J.P. Fox’s Story

J.P. Fox and his family joined the C.W. Avery Family YMCA many years ago thanks to the financial assistance they received from the Y’s scholarship program.

Ever since, J.P. has spent countless hours within the confines of our pool—first for swim lessons, then as a Porpoise Club swimmer, and now as a YMCA lifeguard.

The Y, J.P. says, has become his home away from home. The people inside have become his second family.

At the 2011 Giving Gala, J.P.’s mother Jackie spoke about the impact the Y had on her family, inspiring many guests to make a donation to the Y’s scholarship fund.

Nearly five years removed from that night, J.P., now 17, decided to pay it forward with a contribution of his own. Recently, he made a very generous donation to the Y’s Annual Campaign.

“I was once part of a family that needed a scholarship to go here,” he said. “I feel like it’s my time to give back to the Y and help people who need it. Hopefully they will get the same opportunities I did. To have a second home and family.”

You, too, can make an impact in the life of a YMCA family. To make an end-of-the-year charitable donation to the Y, text GJAYMCA to 566-51 or visit our Annual Campaign webpage.

Tickets for the ninth annual Giving Gala will go on sale in early January 2016. To learn more about the Giving Gala, please click here.