“Annual danceathon rebrands to better reflect target audience”
BY MIASHA LEE FROM THE WESTFIELD NEWS
WESTFIELD — Western MA Charity DanceAthon, Inc., a nonprofit known for its signature 25-hour overnight charity event for middle and high schoolers, has renamed itself Youth for Change, signifying its growth from a single annual fundraiser into a year-round youth leadership program.
“We’re very excited,” Director Harry Monti said. “Creating the new name and brand allowed us to take a step back and think about who we want to be as an organization.”
He continued, “We feel that the new name is much more relatable for our target audience, which is the students in our communities. Youth for Change allows us to stay focused on building an organization that’s all about the youth in the community and teaching them the importance of making a difference.”
Formed in 2021, the organization’s original vision was inspired by the South High Marathon Dance in South Glens Falls, New York, where it hosts a 28-hour event to raise money for charity. The goal was to bring an event of that same magnitude to Westfield, which led to the formation of the Western MA Charity DanceAthon. Since its first event in 2022, the organization has engaged over 300 local youth in its programming and distributed 14 grants to local nonprofit partners totaling over $140,000. Over the past five years, they’ve expanded their work to focus on youth leadership development, which is reflected in the rebranding.
A group photo of participants at Youth for Change’s signature event, their charity all-nighter in February 2026. (ANDREA YORK PHOTOGRAPHY)
“The shift in the name is really to recognize the fact that we’re about more than one event,” Monti explained. “The reference to Western MA Charity DanceAthon felt very specific to an annual event that was being held for youth in the community. However, we’ve gone through two important changes over time.”
What used to be called their dance-a-thon is now called the ‘charity all-nighter,’ which the organization said is about much more than dancing. The event allows the children to have fun raising money for local charities and build lifelong memories of hanging out with their peers.
Youth for Change said it is a year-round organization that engages youth and gives back to the community. They spearhead fundraising activities, engage youth and host other community events throughout the year.
Mackenzie St. Peter, a member of the Youth Team, loves the new name and feels it reflects what the organization is about.
“We are youth in the community who want to make an impact on those around us, especially other youth,” St. Peter said. “I feel like it reflects more on the group’s values as a whole instead of just what the youth event began as years ago. The organization has impacted me by helping me learn leadership and fundraising skills and giving me a chance to know that I can make a difference in our community.”
Moving forward, Youth for Change’s goals are centered around expanding their reach in two ways. The first is growth in the number of students engaging with Youth for Change, while the second goal is to continue expanding their geographic presence by involving surrounding communities.
Readers can visit yfchange.org to learn more about Youth for Change, explore volunteer opportunities and follow their upcoming events.
