Spencer Family YMCA Healthy Living Team

Support the Y’s Critical Needs: Empowering Veterans and Cancer Survivors Through Health & Wellness

Our Mission: Health and Healing for Every Body

At the YMCA, we believe that health and wellness are fundamental human rights, not luxuries. Through our Healthy Living Department, we are dedicated to supporting our community through every phase of life.

Right now, two of our most vital community-impact initiatives—the Veterans Wellness Program and LIVESTRONG at the YMCA—are facing critical funding gaps. These programs are offered completely free of charge to participants, ensuring that financial barriers never stand in the way of healing, strength, and community connection.

We need your help to keep these life-changing programs running and accessible to those who need them most.

Where Your Support Goes: Our Critical Need Programs

1. The YMCA Veterans Wellness Program

• The Need: Many veterans return home facing invisible wounds, including physical deconditioning, PTSD, isolation, and the stress of transitioning back to civilian life.

• The Program: Our specialized initiative provides veterans, active military, and their spouses/partners with a supportive community, a complimentary 12-week family membership, expert-led physical conditioning, and mental well-being/mindfulness support.  

• The Impact: It reconnects veterans with a team environment, improves functional health, and builds a trusted network of peers.

2. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA

• The Need: A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments take a devastating toll on a person’s physical strength, emotional well-being, and confidence. Insurance rarely covers post-rehab physical conditioning tailored to survivors.

• The Program: LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a free, evidence-based 12-week program that brings cancer survivors together with specially trained wellness coaches. Participants engage in gentle strength training, core stability, balance, and cardiovascular conditioning.  

• The Impact: Beyond rebuilding muscle mass and reducing fatigue, the program rebuilds community, giving survivors their lives, confidence, and hope back.  

Make a Direct Impact: Choose Your Gift Level

Your tax-deductible donation directly supports operational costs, specialized instructor training, equipment, and free memberships for program participants.

• $50 – Supplies specialized resistance bands and yoga mats for one veteran or cancer survivor entering the program.

• $125 – Funds one week of expert-led small group training and coaching sessions for a participant.

• $250 – Sponsors a participant's complete fitness wellness assessment, tracking metrics like strength, mobility, and body composition before and after the program.

• $500 – Sponsors a participant for an entire month of the 12-week journey, covering facility access and specialized instruction.

• $1,500 – Fully sponsors one individual through the complete 12-week Veterans Wellness or LIVESTRONG program, providing them with a safe haven for physical and emotional recovery.

Other Ways to Help

• Share Our Mission: Help us spread the word by sharing this page with your friends, family, and local networks.

• Corporate Matching: Double your impact! Check with your employer to see if they match charitable contributions to the YMCA.

• Volunteer: Interested in supporting our Healthy Living classes or events? Contact Sarah Knight at sknight@ymcapgh.org.

Thank you for ensuring that our local heroes and cancer survivors have a safe, supportive place to heal, rebuild, and thrive.