YMCA OF METROPOLITAN DALLAS JOINS WELCOMING AMERICA IN CELEBRATING NEW AMERICANS DURING WELCOMING WEEK

DALLAS (September 14, 2020)- This Welcoming Week (September 12-20), YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas will join Welcoming America and other YMCAs and organizations nationwide to celebrate immigrants’ contributions to communities and bring together all residents in a spirit of unity. Each year, Welcoming Week brings together immigrants and U.S.-born residents to promote cross-cultural understanding and raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone. This is the third year the Y has celebrated Welcoming Week with its community. To ensure the safety and participation of all, the Y’s 2020 Welcoming Week event will be virtual and/or physically distanced.

“It is critically important to celebrate Welcoming Week in 2020, as our country faces the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread civil unrest caused by systemic racism,” said Curt Hazelbaker, President and CEO of YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “At the Y, we seek to build bridges and heal communities, and we invite neighbors—both immigrants and U.S.-born residents—to use Welcoming Week as an opportunity to connect, find common ground and celebrate our shared values and contributions.”

During Welcoming Week, the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas will host virtual posts through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Participants can use the hashtags #WelcomingWeek and #ForeverWelcoming to share their YMCA Welcoming Week stories along the way.

About the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas serves thousands of men, women and children each year, regardless of age, income or background. Anchored in 21 North Texas communities, the Dallas Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The Y ensures all people have equitable access to the essentials needed to become thriving members of the community. Daily, the Y bridges and fills individual and community needs as a catalyst for impactful change. The YMCA makes accessible the support and opportunities that empower people and communities to learn, grow and thrive. To learn more or get involved in improving our local communities, have opportunities to make an impact and support your neighbors, please visit us at www.ymcadallas.org.