A healthier future can be built through daily habits, community connections and access to quality health care and wellness resources.
That’s why the Southeast Ohio Health and Wellness Foundation committed $300,000 to the Cambridge Area YMCA’s indoor aquatic center as our initial investment in a community-based health and wellness project. To us, this isn’t just a pool. It’s a long-term investment in a broader ecosystem that supports community well-being.
Since our establishment in 2023, the foundation has supported people, places and programs that foster health and wellness in the OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center’s service area. We’ve previously invested in patient care improvements, including equipment, projects, and training for health care workers. Funding for the YMCA’s indoor aquatic center is a logical next step in advancing community-based health and wellness – and our largest investment to date.
This new community resource will offer accessible, year-round opportunities for exercise, therapy and community connection, providing health benefits to people of all ages and abilities. Swimming is one of the most effective forms of physical activity, promoting cardiovascular health, strength and rehabilitation. And because it’s low impact, it’s especially beneficial for older adults and those recovering from injury.
It’s also a critical life skill. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death among children, so having access to swim lessons and water safety education can save lives.
We see this project as part of a larger vision: enhancing the conditions for health and wellness to continue to flourish in everyday life. True community health happens in the spaces where we live, work and connect with one another.
The YMCA’s indoor aquatic center will be one of those spaces. We are proud to partner with a local nonprofit that shares our commitment to community health and wellness and to play a role in creating a space where healthy habits will be built for generations to come.
Matt Elli chairs the Southeast Ohio Health and Wellness Foundation Fund, which was established in 2023 at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.