Senate Honors YMCA's 175th Anniversary

Bipartisan resolution celebrates the organization's legacy in youth development, community service, and historic innovations nationwide.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 1:30pm

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The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution to honor the YMCA ahead of the organization's 175th anniversary. The resolution, led by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and James Lankford (R-OK), recognizes the YMCA's history, including the invention of basketball, providing safe housing during the Industrial Revolution, and serving as the nation's leading non-profit provider of early child care and education programs.

Why it matters

The YMCA has been a cornerstone of communities across America for nearly two centuries, serving as a hub for youth development, healthy living, and community-building. This resolution celebrates the organization's lasting impact and enduring legacy.

The details

The bipartisan resolution was cosponsored by several other Senators, including Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Boozman (R-AR), Todd Young (R-IN), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). It highlights the YMCA's history of innovation and service, including the invention of basketball, the establishment of the nation's oldest and largest youth civics education program, and its role as the leading non-profit provider of early child care and education, before and after school programs, and summer camp.

  • The YMCA was founded in 1851.
  • The Senate passed the resolution on March 15, 2026.

The players

Dick Durbin

U.S. Senator from Illinois and Democratic Whip.

James Lankford

U.S. Senator from Oklahoma.

YMCA

A community-based organization with about 2,600 locations serving more than 10,000 communities across the country.

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What they’re saying

“The YMCA's history is intrinsically tied to our nation's history, and even 175 years later, it will be a piece of our nation's future.”

— Dick Durbin, U.S. Senator (riverbender.com)

“For 175 years, the YMCA has been a steady force for good in communities across America. Here in Oklahoma, 17 YMCAs are putting that mission into action every day, supporting families, mentoring young people, and strengthening the communities we're proud to call home.”

— James Lankford, U.S. Senator (riverbender.com)

The takeaway

The Senate's bipartisan resolution honoring the YMCA's 175th anniversary underscores the organization's enduring role as a community hub, innovator, and champion of youth development, healthy living, and civic engagement across the United States.