A true sense of connection

“Our involvement has given us a front-row seat to the invaluable work the YMCA is doing in our community and the fantastic impact they’re having,” —Tim Penner, proud YMCA donor, past Strong Start, Great Future Campaign Chair, and past Board Chair.

There’s no place like home—a fact Pat and Tim Penner can attest to. After living in different countries, the couple chose to return to Toronto to raise their children—a city they love for its diversity that works thanks to different people with different perspectives coming together and enriching our communities.

“The GTA is a great place to live, raise children, and belong to. It’s uniquely diverse, and that diversity is our strength,” Pat says. Tim agrees: “We feel a strong sense of responsibility to support our communities. It’s up to all of us to ensure that the essential systems and programs making all this work remain in place.”

By supporting the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Pat and Tim have been able to do just that. Generous donors to our Strong Start, Great Future Campaign, they’re helping us meet the growing need for relevant programs and supports that provide people with opportunities to live happy, healthy lives, and realize their dreams.

“The Y has been a wonderful partner, allowing us to make a real difference,” says Pat. Along with the couple making a generous gift, Tim also stepped up as both our Board Chair and Campaign Chair. “I took the role because the Y has a very bold vision for what Toronto can be and I believe in the impact we’re making together,” explains Tim. “Nobody else is building innovative places like the YMCA’s Centres of Community—places that embrace diversity, bring people together, and foster community building.”

Today, Pat and Tim share our Strong Start, Great Future vision—yet they’re the first to admit that, in the beginning, they didn’t grasp the full scope of our work.

“I thought the Y was just a gym,” recalls Tim. “But I soon realized all the things they do. The Y is on the front lines, connecting with individuals and families.” At YMCA Centres of Community, the couple witnessed youth accessing relevant programming that unlocked their abilities and self-confidence. Newcomers making vital connections, building relationships, and integrating. Parents picking up their little ones at childcare. People finding the confidence and skills to get on the path to employment.

“Our involvement has given us a front-row seat to the invaluable work the YMCA is doing in our community and the fantastic impact they are having,” says Tim. “The difference the Y makes in the lives of others—knowing that we’re a part of that—is unbelievable.”

“The Y is truly the glue that keeps our communities together,” adds Pat. “It’s in the organization’s fiber—their staff and volunteers live and breathe the Y’s values. We share these same values, which we’ve worked hard to instill in our children. It’s why we have a special place in our hearts for the Y.”

If there’s one thing the Penners would like more people to do, it’s visit the YMCA. “It’s an enormous leap of appreciation to experience the positive energy, the connectedness, the spirit of inclusion—the magic of the Y—in person,” explains Tim. Pat seconds the sentiment: “If you care about your community, you owe it to yourself to at least learn about the Y. Just go, then decide for yourself if you want to get involved.”

Learn more about our Strong Start, Great Future.