Thursday, May 21, 2026
Dear Friends,
As we move through May, I want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate all the incredible moms in our YMCA community. Staff, volunteers, members, donors, and beyond… I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day surrounded by those you love. Whether you are a mother, grandmother, caregiver or a guiding presence in someone’s life, thank you for the countless ways you support and strengthen our community. You are the bond that holds us all together and I/we appreciate you.
May is also National Water Safety Month, which takes on special importance here in the Tampa Bay area as we approach the summer season. With more families spending time around pools and beaches, water safety becomes critical. At the Tampa Y, we are deeply committed to keeping every child safe. Through swim lessons, water safety education and community outreach, we work to ensure that children and families have the skills they need to stay safe in and around the water. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death for children, which is why awareness and preparedness are so important. You can see some of the great work we are doing to keep kids safe around water in this short video (click here).
Additionally, Summer Camp Season is almost here, and our team is hard at work preparing for what promises to be an incredible summer. Every day throughout the summer, we have the privilege and responsibility of welcoming thousands of campers who build confidence, friendships and lifelong memories at Y Camp. And, through the generosity of a great community partner, the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County has helped to ensure that every child will be able to enjoy the magic of camp regardless of their family’s financial situation. We cannot wait for camp season to begin!
Speaking of generosity, I’m happy to share that we have achieved our Annual Giving Campaign goal - already raising close to $2.1M to date. Our Annual Campaign engages our members, volunteers, partners and local business owners in an opportunity to give back to the Y. This is an annual effort that helps support scholarships and subsidized programs ensuring the Y remains open and available to all. This achievement reflects the hard work of our team and the generosity and commitment of our Tampa Bay community.
With appreciation,
Matt Mitchell
President & CEO