Y-USA launched its “For a better us” campaign today. The multimedia marketing campaign is the 164-year-old organization’s first-ever nationwide marketing push and will set out to raise awareness about the Y’s programming efforts in youth development, social responsibility and healthy living. The campaign is scheduled to run through 2018.

The campaign launched with two television spots. “Places” focuses on individuals lacking necessary resources and opportunities in their communities. “Idle hands” looks at the negative effects of children being left unsupervised and unchallenged.

“These commercials are not what most people would expect from the Y, and that’s by design,” said Donna M. Bembenek, Y-USA’s vice president of marketing communications in a release. “We want the public to see the Y in a new way—as a leading charity that is addressing pressing social issues in communities nationwide and is worthy of their support. This is who we’ve been for more than 160 years and our new campaign is designed to help more people understand that.”

The spots will air on multiple networks, including CBS, TBS and MSNBC. Y-USA will participate in digital advertising with The New York Times, Peel, Youtube and Twitter among others.

The Y’s campaign will also feature digital activation with online banners being placed next to relevant news stories to promote specific Y programs addressing the issues referred to in the stories. The strategy is intended to drive home the Y’s role in helping solve community challenges and encourage donations to help vulnerable children, families and communities, according to a release.

The Y has consistently topped the NPT Top 100, including the 2015 report with 2014 revenues totaling $6,608,618,000. For more information on the campaign or to view the television spots, visit www.ymca.net/forabetterus.