LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation (GLCF) recently announced the recipient of its sixth annual $100,000 Century Fund Grant, awarded to the Altavista Area YMCA. This grant will support the expansion of the YMCA’s Child Development Center, aimed at enhancing childcare services for families in Campbell, Pittsylvania and Bedford counties.
The expansion project will allow the facility to accommodate an additional 80 children and create 16 new childcare jobs. This initiative is particularly vital for working parents who rely on affordable childcare to maintain employment and achieve financial stability.
Recommended Videos
Janice Marston, chair of the GLCF Century Fund Committee, emphasized the urgent need for this expansion. “The Altavista Area YMCA Child Development Expansion Project stood out to the GLCF Century Fund Committee based on the urgent need proposed in this grant to complete and equip additional childcare services in the community,” she said. “This grant cites the potential to transform lives through addressing the current need of inadequate and inaccessible quality educational opportunities, particularly for financially disadvantaged families.”
The Century Fund grant, now in its sixth year, is awarded to a local nonprofit to support a significant project that can transform the organization and the community. This year, 18 nonprofits applied for the grant. Since its inception, the GLCF has raised over $2 million to support this initiative.
Kathryn Yarzebinski, president and CEO of GLCF, highlighted the transformative impact of the expansion. “The expansion of the Altavista Area YMCA’s Child Development Center is transformational for local families because many more infants and very young children will be cared for, enabling their parents to earn a living,” she stated. “We know that high-quality childcare, especially in rural settings for infants, is really a game-changer for communities.”
A press conference and check presentation took place on June 19 at the Altavista Area YMCA.
Maria McCracken, CEO of the Altavista Area YMCA, expressed gratitude for the grant. “We are humbled and honored to be awarded the GLCF Century Fund Grant. This grant will allow us to expand quality childcare to working families in our community,” she said. “We appreciate GLCF recognizing the impactful work that we are doing, and this award is going to help us reach even more children.”
Bryn Simons, the Child Development Director, added, “We are excited about the impact this grant will make on our families, community, and the growth it will provide for local businesses and industry.”
Past recipients of the Century Fund grant include the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center, James River Association, Lynchburg Grows and Roads to Recovery. Since 1972, the GLCF has granted over $35 million to various local nonprofit organizations, supporting areas such as human services, animal welfare, arts, education, and historical preservation.
For more information about the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, including how to apply for grants or establish a scholarship, visit www.lynchburgfoundation.org.