Alief Family YMCA will close May 30, and council member Tiffany Thomas says it's because of financial problems after COVID-19 and ongoing federal funding cuts.
The organization has been around since the 80s, but the building reopened in 2023. It offered aquatics, leadership development, basketball, and after-school programs for kids and families. The official notice went out Tuesday afternoon.
ABC13 asked council member Thomas if there's any way the doors could stay open.
"I would hope that if there was funding available -- if there was a change in D.C. or if there was a philanthropist that had a connection to the Alief site -- that would be open. But the climate that we're in, the competitive nature of federal dollars, I don't foresee that," Thomas said.
For Tracy Jones, being part of the YMCA family meant there was always someone to lend a helping hand, even if that someone was herself.
"One year, my son's basketball coach quit, or wasn't able to fulfill the commitment and they didn't have anyone else, so, I stepped in and was the coach, and that just tells you how much I love the kids because I'm so uncoordinated and not an athlete," Jones said.
Although her kids are grown and have families of their own, she worries about how the closure of the Alief Y could impact the next young family that needs community help.
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"There are going to be people who are undoubtedly affected, it just seems like there could have been another decision," Jones said.
ABC13 spoke to Stephen Ives, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Houston. He said more than 60% of the funding the Alief YMCA gets is from the federal government and goes to cash assistance and resettlement efforts for immigrant families. He said a very small portion of their work is membership-based, so when cuts came down, it was this location that felt the biggest hit.
"With the adjustment in government priority and shifting of that, we're shifting also so the staff that were there are no longer doing that work," Ives siad.
When that work was being prioritized and funded, the Y had moved 40 people to work at the Alief center to help refugees. Those who do work in Alief will be given assistance in applying to other Y openings that exist in the Houston area.
"Devastating news," Thomas said.
Thomas notes that the building plays many roles. The space is often called upon during times of extreme weather and natural disasters.
"The Alief YMCA was always a warming and cooling center, so it was bigger than the programs and was an asset in the time of disaster recovery," Thomas said.
When doors close in May, whether you're looking for resources in a new community or a place to sign up your kids for sports, the change will be felt by many.
"I was really upset," Jones said.
Thomas says outreach programs will likely continue, and children who use the Alief YMCA will get bussed to other locations.
SEE ALSO: City of Alvin purchases former Alvin YMCA, to turn it into recreation center