Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1098052
The South Shore YMCA: Cause-Driven Leadership. Extraordinary Community Impact. 8 For more than 125 years, local residents have turned to the South Shore YMCA to become their better selves through programs designed to build healthy spirits, minds and bodies. From a small turn-of-the-century building in downtown Quincy to today's far- reaching collection of branches and program sites, the Y has expanded in size and scope to impact the lives of more than 60,000 local community members each year, making it one of the largest YMCA associations in the country. Over the last decade, the number of community members that the SSYMCA supports has more than doubled under the leadership of current President and CEO, Paul Gorman. Gorman's long-time interests in athletics and giving back have been the driving force throughout his career path. Prior to his YMCA career, Gorman founded a not-for-profit, universally designed athletic facility where everyone, regardless of physical ability, could participate and feel welcome. After undertaking large capital campaigns to build the new Burbank and Lynch-van Otterloo YMCAs on the North Shore, Paul Gorman became determined to expand and revitalize another community center with access for all, this time on the South Shore. When he arrived, the existing Quincy Y, a central institution for the City of Presidents, had seen its day come and go as a facility. Built in 1955, it was deemed undersized for the local population by 1968. By 2010, the South Shore was in dire need of a new facility, one that would reflect the changing demographics of the region. "The South Shore YMCA was a natural fit for my background," says Gorman. "The opportunities for growth on the South Shore were ripe, and although it was a bit daunting to build on an already-successful organization, there was a chance to work alongside community leaders, partners and supporters alike to harness a shared vision for continued growth." By Erica Ford, photos by Kerry Riordan President and CEO, Paul Gorman