Waterbury Youth Services became part of the Greater Waterbury YMCA
October 14, 2024
October 1, 2024
To our friends and supporters:
In 1976, the United States of America celebrated its 200th birthday, and Governor Ella Grasso allocated $1 million to Connecticut cities and towns to begin providing community-based youth service initiatives.
Nearly 50 years later, Waterbury Youth Services remains one of Connecticut's oldest and largest youth services bureaus. It is both the designated Youth Service Bureau for the City of Waterbury and a Child Advocacy Center. It responds to the needs of young people and their families from low—to moderate-income households and serves a diverse client base representative of the demographic makeup of the Waterbury area, with 15 programs for youth up to the age of 24.
As of October 1, Waterbury Youth Services became part of the Greater Waterbury YMCA, a bedrock institution that has been helping youth and families learn, grow, and thrive for more than 160 years.
Our two boards of directors have been working collaboratively to help bring our like-minded and missioned organizations together, as the YMCA had already been managing and supporting Waterbury Youth Services’ programs and back-office operations for the last year. Together, we have fashioned an organizational structure whereby:
- Waterbury Youth Services will remain intact, becoming a branch of the YMCA and continuing its programs and services, including the Child Advocacy Center, Positive Youth Development Team, Clinical Team, Juvenile Justice Team, additional emergency services, housing assistance program, and summer camps.
- Olivia Dudley will continue her leadership as Director of Program Operations for Waterbury Youth Services, and a Waterbury Youth Services Advisory Board will be created to ensure its mission and continuing programs and services will endure.
- Two members of the WYS Advisory Board will also serve on the Greater Waterbury YMCA Board of Directors.
- Waterbury Youth Services supporters can designate their contributions specifically to support WYS through the Waterbury YMCA.
We are all very excited about our organizations coming together and are convinced that we will be able to turbocharge our reach to serve youth, families, and the greater Waterbury community.
We have come a long way since 1976. We are confident that—thanks to your support and these changes—Waterbury Youth Services will enjoy many more decades of helping youth and families learn the skills they need to be more successful at home, school, in the workplace, and throughout their community and living our mission: Guiding youth to discover their unique talents and potential for success – One Life at a Time.
With thanks and great optimism,
Jim O'Rourke
CEO
Greater Waterbury YMCA
