Will it be a precursor to a merger of sorts, or will it simply result in collaborative program sharing? Will there be joint leadership going forward? The future of the YMCA in Berrien County could look the same as it does now or it could change, perhaps even drastically. It all depends on the outcome of a joint study approved today by the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA and the Niles-Buchanan YMCA.
The two independent Y's have solicited the assistance of the YMCA of the USA in studying a range of possible collaborative efforts all aimed at increasing the impact to all communities in the service areas of each organization as well as focused on enhancing the operations of both organizations.
The newly announced study process is expected to be complete by early May, when the boards of directors of the YMCA's locally will determine what, if anything, to change about each organization going forward.
The study comes in the wake, also, of the impending leadership transition following the announced retirement of long time Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA CEO, Mike Ahern, whose term of service concludes at the end of May. That transition process is also being assisted by the YMCA of the USA.
Both Y's have been dynamic forces for decades within their respective service areas, and the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph unit just completed a massive expansion and upgrade project.
Stay tuned for more as the study gets underway and the results are rolled out.
