For years, corporations have embraced shortened names given them by the public. AT&T, GE and BofA are just a few that are better known by their initials than their proper names.

The Young Men’s Christian Association is another. Commonly known as the YMCA, the organization announced July 12 it will further simplify its name to the Y.

It is, after all, what most people call it.

The new name is part of a nationwide rebranding effort by the Chicago-based nonprofit to better describe how the 166-yearold organization that began as a Bible study group serves the community.

The Y serves an estimated 67,000 residents in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties through two regional offices—the Southeast Ventura County YMCA and the Channel Islands YMCA.

The regional offices oversee 12 local branches that extend from Westlake Village to Lompoc.

The dozen area branches will soon change their logo from the upright black and red Y to a slanted font with five different color schemes.

“It’s to help people understand the YMCA movement better,” said Trish Johnson, executive director of the Camarillo Family YMCA. “It’s not a program; it’s a movement.”

She said the multiple colors are meant to reflect the organization’s diverse membership.

Although the logo has undergone other changes during the Y’s long history, it’s remained the same since 1967.

Johnson said that even though the Y’s logo was one of the “most highly recognized logos in the world,” many people don’t know the full scope of programs offered by the nonprofit.

With the new name comes three new areas of focus: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Each of the organization’s programs will fall under one of those categories.

“Now we’re going to try to let them know through these three areas of focus a little bit more about how we do our work,” said Margo Byrne, executive director of the Ventura Family YMCA. “We felt that there was a disconnect between what the Y does and what the perception was by the general population.”

Rick Politte, CEO of Southeast Ventura County YMCA, said the rebranding is meant to distinguish the Y as a charity and not just a place to work out.

“The purpose is to really help people understand that we are not a gym and swim,” he said. “We are a cause charity really focused on meeting people’s needs and community needs.”

The campaign is meant to highlight the Y’s positive impact on communities and how it works to lower crime and dropout rates, reduce the ranks of obese Americans and promote volunteerism.

“If we better communicate who we are and what we do, the end result is that the Y’s mission will grow,” said Byrne.

Y officials have been careful to point out that although the logo has changed, the organization’s mission statement and ties to its Christian values remain the same.

“We work through Christian principals of honesty, respect and trustworthiness,” Byrne said. “That’s not changing.”