Get Involved as a YMCA Volunteer
At the YMCA, your time and talent will go a long way. Every hour you
spend as a YMCA volunteer translates into the caring attention a child or teen needs to grow up healthy and resilient. It
translates into support for families so they can be successful and strong. Into healthier lives for people of all ages, backgrounds,
abilities and incomes. Into a safer, more viable community that's a good place to live and work.
YMCAs are first and foremost volunteer organizations. To put it in
perspective, not every YMCA has a building, but every YMCA has volunteers. All 2,617 YMCAs are volunteer-founded, volunteer-based,
and volunteer-led. Local volunteers establish YMCAs- not the YMCA of the USA- and local volunteers run YMCAs, continually
ensuring that YMCAs are meeting the unique needs of their communities. Volunteers are at the heart of every YMCA and that
is why YMCAs are at the heart of community life in more than 10,000 communities nationwide. From helping Civil War troops
more than a century ago to international disaster relief efforts today, YMCAs are one of the nation's leading volunteer organizations.
As a YMCA volunteer, you
can lead an exercise class, read to a preschool class, coach a basketball team, cook for a bake sale, design a program brochure,
greet people at the front desk, find items for an auction, serve as a role model for young people, help out in the office
or at a special event, or be part of a group or committee working on a neighborhood problem. No matter how you help, you'll
make a big difference as you work with others to create a feeling of connectedness in your community.
The basic definition of a YMCA volunteer is "anyone
who willingly gives time to help the YMCA accomplish its mission without getting paid by the YMCA." In the Y movement.
Please note that young people can serve in all of the above capacities
as long as, like adults, they have the proper skills, training and supervision.
To solve the problems closest to home- or better yet-prevent them-
the YMCA needs more people like you. Do something good. Volunteer at the YMCA.
Looking to get involved with our local YMCA? Why
not call the Y to get a personal tour?
