It’s McGaw YMCA’s Season of Giving & Gratitude, and this year we’re proudly celebrating 140 years of community, connection, and impact. Since 1885, the Y has been a place where lives are transformed. Join us as we celebrate this milestone year and continue the work ahead. Upcoming Events YMCA Day in Evanston and 140th Birthday Celebration — Nov. 17 Mayor Daniel Biss has proclaimed Nov. 17 as YMCA Day in Evanston, honoring our founding date and 140 years of strengthening community. Stop by the Y on November 17 to celebrate with us: All-Day Celebration – Main Lobby. Join us for birthday festivities, free Y swag (while supplies last), and to sign our giant 140th birthday card! Cake with the CEO & Author Talk: 5–7 PM, Chinnock Lounge. Join President & CEO Monique Parsons and author Morris (Dino) Robinson to learn about the historic Emerson Street Branch YMCA from his book, […]

Mayor Daniel Biss (left) presented the YMCA Day in Evanston Proclamation to McGaw YMCA President/CEO Monique Parsons and Chief of Staff and Strategy Jesse Chatz. EVANSTON, IL. – At the October 27 City Council meeting, Mayor Daniel Biss proclaimed November 17, 2025, as YMCA Day in Evanston, recognizing the YMCA’s 140-year legacy of promoting the health, growth, and well-being of the community. Founded on November 17, 1885, the Evanston YMCA—now known as the McGaw YMCA—has served generations of Evanstonians through mission-driven programs that nurture spirit, mind, and body. As part of the larger YMCA of the USA movement, which celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2026, McGaw YMCA has carried forward the national mission while evolving to meet the unique needs of the Evanston community for the past 140 years. From its early days at Jennings Hall on Davis Street to its current home at 1000 Grove Street, the YMCA has

EVANSTON, IL. – The McGaw YMCA proudly announces the launch of its 140th Anniversary Celebration, a year-long series of events and initiatives honoring more than a century of service and community impact in Evanston. Since its founding on November 17, 1885, the Evanston YMCA—now the McGaw YMCA—has served generations of Evanstonians with mission-driven programs that nurture spirit, mind, and body. As part of the YMCA of the USA, which will celebrate 175 years in 2026, McGaw Y has carried forward the national mission while evolving to meet local needs from its first home at Jennings Hall on Davis Street to its current location at 1000 Grove Street. In the early 20th century, the Evanston YMCA founded Camp Echo (1924) and several neighborhood branches, including the Emerson Street Branch—a cherished hub for Black Evanstonians until 1967, when the YMCA of the USA ended segregated branches nationwide. These branches provided opportunities for