Page 38 - 2024 Westchester County Economic Development Guide

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Commitment to the Community
A Transformative Vision
Under Cynthia Delfino's visionary leadership, the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester shifted its focus to address crucial community needs, embracing childcare as its primary mission.
When Cynthia Delfino was appointed CEO and President in 2014, The YMCA of Central & Northern Westchester “was one million dollars in debt, operating in an old building that cost $26 million to fix.”
She realized that the organization’s business model needed to evolve to stay in step with contemporary needs. After selling the building and paying off the debt, "we then reset our focus on what we do best – serving the needs of the community,” says Delfino, who was named by City and State as one of the most influential leaders in Westchester in 2023.
“We knew we had to take a hard look at our offerings.
The organization had the classic gym-resident model and one childcare program. We had to ask ourselves, ‘does The
Y meet the needs of today?’ It did in 1927, but what about today? Did people want a gym anymore? Were we even relevant anymore? That’s a scary question for a lot of people,” she says.
“In talking to the community, we decided that our focus should be childcare,” she continues. “You’re giving the most important thing in your life – your children – to other people, and it has to be right.” But with that insight came a
significant challenge. Providing quality childcare at the scale needed would require ample and appropriate space. Then Delfino realized that the answer would lie in repurposing unused buildings in the community.
“We reached out to local churches to utilize empty Catholic school buildings, beginning with St. John's on Hamilton Avenue in White Plains.” For Delfino, the calculus was simple: “We needed the space, and the churches could use the revenue.” The relationship has blossomed to include communities across the County, including Somers, Elmsford, Valhalla, Pleasantville, Lakeland and Mt. Pleasant, with two more on the way in 2024.
“You cannot do this alone, which is why we have been part of the BCW for many years. Marsha Gordon and Linda Tyler understand my business and they are phenomenal at linking people together.” —Cynthia Delfino
© Courtesy of YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester