Strengthening Communities Brad Toft on the YMCA of Greater Toledo and a Life of Service

The YMCA has long been known as a place to exercise, swim, or play basketball, but its impact reaches far beyond fitness. In this episode of Taylor Community Connection, Tom Cole sits down with Brad Toft, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toledo, to talk about how the Y supports children, families, and communities through child care, camps, wellness, financial assistance, and spaces where people can feel connected and supported.

For Brad, that work has become much more than a career. After 37 years of service, he describes it as his life's work, a commitment shared by YMCA employees who dedicate themselves to making a difference in the lives of people throughout the region.

More Than Child Care

One area especially important to Tom and Brad is the YMCA's child care programming. For working parents, knowing their children are in a safe and trusted environment can make an enormous difference. But Brad explains that the Y wants its impact to go even further.

Preschool programs focus on helping children develop the skills they need to be ready for kindergarten, while school age programming places an emphasis on social and emotional well being. The goal is to provide parents with dependable care while creating positive experiences that help children learn, grow, and hopefully build a relationship with the YMCA that lasts throughout their lives.

Growing the Impact of the Wayman D. Palmer YMCA

Brad also shares an update on the Wayman D. Palmer YMCA, which has now been serving the community from its new facility for more than a year.

The facility continues to create opportunities for families throughout the surrounding neighborhood, from its pool and gymnasium to community events and health initiatives.

Brad shares that a recent health fair brought approximately 1,000 people through the building for screenings and other services, demonstrating how a YMCA can become a gathering place for much more than traditional recreation.

Investing in YMCA Storer Camps

The YMCA's impact also extends well beyond Toledo through YMCA Storer Camps, its overnight resident camp that has served generations of young people for more than a century.

Brad discusses several capital improvements underway at the camp, including a new lodge, bathhouse, health center, and welcome center. These investments are designed to strengthen a place that has already created meaningful experiences and lasting memories for thousands of children over the years.

Making the YMCA Accessible to Everyone

Perhaps one of the most important parts of the YMCA's mission is ensuring finances do not prevent someone from participating.

Brad explains that membership rates are based on household income and that the YMCA maintains a policy of turning no one away because of an inability to pay.

Members who can afford the standard rate help support families who may need assistance, creating a model in which the community helps take care of one another.

Taylor Automotive Family has been proud to support that mission. During the conversation, Brad recognizes Steve Taylor's longtime support of the YMCA, including helping provide opportunities for individuals and families who otherwise may not be able to afford the full cost of participation.

For Brad, every contribution matters. Whether someone gives thousands of dollars or $50, those donations collectively help the YMCA continue opening its doors to people throughout the community.

A New Flagship YMCA in Sylvania

The future of the YMCA of Greater Toledo includes another major investment in the region.

The organization recently purchased the former LA Fitness facility near Central Avenue and Holland Sylvania Road and is renovating the property into what Brad describes as a future flagship YMCA based on the amenities it will provide.

Plans even include a food pantry, reflecting the YMCA's broader approach to serving the needs of the surrounding community. At the time of the interview, the organization hoped to have the new location open by the end of the year.

A Life's Work

After nearly four decades with the YMCA, Brad's passion for the mission remains deeply personal. His own father worked for the Y, giving him an early understanding of what service and community involvement can mean.

Today, he sees that same commitment throughout his staff.

Brad is quick to shift recognition away from himself and toward the entire YMCA organization. When Tom praises the work he has accomplished, Brad responds with a simple correction: "The Y does great work."

That humility captures much of what this conversation is about.

The YMCA of Greater Toledo is not simply a collection of gyms, pools, camps, and programs. It is a network of people working to strengthen families, support children, improve wellness, remove financial barriers, and create places where everyone has an opportunity to belong.

For Brad Toft, helping make that possible for 37 years has not simply been a job. It has been his life's work.

👉 Watch now to hear Brad Toft share what is ahead for the YMCA of Greater Toledo and why investing in children, families, and community continues to drive its mission forward.