Kate Cohen, vice president of institutional advancement at River Crossing YMCA, and regional leaders presented a vision on Oct. 2 to renovate and expand the Nazareth YMCA, rebrand the association and increase local programming, including a licensed preschool and enhanced senior services.

Cohen said the association—formerly known locally as Greater Valley YMCA—has reorganized as River Crossing YMCA and now serves about 140,000 individuals across 12 membership branches in two states. "I'm Kate Cohen. I'm the vice president of institutional advancement here at River Crossing YMCA," she said.

Leaders said they have raised more than $7 million for the Nazareth renovation and plan to convert the 1918 building into a downtown-focused facility with a welcoming lobby open to nonmembers, a cafe, a state-of-the-art wellness center with views of downtown, private changing stations or family locker rooms, a revitalized pool and gym and community meeting space available to partners. The project will prioritize ADA accessibility and expand mental-health supports, including meditation pods and space for counseling and yoga.

Crystal Messer, vice president of operations, highlighted senior programming and said Nazareth currently serves more than 125 seniors through a senior-hub model supported by United Way funding and other local donors. Messer said the branch reported 665 regular memberships and more than 500 insurance-based memberships in recent counts.

The YMCA leaders said the renovation will introduce a licensed preschool program—distinct from informal nursery offerings—to prepare children for kindergarten, plus expanded school-age childcare tied to four Nazareth schools. The association leaders emphasized the merger's operational benefits: shared marketing, development and human-resources capacity to roll out programs consistently across branches and to scale outreach while retaining local program identity.

Leaders also described partnership and outreach practices: they have coordinated with borough officials, health networks, the Bethlehem Area School District and local community partners during planning. Staff described exploratory work on a separate project in Upper Saucon to create a new YMCA presence there but said that plan remains under study pending land and partner availability.

Committee members asked about outreach, maintenance of locally popular classes, and childcare capacity. The YMCA leaders said programming decisions combine impact, sustainability and community input. The presentation did not include a county funding request during the committee meeting; committee members expressed support and asked follow-up questions.