About Us

The North Suburban YMCA is an independent, non-profit association, located in the heart of Northbrook, Illinois, serving a diverse population of over 200,000 people in twelve communities. These communities include Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Highwood, Lincolnshire, Northbrook, Northfield, Riverwoods, Winnetka and Wheeling.


Its mission is to promote values that build strong families and the health of each individual’s spirit, mind and body in an inclusive, welcoming environment.

History

What began in 1960, as a recommendation to the Evanston Y that Kenneth A. Thiel be permitted to extend the work of the YMCA in the Village of Northbrook, grew into a Y that has directly and indirectly touched the lives of countless individuals.

The first office for the Northbrook YMCA was located in the basement of the Thiel’s home. With only one desk, chair, and telephone, the work of the Y took root through the mobilization of key individuals and guidance of community groups like the Deerfield-Northbrook Rotary. On January 4, 1962 the first meeting of the Northbrook Y Affiliated Committee was held. Mr. Walter Johnson was elected President. By the year’s end, the Y had an income of $3,952.00 and expenditures of $454.86. Total membership at the end of the first year was 171.

In the early 1960’s, when the national media was imprinting black and white images of tragedy and uncertainty on our memories, the North Suburban YMCA’s scrapbook began to fill its pages with stories and pictures of growth and direction for the future. The Northbrook Y formally approved the proposed donation of land by the Covenant Church of America in April 1963.

During that same year, our Y Indian-Guide program was started and the first Y community service project took place when 27 boys and girls from our Y community helped the Northbrook Garden Club clean up our local River Bank. Summer swim programs for Y members were held at Glenbrook North High School. The Northbrook Y officially changed its name to the North Suburban YMCA and moved its office to 1852 Shermer Road, where it had the complete use of basement facilities donated by Drs. Albert Nischke and Henry Diettrich.