The Irving Park YMCA offers a range of educational and recreational programs for children and families. It features a swimming pool, free-weight rooms and gymnasiums. The facility also organizes several summer camps. The Irving Park YMCA maintains a residential facility that features more than 200 single-occupancy rooms. It provides online payment services, as well as accepts donations. The facility organizes group exercise and cycling sessions. The Irving Park YMCA maintains an indoor track and basketball and handball courts. It additionally features steam and locker rooms. The facility organizes various preschool programs, as well as features a skate park and ice rink. The Irving Park YMCA is a part of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
BUILD, founded in 1969, is a nonprofit organization that helps redirect the behavior of gang-affiliated youth and potential recruits to gangs. The organization has helped more than 77,000 young people lead more productive lives. Many participants in the BUILD programs have gone on to have successful careers as attorneys, educators, policemen, firemen and government employees. It also emphasizes on leadership development and in helping the youth develop positive life plans. The organization serves the Chicago neighborhoods that include Ravenswood, Uptown, Lakeview, Logan Square, West Town, Humbolt Park and Cabrini Green. BUILD is headquartered in Chicago, Ill.
With more than 2,600 YMCA is one of the largest nonprofit community service organizations in America that works to meet the health and human service needs of more than 20 million men, women and children in nearly 10,000 communities. YMCAs are at the heart of community life since 42 million families and 72 million households are located within three miles of a YMCA. YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association. From its start more than 150 years ago, when George Williams founded the YMCA as a substitute Bible study and prayer for life on the streets, the YMCA was unusual because it crossed the lines that separated all the different social classes in England. YMCAs offer its members a variety of programs that include adventure guides, aquatics, arts and humanities, camping, child care, community development, family, health and fitness, older adults, SCUBA, sports and teen leadership. YMCA has a location in Chicago.
