Activate America

Activate America is the YMCA’s response to our nation’s growing health crisis. The YMCA is redefining itself and engaging communities across the country to better support Americans of all ages who are struggling to achieve and maintain well-being of spirit, mind and body.

We are shifting how we focus all aspects of our work both inside and outside the YMCA to better engage health seekers. We define “health seekers” as all children, youth, teens, adults and families whose successful pursuit of health and well-being requires continuously supportive relationships and environments. Inside the YMCA, we are influencing and motivating health seekers to make positive changes in their pursuit of well-being. And, outside the YMCA, we are helping create and sustain healthier communities.

• In the last 10 years, obesity rates in the United States have increased 60%.

• The current generation of American children could be the first to lead shorter lives than their parents, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

• More than 50% of U.S. adults do not get enough physical activity to make a difference in their health.

• Health problems related to obesity cost our country an estimated $117 billion a year due to direct health care costs, as well as the indirect economic costs of lost productivity.