LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A $500,000 grant will help renovate the sixth floor and support new programs at the historic Chestnut Street YMCA in Louisville.

What You Need To Know

  • James Graham Brown Foundation awarded the Chestnut Street YMCA $500,000

  • The grant money will renovate the location's sixth floor and support new programming

  • The Russell Neighborhood YMCA has programming for all ages

  • It also has two floors of housing for people experiencing homelessness

Less than a year into the job and Executive Director Kamari Wooten is accepting the largest grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation in more than 30 years. The Chestnut Street YMCA has been awarded $500,000 from the foundation. “It was amazing. I just knew that $500,000 is going to do so much for this community,” Wooten told Spectrum News.

The Chestnut Street YMCA has daily programs for all ages, and has two residential floors for people experiencing homelessness. Wooten says this one location serves more than 800 families a year. “This branch has been here for more than 100 years, so when you start talking about the importance this branch plays in so many people’s lives. It touches all areas,” Wooten continued.

The James Graham Brown Foundation grant will allow the Chestnut Street YMCA to make long overdue upgrades to the building, particularly to its sixth floor. The grant will pay for brick sealing, painting and restoration to its ballroom, which will soon feature a teaching kitchen.

“We’re going to be able to offer classes once a week to show people how to make low cost, efficient, healthier meals,” Wooten said.

The grant comes at a time where Louisville’s Russell Neighborhood remains one of the lowest economic zip codes in the city, hindered by a shortage of grocery stores, and an area where many struggle to find affordable housing. Mason Rummel is the president of the James Graham Brown Foundation.

“All of these systemic problems that are in this area, this Y touches and I think it is a real beacon in this community and the facility itself has historic significance and I think that instills pride of place which is really important to residents,” Rummel told Spectrum News. “Trying to do really impactful projects and this just fell squarely into that.”

“I mean we just touch so many aspects of this community and we don’t turn anyone away if they can’t afford it,” Wooten added.

This year, the James Graham Brown Foundation awarded more than 30 grants to organizations in addition to the Chestnut Street YMCA.

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