So well-known that it is recognized by a single letter, the Young Men's Christian Association, or YMCA, is a nonsectarian, decentralized international federation with over 2,600 centers in the US. Local centers use programs such as childcare, arts, fitness, camps, teen leadership and job training and housing to promote the YMCA core values of "caring, honesty, respect and responsibility." Read on to learn more.
Connect with your local Y to learn about the YMCA. Start by using the "Find Your YMCA" page (see Resources below).
Step2
Become a member of your local Y and size up its programs by trying them yourself before you decide on how to donate or volunteer. The Y isn't just a charitable organization. It can also be a gym, a place to swim, an arts center and a place for kids.
Step3
Find out more about what the Y does with the help of your favorite Internet search engine.
Decide What You Can Best Contribute to Your YMCA
Step1
Ask if your Y has an annual fund drive so that your donation can come at the most useful time, or check to see if you can make a monthly pledge to be charged to your credit card or bank account.
Step2
Help out by coaching a sport, reading to children, answering the office phones or in some other way. Staff at your YMCA would love to put you to work as a volunteer.
Step3
Donate globally after you donate locally! The YMCA encourages activity at the local level, but there's also a World Service program for community-building efforts in distressed communities world-wide. You can help fill its annual fund-raising thermometer by using the "Donate to YMCA World Service" link (see Resources below).
Follow up on Your Contribution
Step1
Create a file system for all your donations, including local, national and religious organizations, and add a file for the Y. Keep records of your donations, your volunteer time and travel and any related correspondence.
Step2
Refer to these files at tax time and when you are considering future commitments.
Tips & Warnings
If you like getting involved in an organization to which you are contributing, your local Y may want to involve you as a volunteer, a committee member or even a member of the local Board of Directors.
With its local presence, the Y may provide so many ways to get involved that you burn out. Protect your reputation by getting involved gradually, and consider protecting your privacy by keeping your roles as "donor" and "member" separate.
