The End of a Name, Not the Mission
Participants at our 2022 event pose with Boomer.
Earlier this month, we announced a major rebrand for our organization to better reflect who we’ve become. As we rebrand to “Youth for Change,” we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the first five years of our organization’s history and the impact our community has made together as “WMCD.”
When WMCD was first envisioned in 2021, the goal was straightforward: create opportunities for local students to learn the value of giving back while making a meaningful impact in their community. Inspired by SHMD, a longstanding marathon dance program in New York, local volunteers came together around the idea that youth are more capable than they’re often given credit for.
That belief became reality in February 2022 when twenty participants gathered for our first event, which was private due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they raised more than $16,500 for Rick’s Place and the KEVS Foundation. The next year, WMCD hosted our first public DanceAthon event and officially became a nonprofit organization, providing a foundation for future growth and impact.
Over the next several years, our organization evolved significantly. While WMCD began as a Charity DanceAthon, the community quickly helped shape it into something broader. Participants wanted more than a dance. They wanted opportunities to connect with each other, engage with the organizations they were supporting, and take an active role in creating memorable experiences. As a result, our events became all-nighters, our programming expanded, and our youth participants became increasingly involved in shaping the direction of the organization.
Throughout that growth, one thing remained consistent: the commitment of our community.
Volunteers dedicated countless hours to planning events and supporting participants. Parents encouraged young people to get involved. Sponsors and donors invested in an organization that was still finding its footing. Board members helped guide important decisions. Most importantly, young people showed up year after year, bringing energy, creativity, and a genuine desire to help others.
Together, this community accomplished more than any of us could have imagined in those early days.
Retractable banner promoting our first overnight event.
Over the past five years, more than 300 young people have participated in WMCD programs and events. Together, they have helped raise more than $140,000 for charities, nonprofit organizations, and families facing challenges. They have volunteered their time, built relationships with community partners, developed leadership skills, and demonstrated the power of youth-driven service.
The WMCD name became associated with many things over the years: themed all-nighters, fundraising events, opening ceremonies, youth leadership opportunities, and so much more. But more than anything, it became associated with a group of people who believed that young people could make a difference when given the opportunity.
As our organization continued to grow, it became clear that the work being done throughout the year extended far beyond what the original name described. The decision to rebrand reflects that growth and our vision for the future, but it does not change the foundation that has been built over the last five years.
The transition to Youth for Change is not the start of a new mission. It is the continuation of the one that began under the WMCD name.
As we move into this next chapter, we are grateful to everyone who helped shape the first one. The accomplishments of the past five years belong to an entire community of participants, volunteers, families, donors, sponsors, and supporters who believed in the potential of young people to create positive change.
The WMCD name played an important role in our story, and we are proud of everything that was accomplished under it. As we look ahead, we do so with appreciation for where we started, confidence in where we are going, and excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead for Youth for Change.
