Charlotte's YMCA is charting a new course after pandemic setbacks

The YMCA's revenue dipped $28M from 2019 to 2021 but has started recovering.

The following article appeared in the June 13, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

---

The YMCA of Greater Charlotte is tackling $32M in debt and lingering pandemic-related membership losses by lowering prices, modernizing facilities and expanding community partnerships

Sue Glass, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, spoke at a Charlotte Rotary Club meeting Tuesday to give an update on the nonprofit’s efforts to rebuild after membership dropped during Covid by 50% to 60%.

By Lindsey Banks

At the height of Covid, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte lost more than half its members, a major blow to the nonprofit that once relied on membership dues for nearly 70% of its operating budget. Five years later, the organization is still rebuilding — and also battling $32M in debt.

It’s been a challenging era for Charlotte’s YMCA, said CEO Sue Glass, speaking at a Charlotte Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday. But the nonprofit has made recent strides to rebuild and is moving forward with a new strategic plan to ensure financial stability.

At stake is the future of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, an organization that serves about 200,000 people annually through its 14 centers and two youth sleep-away camps, Camp Thunderbird and Camp Harrison.

One step in its recovery: lowering membership fees. Prices dropped on Jan. 1 from $83 per month for an adult pass to $69 per month. (That’s good news if you’re short on your dough.)