Community partnerships create continued revitalization in Renaissance Square
The William M. McDonald YMCA officially opened its doors on Friday, January 11th. A community-accessible pool, large pre-school, dedicated youth space, wellness area, demonstration kitchen and full gymnasium with a walking track is included in this state-of-the-art William M. McDonald YMCA. This $14 million facility was made possible by the support of generous donors and key community partners, including the City of Fort Worth, The Morris Foundation, the Sid Richardson Foundation and the Amon G. Carter Foundation.
The brand new William M. McDonald YMCA in southeast Fort Worth will serve community members with healthy living and family and youth programming such as, youth mentoring, after school enrichment, early education, youth sports, nutrition education and gardening and chronic disease prevention.
As a part of Purpose Built Communities in partnership with Renaissance Heights United, the William M. McDonald YMCA will create access to community wellness. Renaissance Heights United is a revitalization partnership dedicated to the proposition that everyone deserves the opportunity to live and raise their children in communities where they can achieve their full potential and overcome entrenched poverty.
“One of our goals for this facility is for it to become a true gathering spot for the southeast Fort Worth community,” said Tony Shuman, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth. “A place where families can come together, children can grow and adults can maintain healthy lifestyles.”
The building is named in honor of William M. McDonald in recognition of the support given to the YMCA and the Fort Worth community, and of his many acts of generosity. As a successful businessman, William M. McDonald became Texas’s first black millionaire and one of the richest men in the South during his life. He was a civic leader, philanthropic in his efforts and worked hard to give back to the Fort Worth community.