YMCA of Greater Boston

Thomas Valentine Sullivan and several fellow evangelicals built the first YMCA on American soil in Boston in 1851. The building was a manifestation of Sullivan’s goal to "meet the young stranger as he enters our city, take him by the hand, direct him to a boarding house where he may find a quiet home. . . and in every way throw around him good influences, so that he may feel that he is not a stranger,” as stated on the YMCA’s website and Sullivan’s favorite T-shirt. This zest for helping mankind sparked the YMCA’s rich history, which has seen its flagship location dedicated by President Taft and two of its locations give rise to basketball and volleyball. Sullivan’s vision remains intact as the YMCA’s staff and volunteers orchestrate an array of group classes and wellness-centered programs such as childcare, youth and adult sports, camps, and volunteer opportunities.