Eugene Family YMCA reached a milestone last week in its efforts to fund a new building. They’ve raised $4 million thanks to a challenge grant.
The grant of one million dollars came from the John E and Robin Jaqua fund at the Oregon Community Foundation. Eugene YMCA CEO Brian Steffen said Jon Jaqua, their son, wished to honor his parents and support the Y.
“He wanted to help celebrate his parents’ life and their legacy, their connection to the YMCA” Steffen said. “His father, John Sr., had been on the YMCA board and was a board president and helped this Y get built in 1955.”
145 individual donors helped raise $4 million towards a new building to replace the aging Y. Steffen says the current building is too small and outdated for what the organization offers now in programs, classes and services. Now, they seek to re-secure $15 million in lottery funds from the state legislature.
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