After a heart attack, Deborah found herself surrounded by silence. Until one morning she walked through the doors of the YMCA. She was met not by treadmills or routines, but by a wave and an invitation she’ll never forget: “Come sit with us.”

That small kindness changed everything. Recovery became belonging. Strangers became family. Her story — and her mother’s — remind us that JOY at the Y isn’t just about fitness or programs. It’s about connection, compassion, and community.

When you give to the JOY Campaign, you help open that same door for someone else. You make it possible for neighbours of all ages to find their strength, their people, and their place to shine.