John R. Mott - Living the Mission of the YMCA

One of the great leaders in YMCA history is John R. Mott. During the late 19th and 20th centuries, Mott was a living representation of both the work and mission of the YMCA, and his legacy unsurpassed. Here is a brief excerpt from the Rev. Tom Welch's "Spiritual Legacy Series" biography of Mott:

In September of 1888 he began a service of twenty-seven years as national secretary of the Intercollegiate Y.M.C.A. of the U.S.A. and Canada, a position requiring visits to colleges to address students concerning Christian activities.

From 1915 to 1928, Mott was general-secretary of the International Committee of the Y.M.C.A. and from 1926 to 1937 president of the Y.M.C.A.'s World Committee. During World War I, when the Y.M.C.A. offered its services to President Wilson, Mott became general secretary of the National War Work Council, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal for his work. For the Y.M.C.A. he kept up international contacts as circumstances allowed and helped to conduct relief work for prisoners of war in various countries. He had already declined President Wilson's offer of the ambassadorship to China, but he served in 1916 as a member of the Mexican Commission, and in 1917 as a member of the Special Diplomatic Mission to Russia.

The sum of Mott's work makes an impressive record: he wrote sixteen books in his chosen field; crossed the Atlantic over one hundred times and the Pacific fourteen times, averaging thirty-four days on the ocean per year for fifty years; delivered thousands of speeches; chaired innumerable conferences, and received dozens of awards. At 81, the Nobel committee awarded him one of the highest honors given on earth - the Nobel Peace Prize. He died at his home in Orlando, Florida at the age of eighty-nine.

Angela Gibbs, YMCA Success Story!

Here’s a very special YMCA Mission Moment. Take a moment to read this story from Fatima Muhammad from the Minneapolis YMCA Black Achievers Program.

I nominated a Black Achiever from North High School for a “Dream Prom” contest with the Morning Show with Mike & Juliet on Fox 9. Angela Grubbs was selected as a finalist for the contest and won! We were flown out to New York this past Sunday and taped the show on Monday. The show will air this Thursday, May 8th at 9 am on Fox Channel 9. North High School’s Prom will also be taped on Saturday for a follow up story. Angela’s amazing story will highlight her accomplishments, the YMCA Black Achievers Program, and North High School.

I recommended Angela for the "Dream Prom" because she deserves to have something given to her. Angela Grubbs has endured a lot of obstacles in her lifetime. Her father has been incarcerated for most of her life and her mother is often out of the home due to her chemical dependency issues. Angela has moved around a lot in her childhood and at one point has spent time in foster care. Angela has always put everyone else before herself. She currently works two jobs to support herself and her younger brother. She is financially responsible for everything in her life and I was afraid Angela would not be able to enjoy her first and last prom because of her life circumstances.

Through it all, Angela is a very mature, bright, and resilient young woman. Angela will be graduating from North High School in June and has been accepted to Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. She has worked so hard throughout her life and it is so nice to see her be rewarded for just being an awesome teen.

This contest came along at the perfect time and to a student that is ever-so deserving. The “Dream Prom” includes a formal dress, shoes, accessories, hair and make-up from professionals, a stretch limo to prom and a photography session from world-renown photographer, Nigel Barker of America’s Next Top Model.

A YMCA "Mission Moment"

The following story comes to us from one of our Andover YMCA employees. It shows again the impact that the YMCA can have on an individual life:

I recently signed up a single mother and her five children on a family membership through our scholarship program. About a week later I had just finished a fantastic swim workout and was in the locker room when a young boy approached me and said, "Hey, I know you." This startled me because most people don't recognoize me when I am not in the red shirt. I asked him how he knew me and he said, "You're the guy who helped out my family. I have wanted to come here for so long but never could and now I can come here and have fun at the Y all because of you." I told him it wasn't just me, it was everybody here at the Y and all the people who donated money to us. He asked me to thank everyone for him and his family. So, if you've made a donation to Y-PARTNERS, this young boy and his family say THANK YOU! If you haven't made a donation this year, I wish you could have seen his smile.