The Downtown Asheville YMCA: A Home for Hope, Healing, and Community
Guest Author: Dave Stern
When I moved to downtown Asheville three years ago, one of my first priorities was finding a place to swim. My search didn’t take long. Just a short walk from my condo, the Asheville YMCA became my lap pool—and so much more.
This center is part of the YMCA of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
Across seven YMCAs, an overnight camp, school-age programs, and community health outreach, the Y serves thousands of people every year. The downtown campus alone welcomes about 30,000 visits a month and reflects the spirit of Asheville itself: caring, inclusive, and resilient.
A Community Hub for All
The Y defies easy categorization. It’s more than a fitness center—it’s a gathering place for people of all backgrounds and abilities to connect, grow, and thrive. Through programs that support health, wellness, and belonging, the Asheville Y truly lives its mission: to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
Members range from athletes training for competition to older adults working on balance, from families with young children to individuals managing chronic conditions. The Y’s group fitness classes, personal training, aquatics, and adaptive wellness programs create a welcoming space for everyone.
One standout is PWR!Moves, which supports individuals with Parkinson’s disease through movement and connection. Another is the Mobile Food Market, which provides free, healthy produce—no questions asked—to neighbors across our region. These programs exemplify how the Y meets people where they are and ensures that no one is turned away due to inability to pay.
Rising Together: Hurricane Helene Response
That spirit of welcoming and care has never been clearer than in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In the storm’s wake, the YMCA of Western North Carolina mobilized quickly—turning facilities into community relief hubs, distributing food through our Mobile Markets, and opening showers and restrooms for those displaced. Staff and volunteers worked side by side with local agencies to ensure neighbors had access to water, shelter, and comfort.
What we learned through that experience reinforces what makes the Y special: when disaster strikes, the Y becomes a place of refuge and hope. The hurricane showed that their commitment to community doesn’t stop at our walls—it extends wherever help is needed.
Looking Ahead: Building the Future, Together
As we look to the future, the YMCA of Western North Carolina remains determined to grow its impact. Their vision is simple but powerful: to ensure that every person—no matter their background, identity, or income—has access to the opportunities they need to thrive. That means expanding partnerships, investing in youth programs, and reimagining how their facilities can best serve as community wellness and resilience centers for generations to come.
Join Them in Strengthening Community
Every day, the Y proves that belonging and hope are more than words—they’re actions. Whether you swim, volunteer, donate, or simply stop in to share a smile, you’re helping build a stronger Western North Carolina.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make a difference close to home, the answer might just be at the Y.
Learn more, get involved, or support their Hurricane Helene recovery efforts at ymcawnc.org.
Bio of Guest Author Dave Stern:
Dave Stern is new to the community of writers after decades working as a physician, physician scientist and health sciences administrator. He served as Dean of Colleges of Medicine at University of Georgia (then called Medical College of Georgia), University of Cincinnati, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center.
He and his wife moved to Asheville at the end of 2021 where he has worked part-time in addiction medicine and is developing a new career in writing. He has placed pieces in the Citizen Times, The Write Launch, Windmill, Streetlight Magazine, Manifest Station, Awakenings Review, Qu Magazine and others.
Dave grew up on the North Shore of Long Island where he spent summers sailing on Long Island Sound. Kathleen, his wife of almost fifty years, a former ophthalmologist, is a fulltime artist.
