YMCA Stories

Armando and Jim are both long-standing Hamiltonians, but they might not have met – and forged a lasting, supportive friendship – if it weren’t for the Y.  

Meet K.Like many 18–30-year-olds, K worries about their future... a lot.  So, when they heard about Y Mind through another community organization, they filled out the form on the website and were soon contacted by the Y Mind team.

On Monday, July 22, just before 12:30 in the afternoon, a fire broke out on the third floor of the Men’s Residence at the Hamilton Downtown Family YMCA.  

It was just before 12:30 in the afternoon on Monday, July 22. Jason was relaxing in his room with his headphones on listening to music.As the fire alarm began to ring, he did nothing.

Meet Scott. He’s lived on the fifth floor of the YMCA Men’s Residence at the Downtown Hamilton Family YMCA for eight years.He was heading to the washroom in the early afternoon on Monday, July 22 when he saw a small amount of smoke.

Meet Athira. She’s 31 years-old and an EarlyOn Facilitator with the YMCA. But her journey with the Y didn’t start with EarlyOn.

Meet Amino. She's a newcomer youth and for the past four years she says she’s been coming to the YMCA Newcomer Youth Centre (NYC) every day. Amino first heard about the YMCA four years ago.

Meet Marjorie. She’s a mother of two boys under the age of ten, Marco and Isaiah. Marjorie always dreamed of going to camp, but growing up in the Bahamas, she says it wasn’t possible.

“I have a secret.