HomeMy WebLinkAboutCollato, Brandi - YMCA_Public Comment_Redacted
YMCA of the East Valley
500 East Citrus Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373
P 909-798-9622 | F 909-335-2007 | www.ymcaeastvalley.org
Good evening Mayor Tran and Councilmembers. My name is Brandi Collato, President & CEO of the YMCA of the
East Valley. Our San Bernardino Family YMCA located at 808 E 21st St., in Ward 2 is one of our branches, and I
am here to express my excitement and support of Item 14 on tonight’s agenda authorizing our City Manager to
proceed with long term lease discussions with our YMCA.
The YMCA began serving the City of San Bernardino in 1885. The original 50-year ground lease for our current
location was signed in 1960, and under that agreement the YMCA built, owns, and has maintained the facility
that still stands today.
Amongst various comprehensive programs and services, our YMCA of the East Valley is the largest childcare
provider in San Bernardino County, serving more than 8,000 children every day across 58 locations. In the City of
San Bernardino specifically, we are the largest partner with San Bernardino City Unified, and we provide
approximately $15 million annually in free and subsidized programing to the residents of the City of San
Bernardino. That is a level of investment and impact few (if any) organizations can match, and our Y believes we
are called to do even more to connect families to the full range of programs and services available through our
YMCA.
We’ve already taken the first step of investment by hiring a dedicated Executive Director for our San Bernardino
branch, but the reality is our 1960 building is not currently in the condition we need to maximize the program
and service offerings the community deserves. To secure the philanthropic investment needed for major
improvements, donors require long-term stability. A long-term lease is not just helpful, it is essential. Without
it, we cannot unlock the funding that will allow us to modernize the facility, expand programs, and serve
more families.
We value our partnership and appreciate your support of continuing that long term partnership into future to
best serve the people and long-term health of the City of San Bernardino.
Thank you for your time and for your commitment to this community.
Sincerely,
Brandi Collato
President & CEO
YMCA of the East Valley