Published: 03/02/2026 - 9:00 AM
Jim Creighton’s roots at the Northeast Family YMCA run deep. You could say it’s in his blood.
He started going there in the 1960s, when the branch was “nothing more than a soccer field, a construction trailer and an old 1800s carriage house.” He played soccer there as a kid. Earned his lifeguard certification there as a teenager. His wife was a teacher there. His kids grew up there. His dad literally installed the first lights on the soccer field—donating the labor so it wouldn’t cost the Y a dime.
“My whole family went there,” Jim explains. “It was a place that we were connected to.”
Even after moving to Bucks County, Jim stayed connected through donations designated to the branch. But in 2019, now retired and with time to give, he took it further, joining the advisory board and committing what he calls his “time, talent, and treasure.”
The treasure part was easy; he’d been giving for years. The talent came from a 40-year career at Holman Enterprises, leading Ops and Customer Service. He puts that experience to work now mentoring staff through the Y’s Emerging Leaders Program, empowering teens in our Workforce Development workshops, and helping with strategic planning at the branch level.
But it’s his commitment of time that really reveals what drives him.
Jim lights up describing when he volunteers to hand out winter coats. “To see little kids lined up when you hand them a green jacket because the Eagles are their favorite team... That is unbelievably fulfilling,” he says.
He’s equally passionate about financial assistance, insisting his donations go directly to helping families access programs. “When you hear that we didn’t turn any kids down for basketball, we didn’t turn any kids down for swim lessons... knowing that I’m making a difference towards that, that means something.”
Jim knows that impact, because he’s never forgotten where he’s from. He insists he’s “just a kid from Northeast Philly.” It’s an identity he’s proud of—one that fuels his commitment to help today’s kids become tomorrow’s success stories.
“When I grew up, it was a bunch of white kids from Northeast Philly,” he admits. “The demographic of that neighborhood has changed for the better,” and Jim believes the Y is more impactful because of it. He recalls standing in the lobby during one of his many visits, watching staff effortlessly help families speaking “four or five different languages” navigate their first day.
Jim’s advice to other potential volunteers is direct: “Find out where the greatest need is and where the greatest impact could be. If that’s a match, jump in with both feet.”