(Miss this week is the short lead, this interview in the Mail leadership brief participants box was delivered on the morning of Sunday, July 19 ;? Receive weekly emails of meetings with top CEOs and business decision makers around the world, click here, the YMCA, under CEO. Kevin Washington, has played an important role in unraveling the involved nation’s security network of more than 1,000 Ys have some form of emergency food distribution during a pandemic is based, also he took a heavy financial toll on Y. often with local partners work. Many Ys have seen their food distribution efforts tenfold. Y has played a crucial role in caring for the children of essential workers looking for a maximum of 40,000 children in June alone. YS also spaces into homeless shelters has partnered with the red cross for blood drives and contr ibuito check on elderly and Angehöri gen vulnerable communities to help ward off loneliness. But the day of reopening the field organization during the crucial summer months. Meanwhile he contributed to a break in gym memberships account for $800 million US dollars deficit in Y revenue for April and May. A handful of Ys off, and the closure is likely. to keep afloat, more than 500 Ys across the United States have received protection salary loans from the federal government. Washington, 66, is the first African-American CEO of the US YMCA; He started the Y 42 years working as director of the youth program, after the first in Y programs is involved when he was 10. He writes the Y with him a safe alternative to gang life on the streets of South Philadelphia offers, Washington’s time for a video conversation to speak during the crisis, the difference in the Y pin guide, and expect that today’s young leaders. Sign up short by clicking the command here. This interview with US YMCA CEO Kevin Washington has been edited for clarity and condensed. A report by the US Census Bureau recently found that about 25 million Americans do not get enough food to eat during the week. Since the Y address has contributed to this situation? We knew that concluded with schools that municipalities would have no money for food, mainly because of the significant unemployment problems [and] treated leaves. The Y amplified and a partnership with food banks and other companies to ensure that there was a continuous supply of food for the children and families who needed it. What does this country that so many people live so close to the edge that are in need of food? It continues to show significant inequities that exist in this country. And the thing is that the pandemic has made of them is highlighted. The problem for us is what we want to do about it? What we are to do as a country? The considerable number of injustice, they’re looking at us in the face. It is not about politics. It is fundamental dignity and we all want to have people with the basic necessities. As the Y helps to transmit the road table? First, in order for us as an organization, we’ve got to work on yourself. We can not talk about injustice in this country, if you have not done yourself before all the work. You have to understand that is not what we have before us only what happens. It is over 400 years old with us. You are the first African American CEO. How old is the Y? It is 176 years. The word comes very late lately talks. What I say is that a person who grew up in the 60s, and some of the things to see in the movement for civil rights and over happens, I’ll tell you I’m sad. I am frustrated. I am angry. But I am confident. Because? I am confident because of what I see in the streets, what I would call a rainbow coalition of people today. Young people in particular. My heart is with the youth. I see young people who are really different, have different points of view, to have that diversity, inclusion and fairness mean different opinions on it. So I’m very confident. So it feels different from the ’60s? It feels different. But what I want to see how we deal with the practices and policies and laws? Great, come down monuments. And ‘good for public relations. Practices, policies, laws is what I want to see. You put your faith in young people? I say all the time so that nothing is in every country, changed every revolution, on any subject, if it were not run by young people. People forget Martin Luther King was 26 when he started. When George Williams, the YMCA has established, was 22. You mentioned in your organization looking for. As the Y has done? And ‘happy with the variety Y? I do not know if you can ever be satisfied. You always want to be better. We have a good team of people from the perspective of inclusion varieties. We can be better. We need to be better, our leaders leading this movement across the country. We are not where we should be. Absolutely not. Many organizations with storied history view your recordings back and search for things that do not deal proud and steps for change. What about Y? We are an American institution. E ‘to enter the members since then. 1851 [The organization was founded in 1844 in London.] They represent the history of America. So all those things that were prevalent in American society are reflected in the YMCA. If you look at the history of America, from 1851 onwards, you look at the history of Y, because we were part of it. We had apart from Ys. We can not deny it. It’s real. The time to study, in collaboration with Columbia Business School in a number of on-line, to provide on-demand courses, on topics such as effective leadership, negotiation and customer-oriented marketing. To sign up or learn more, click here. Let me switch to another service that you provided during the pandemic, essential to take care of child workers. As it happened, when Ys were forced to close? We swung. First, the Y is with one of the imagination of the largest providers of child development services in the country. Period. It ‘was very important. There is no way the economy or to open these types of services can not could be made available to children and families that are taken because people had had. The doctors, first responders, people in grocery stores, pharmacies. They had a place to put their children with schools closed. First, the Y is with one of the imagination of the largest providers of child development services in the country. Period. – Kevin Washington, CEO of the YMCA in the US The Y is also a big part of life many older people and the pandemic has taken a toll on the elderly. What have you done in this area? We have 22 million YMCA members in this country. One million of them are elderly. And many of them live alone. Y is to make that place where socializing come together, engage with people. And so, when it takes away from them, there is a sense of isolation that can develop. Many YMCAs took it upon himself to make sure that it reaches the people out to make sure they were getting what they needed. Ensure that were with them for the connection. Taking classes Zoom with them. Zoom conversations with them. To ensure that it was an opportunity for them to connect with other people. To prevent social isolation and depression. It is now summer storage. What happens to day camps and sleepaway camp? This is the first most of our what we call resident camps, sleepaway camp, not to open. Our day camps? Many of them work. Why they have expanded the truly essential services for children and families. You were busy. I should add that we were at in 1918 and went through prior to the pandemic. This is not the first pandemic. I do not want this ever done, ever, ever again. How much of what you do, you feel like an essential service is that the government should provide? Therefore, we asked for money. [Laughs.] That’s the reality. What the government has the ability to do, the funds for the non-profit sector, such as Y and give others to do this work on their behalf. And it does it in a much deeper level, less expensive and far more authentic, because they have the relationships in these communities. Y PPP has access? Many YMCAs PPP could access money. And I say that for many of them an elixir of life was to help them through this process. This has taken a huge financial toll on Y, right? One of the reasons why we went to the federal government’s resources only in April, the losses of revenue for the movement approached $400 million. A month. How much is worried about the financial health of the Y-system? I am very concerned, because like most nonprofit organizations, most of our YMCAs have significant reserves. We are sure that there will be some YMCAs, which can not survive. When did you first encounter Y? I was born and raised in South Philadelphia. They had young directors, schools and form would go to these clubs for kids. Unfortunately, it was just kids then. I was 10 years old at the time. The Christian Street YMCA: is there still. My mother would always ask where I was. I was, I learned to Y. there voluntarily. My brother, we have been involved in a church [Basketball] League on Friday night, most of the churches in the community. I was not pretty enough or good to play in this historical moment. I kept score. And I cleaned the gym. Sign up short by clicking the command here. What kind of neighborhood is it? What were the alternatives? There have not been too many. When I grow up, or want to get involved in sports or a street gang. And I had to get involved in sport and the luck to go around some of the other problems is that many of my friends fell into. This was due to the Y. Are you still in touch with friends who took a different path? Some of them are no longer with us are. I lost my first friend, his name was Chuckie, he was 13 he stabbed. He was 13. He died. Some of my best friends … is no longer with us. losing these relationships at an early age, it is very difficult. You helped me. The Y has prevented me about this. It gave me a place, a safe haven. What he was growing up like your home life? We were not the richest family in the world. But we were rich in terms of our relationships. I Am Number Four of six. My mother and father were there and took care of us. Whatever cents together we could always, always had a good time. Can not much. But we had a big family in terms of capacity and our love for them. We still have today. What characteristics have let your parents that you get to work with you every day? Watching my father, who worked as a packer in an assembly line. He can not make much money. But I could count the days on my hands, that he lost his job. We saw it when he was sick when he was tired. Also on Monday morning and he went to work. My mother was in another time, they would go to school and completed. Read intelligent books. He took care of the house. Made sure we get what we needed, meals and everything. Hard worker, took care of us. And some discipline have placed in us. She made us do our job. We are sure that there will be some YMCAs, which can not survive. – Kevin Washington, US CEO of YMCA What workplace Pack Your Father? Lamps. probably he worked there for 35 years. They went on a basketball scholarship at Temple University. what role do you play? Do you have a go-to move have? I was a guard. I had an average crossover. I was left-handed, and everyone would try to play me to my left. They could not stop him. Do you still play basketball? Not anymore. I see him a lot. But I do not play it. I am old. I get a belly that comes a bit ‘for my jump shot mode. What was your first paid job on Y? I was the director of the Youth program in 1978, $10,000 a year. I was rich. [Laughs.] And now it is running, 42 years later. Well, let me tell you. For a person who grew up in the 60s and now aged 66, it is different. It ‘s different because we are working so many of our young people for us and I am sure that you are likely to experience at TIME, is that they expect and require a different type of leadership. They are not as patient with the status quo or the hierarchy of an organization or a company. And no doubt, not only feel, but all our leaders who lead the feeling YMCAs across the country that the pressure of young people push us. And sometimes unpleasant, but wants us to areas that we do not want to go, to go there as soon as it takes. ‘A difficult time to be responsible. It ‘a very difficult time. They balance out what you know people want. What you need to do to and expect to take a stand. You do not want to hear. We must take a stand. WASHINGTON favorite business book: Tom Peters In Search of Excellence Authors: Ta-Nehisi Coates. Colson Whitehead. Malcolm Gladwell. James Baldwin. APP: Twitter DAILY stress reliever: I go to what I call the spiritual walks. But golf is the way I really stress to say I am now. Sign up short by clicking the command here. Photo copyright Callie Lipkin-courtesy of YMCA
YMCA CEO Kevin Washington balancing pandemic response and the financial pressure
