA of the USA: National federation of which Athens YMCA is an autonomous affiliate. Operates the same membership/fitness/youth/camp model and sets shared standards, programs, and brand guidelines, making it the closest architectural comparable even though it functions as a parent/umbrella rather than a single-site competitor.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Community-based nonprofit offering youth development, sports, and summer programs funded by dues, donations, and grants. Comparable in nonprofit community-service mission, donor-funded revenue mix, and youth-program portfolio, though more youth-focused than the Y's broader family fitness offering.
• JCC Association of North America: Network of Jewish Community Centers operating membership-based recreation facilities, fitness centers, pools, summer camps, and youth/adaptive programming. Closest functional peer in terms of full-service community recreation center model, multi-revenue mix, and residential/day-camp dual operation.

Broad incumbents

• Planet Fitness: Largest low-cost fitness chain operating company-owned and franchised clubs nationwide. Competes for the same value-oriented adult membership segment as Athens YMCA, though structured as a for-profit membership club rather than a community nonprofit.
• LA Fitness: Large multi-state for-profit fitness club chain offering pools, group exercise, kids' programs, and personal training at mid-market price points. Competes for family memberships in the same demographic tier as the Athens YMCA, though without camps or community nonprofit mission.
• Life Time Fitness: Premium multi-service fitness operator offering membership access to pools, group fitness, kids' programs, camps, and personal training. Comparable broad-program, family-oriented membership model, but at a premium price point and as a publicly traded for-profit operator.
• Gold's Gym: Established franchise fitness brand with company-owned and franchised clubs offering group fitness, personal training, and youth programs. Overlaps with the Y's adult fitness and youth sports programming, though it does not offer overnight camps or adaptive services.
• The Salvation Army: Large faith-based community nonprofit operating recreational, youth, and wellness programs through local corps/community centers nationwide. Comparable in nonprofit community-service positioning and donor dependency, though broader social-services portfolio and less focused on fitness facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athens-ymca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 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 →

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