YMCA of Metro North & GraVoc: 20+ years of impactful partnership.
about the YMCA of Metro North.
The YMCA of Metro North is a charitable community-based organization committed to nurturing the potential of youth, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility in our community.
The YMCA of Metro North is made up of 7 locations:
– Demakes Family YMCA – Lynn
– Melrose Family YMCA
– Saugus Family YMCA
– Torigian Family YMCA – Peabody
– Gymnastics Center – Saugus
– Y Academy – Melrose
– Y Academy – Stoneham
At a Glance
At GraVoc, we believe in giving back to the communities in which we do business in any way we can, whether that be through donating, volunteering, or by sharing our technology expertise. One of the closest relationships that we’ve formed within our community is with our friends at the YMCA of Metro North.
For over 20 years, we’ve worked closely with the Y, both as a technology consultant and community partner, helping to raise funds and shape strategic plans for the organization. We have provided professional tech services to their 7 branches, including IT infrastructure, digital marketing, website design, application development, and information security.
Through these services and our involvement on their Board, we’ve proudly helped this amazing organization propel their mission of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
Digital transformation services provided include:
IT Infrastructure
Photography
Website Design & Development
Digital Marketing
Application Development
Information Security
Video Production
video production for awareness & fundraising campaigns.
As a nonprofit, the YMCA relies heavily on funding from local communities and businesses. Over the years, our team has helped the YMCA raise awareness for a variety of campaigns through compelling video production & animation services, and voice over services. Our video team has also helped the Y deliver their annual meetings to a wider audience by providing live-streaming services. These types of videos are a great way to get messages seen and fundraising efforts heard and can be shared on multiple platforms for maximum exposure to the public.
Check out some of the videos we’ve produced, maybe you’ve seen a few!
live event production for the Y’s ‘Where in the World’.
Every year, the Y hosts an annual gala which helps raise funds to support their programs and initiatives. In 2017, our team worked with the YMCA of Metro North to reimagine their gala, creating the ‘Where in the World’ event. The Where in the World event is an exciting night out featuring live music, food stations, and impact stories, and ends with a chance for attendees to win dinner for 2 anywhere in the world! Our team provided a variety of live event services to help bring this fundraiser to life and make a lasting impression.
website & application development.
From website design to application development, our team worked with the Y to promote this event. We created the sweepstakes website, which allowed attendees to purchase raffle tickets leading up to the event. We also created the application that randomized the raffle entries and selected a winner using a fun, animated countdown during the live drawing.
The live donation/drawing screen provided the audience with a memorable and exciting experience. Leveraging our custom development capabilities, GraVoc delivered a lightweight cloud application to showcase donations in real-time and to pull the raffle winner. This dynamic live display kept attendees engaged and provided recognition for donors.
photography & video recording.
During the night of the big event, our dedicated team of photographers and videographers were in attendance to capture every moment as it unfolded. With meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to excellence, they skillfully documented the occasion, ensuring that every precious memory was captured.
The YMCA team was able to use the videos and photos our team took for post-event marketing and to help market the event the following year.
virtual fundraising.
In 2020, we helped the Y put a special twist on this fundraiser, by bringing the event online due to Covid. The live-streamed event was appropriately titled “Where in the World … Did 2020 Go? A Fancy Hat and Pajama Pants Celebration” and raised more than $150,000 to help support the Y’s mission of youth development.
Despite Covid and social distancing, the YMCA was able to use our virtual fundraising event services to raise the much-needed funds using our green screen room and technology to stream their event.
digital marketing & graphic design.
Along with providing the services listed above, our team also assisted the YMCA team with digital marketing services for the Where in the World event. We worked with the Y to design creative marketing assets which included program design, ticket design, social media promotion, email marketing, billboard design and more.
IT & cybersecurity support.
Besides website design, application development, and digital marketing, our team is proud to fully manage the IT Infrastructure of the 7 branches of the YMCA of Metro North. Over the course of our partnership, we’ve worked with each branch of the Metro North to update their technology stack, ensuring that the branches are connected to one another. We’ve also provided a variety of Information Security services, including Policy Development and IT Assurance testing to ensure the overall security posture of their operations and eliminate vulnerabilities.
When the new Demakes Family YMCA was built, the Y knew they could rely on our IT team to ensure the proper implementation of their technology infrastructure. We worked with contractors to design their infrastructure, including low-voltage cables, telephony, and internet needs. We also installed access points, servers, and switches to provide the new facility with the most up to date technology.
Also, next time you visit the Demakes Family YMCA, make sure to stop by the Tech Lab, which features a creative and fun wall display designed by our marketing team!
beyond a business relationship: serving the Y as a devoted community partner.
Our relationship expands beyond the professional services we provide. Our CEO, David Gravel, has been involved with the YMCA of Metro North since 2002 where he led the Community Relation Committee to help build the new Torigian YMCA in Peabody. He has been an avid supporter of the Y, helping to raise funds and provide strategic planning ideas. In 2006, David joined the Board of Directors and will soon be the official Chairperson of the Board.
Our commitment to the Y is felt throughout our organization from our leadership team to our developers, designers, and technicians. We look forward to supporting and serving the Y for years to come, just as the Y serves our communities!
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