Austin, TX (AUGUST 7, 2025)  –We recently had the honor of celebrating a major milestone for YMCA Texas Youth and Government (YG), thanks to a $250,000 capacity-building grant from the FirstDay Foundation.

FirstDay Foundation leaders Marilu Reyna and Connie B. (Belciug) – pictured with Texas YG State Director Missy Garcia, Greater Austin YMCA President & CEO Kathy Kuras, COO Shaquan Brown and CDO Sara Sendelbach Harwood – visited Texas YG to learn first-hand how the gift will strengthen the infrastructure behind this transformative program. Investing in staff, systems, and operations will make it possible for thousands of students across Texas to engage in hands-on civic education.

We’re so grateful to FirstDay Foundation for believing in the power of youth leadership and the importance of building sustainable, mission-driven programs. Your partnership fuels our future.

About YMCA Texas Youth and Government
YMCA Texas Youth & Government (TXYG) is part of a nationwide, youth led, civic engagement and academic enrichment program for high school and middle school students. YMCA Texas Youth and Government program was organized in 1946. The program provides middle school and high school youth training in democracy and our three branches of government.

About FristDay Foundation 

FirstDay Foundation was established to “light the way,” elevating and helping non-profit organizations fulfill their missions.

FirstDay Foundation, by design, operates differently than most other grant-making foundations. FirstDay Foundation utilizes its own specific means to identify entities it wishes to invite to apply for funding consideration. This “Secret Santa” approach identifies organizations doing good and important work that FirstDay Foundation feels can make an even greater impact. FirstDay Foundation intends to strictly follow this proactive investor philosophy of altruism by extending an application invitation only to organizations it has selected and vetted. Organizations that attempt to circumvent the application process by soliciting persons affiliated with FirstDay Foundation will lose eligibility to apply for an extended period of at least 1-year.

FirstDay Foundation values efficiency and best practices. On occasion, FirstDay Foundation may impose requirements for grant recipients to improve efficiency and practices to ensure effective use of FirstDay Foundation funds. These requirements may include access to, and/or use of shared administrative and governance services offered by FirstDay Foundation or other proven management tools and resources identified by FirstDay Foundation.