In 1913, the YWCA in Lancaster was organized under the direction of Miss Alice Champion. Fourteen years later, on January 17, 1927, the Fairfield County YMCA was established under the leadership of J.J. Phillips. In the 1930s and 1940s, both organizations expanded during the Depression and war years by offering opportunities for young people to grow within the framework of community service. In 1951, the first joint YMCA and YWCA Board meeting was held to plan for a shared program facility. In 1960, after successful capital campaigns, the YMCA and YWCA opened for business in the same building, a new facility on West Sixth Avenue. At the time, the building included an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, and meeting rooms. In 1975, the building was expanded to include a second gymnasium, racquetball courts, a martial arts room, a pool observation deck, and adult fitness centers.

On March 1, 1985, the YMCA and YWCA consolidated into the Family YMCA of Lancaster and Fairfield County. A twenty-four-member Board of Directors (twelve men and twelve women) was established as the policy-making body.

In June of 1998, the Family YMCA kicked off a capital campaign to expand the facility located on 6th Avenue. With a lead gift of $1.5 million from Dr. Robert K. Fox and his wife Dorothy, this expansion added a 25-yard, 8-lane competition pool, an expanded Wellness Center, and additional locker rooms and other ancillary spaces to serve the members and community. While the YMCA successfully raised over $3.5 million, the cost of the expansion exceeded $6 million. The expansion opened in September 2001, and later that fall, the YMCA secured a $2.5 million loan to cover the shortfall. This loan was completely paid off in 2019.

In 2009, the YMCA purchased the former Fairfield Athletic Club, now known as the YMCA RecPlex, to provide a space for the growing gymnastics program. In addition, the new space allowed the YMCA to offer additional programs and services for the community, such as indoor tennis and pickleball, cheerleading, boxing, soccer, softball, baseball, and basketball.

In 2019, the YMCA and Fairfield Medical Center collaborated to construct and open the River Valley Campus location as part of the hospital’s expansion and construction on their new facility along Memorial Drive in Lancaster. In addition to serving members with its wellness center space, this phenomenal asset allows the YMCA to offer specialized programming for Arthritis and Parkinson’s patients, as well as LiveStrong® at the YMCA (cancer survivors) participants. This comprehensive wellness facility has elevated the YMCA’s ability to deliver the services that the community needs.

Today, the Family YMCA of Lancaster and Fairfield County enjoys over 10,000 members and is led by a Board of Directors consisting of 18 community leaders.

The YMCA will continue to focus on nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility. YMCAs are anchored in more than 10,000 neighborhoods around the country. The YMCA has long-standing relationships and a physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver lasting personal and social change.