FREDERICTON, March 17 /CNW/ - Today, CIBC will make a $75,000 donation to the Fredericton YMCA's, Your New Y campaign. The funds will support the construction of a new YMCA facility to address the substantial growth in the community that has resulted in waiting lists for child development programs, youth basketball and swimming.

"At CIBC, we are committed to making a difference in our communities," says Sylvain Vinet, Senior Vice-President, CIBC Retail Markets in Eastern Canada. "Helping the Your New Y campaign achieve its goals and expand its capacity to serve the community will result in more access for youth and families to the important programs and services the YMCA provides."

"CIBC has been a vital partner of the YMCA for more than 35 years and over the past ten years they have witnessed first-hand the 100 per cent growth that led us to build Your New Y," said Kathy Russell, CEO, Fredericton YMCA.

"The participation of major corporations like CIBC adds strong momentum to our community fund-raising campaign," adds J. W. (Bud) Bird, Your New Y Campaign Co-chair. "CIBC provides recognition of the Your New Y campaign from a national perspective, and helps to encourage increased levels of support from local firms and families. The CIBC donation will be a catalyst towards full attainment of our campaign goals."

About Your New Y
Your New Y is nearing completion at York and Albert Streets, with initial activities to commence in late summer months and official opening scheduled for September. The building is now fully enclosed, with all trades in on-going stages of their work, and preparations being made for exterior surfaces to be installed with the arrival of spring weather.

The community fund-raising campaign for Your New Y has also been actively under way since its beginning in September of 2009, and will continue until the project has been completed. Over the past eighteen months, more than 650 individuals, families, small companies, large corporations, institutions and foundations have made contributions which are now approaching $5 million.

About CIBC
CIBC is committed to supporting causes that matter to our clients, our employees and our communities.  We aim to make a difference in communities through corporate donations, sponsorships and the volunteer spirit of employees.  With a strategic focus on youth, education and health, and employee commitment to causes including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, the CIBC Children's Foundation and United Way, we are investing in the social and economic development of communities across the country. In 2010, CIBC group of companies contributed approximately $34 million to charitable and non-profit initiatives in Canada to support national, regional and local organizations. To learn more, visit www.cibc.com