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The Grand Strand Family YMCA was incorporated on April 14, 1983 thanks to the efforts of numerous dedicated volunteers and civic leaders throughout the Coastal Carolina region. The very first program offered by the YMCA was funded in part by the Chapin Family Foundation and the Ocean View Memorial Fund to help provide an instructional swim class for youth and families. In 1989, the YMCA was blessed with access to full-time facilities including a gymnasium, locker rooms, classrooms, space for fitness equipment, weights, aerobics and a pre-school area. Current programs include after school child care, summer day camp, youth and adult sports, counseling for troubled teens, leadership development and a burgeoning soccer program. The YMCA currently leases all fields and facilities from the First United Methodist Church. The demand for the Grand Strand Family YMCA’s programs and services is growing by leaps and bounds – that’s the good news. Our current facilities, however, are woefully inadequate to accommodate this growing demand. While the YMCA is supported by numerous community partners, the need for a new facility is evident. To ensure a level of comfort and a true sense of belonging, a YMCA facility must cross the barriers of distance, sub-community and socio-economic status. It must also enable citizen’s abundant opportunities to become involved in programs that promote a healthy mind, body and spirit for all. Currently, with our out-dated and severely limited facilities, the citizens of our community do not have such options.