RED BANK – A merger between two local YMCA branches will create the second largest YMCA association in the state, serving more than 36,000 members.
Last week The Community YMCA announced that, effective Sept. 1, it would join forces with the Freehold-based YMCA of Western Monmouth County in an effort to increase programming and efficiencies and to solidify the financial future of both entities.
“The timing makes sense for us because the cost of doing business continues to grow and grow,” said Laurie Goganzer following an April 18 media conference at the Red Bank branch on Maple Avenue. “It’s getting harder. And for two nonprofit organizations serving the same county to come together as one (YMCA), it’ll allow us to make a bigger impact in our community.”
Goganzer, who was appointed the president and CEO of both the Red Bank and Freehold entities in July 2017, said the merger will decrease the duplication of efforts at the administrative level, allowing the organization to get the most out of its combined 1,200-plus employees, approximately 650 volunteers and an annual operating budget of $25 million.
“We want to serve the community as one YMCA because essentially, to our members, we’re one Y anyway. Whether it’s in Freehold or Red Bank, we’re just the Y to them. So this is our opportunity,” Goganzer said.
Combined, the association will have 11 different facilities throughout communities within and nearby Monmouth County, including health and wellness branches in Freehold, Old Bridge and Red Bank; outdoor day camps in Millstone and Wall; a community center in Freehold; counseling and social services centers in Eatontown, Matawan and the Leonardo section of Middletown; a child care center in Matawan; and administrative offices in Shrewsbury.
Additionally, the YMCA will now be able to offer before- and after-school care services in 40 schools across Monmouth County. The Community YMCA currently provides therapeutic counseling to children in 53 schools in eastern Monmouth County and parts of Ocean County.
“The Y is very big into clinic disease prevention and there are a number of programs that, maybe, Freehold and Old Bridge offer we don’t currently offer here in Red Bank, and vice versa,” said Jennifer Dunn, who has served as the chief operations officer of the Community YMCA since February 2018, and who will now oversee the entire Monmouth County operation.
“We see a large number of diverse programming that can come out of this, because our teams will now be working together, networking and sharing ideas to serve more people locally, in Red Bank and beyond,” Dunn added.
With less duplication freeing up funding to be invested into community programming, and a larger staff to implement new offerings, Goganzer said the organization’s local outreach efforts will be expanded with a mission to impact issues that are most prevalent around the county, including youth development, healthy living and social responsibility initiatives.
“These three focus points really drive our work, and some of the key issues that really drive our work in Monmouth County are the areas of mental health and substance abuse,” Goganzer said.
In September 2018 the New Jersey Department of Health released a report that said suicide rates around the state had significantly increased since 2000 and that every day approximately two New Jersey residents die by suicide.
The report also listed suicide as the second-leading cause of death among those between the ages of 10 and 14, and third among those ages 15 to 24.
“We’re seeing suicide rates increasing in Monmouth County. It’s not getting any better, it’s actually getting worse,” Goganzer said. “It stems from the opioid epidemic, as well as negative youth behaviors in our teens. At the Y, we have the capacity to serve the youth at a deeper level every day, because of where our facilities are situated, and because of the partnerships we have with community organizations and school districts. It’s about keeping kids on a positive path and our programs help do just that.”
The merger was the result of nearly a year of analysis and planning by a task force of eight board members representing both YMCA branches. The merger was unanimously approved by both boards at their April 17 meetings. Members of the task force were Russ Azzarello, John Badenhop, Stacey DeAlmeida, Tim Hogan, Jennifer Lakefield, Craig McGraw, Ted Nappi and Janet Phillips.
DeAlmeida, the incoming vice president of the new board of directors, said the decision was due in part to a study of several other successful YMCA mergers around the country, which led to greater community impact and sustainability.
“This is an important milestone for The Community YMCA and YMCA of Western Monmouth County. We believe we will only be stronger together,” DeAlmeida said.
Since January 2019, the two YMCAs have operated under a management services agreement in which The Community YMCA provided leadership to the YMCA of Western Monmouth County. Goganzer has served as president and CEO of both associations and Dunn as chief operating officer. The agreement will continue until the merger takes effect.
