Do you remember your first day of school? You likely had a brand-new backpack, freshly sharpened pencils, clean shoes, and outfits you picked out yourself. That sense of excitement and confidence can set the tone for the entire school year. For many families in our community, however, the start of the school year brings stress and uncertainty—not celebration.

That’s where the YMCA Bright Beginnings program makes a difference. YMCA Bright Beginnings takes children in need back to school shopping with community volunteers. We provide a gift card to volunteers to shop for clothes with a child one-to-one. 

After 11 months of renovations and additions to the YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake, the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina has announced the reopening of the Winston Lake YMCA. The YMCA REACH Center is a multi-service provider destination and includes a 55,000 square foot renovation that will introduce new amenities including a lobby expansion to become the community “family room”, multipurpose classrooms that will serve as a host for various courses, workshops and trainings, renovated childcare facilities, updated locker room, new wellness center with state-of the art equipment and group exercise room and a Novant Health clinic providing on-site medical services.

In 2024, we launched new community programs, invested in our facilities and equipment, and continued to demonstrate that the Y is a safe place for all to focus on their health — spiritually, mentally and physically.