2026 Early Learning Center Capital Campaign

Since our founding nearly 170 years ago, the Bath Area Family YMCA has remained committed to the mission of strengthening the foundations of our community through a focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. While the needs of our communities have changed over the years, the one constant has been that we will be there to meet them.

For over 20 years the Bath YMCA has been home to a nationally accredited early childhood education program serving toddlers and preschoolers in the community. In 2021, facing a growing demand for affordable, quality childcare in our community, the Y began to plan a multi-phase capital campaign to expand our capacity to welcome more children into our program.

Since then, our early learning program has grown tremendously. What began as three classrooms serving 35 children has expanded to six classrooms serving nearly 100 children. In 2025, we proudly opened our new 10-classroom Early Learning Center in Brunswick, providing 130 childcare spaces for employees of Bath Iron Works and families throughout our community.

Today, we are focused on the next chapter of this journey: opening a dedicated six-classroom Early Learning Center at our Bath location. This new facility will expand access to high-quality early childhood education for local families, strengthen our ability to meet the growing demand for childcare, and ensure that more children have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.