2017 Annual Report

More documents

Info

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A BETTER US. Every day, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine works to strengthen the foundations of our community. A better us starts with a better you, and in 2017, with the help of you—our members, donors, sponsors and volunteers—we made an incredible impact in our community. KEEPING KIDS WARM Through our partnership with the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation, more than 4,000 kids in our community stayed warm when the temperatures dipped in the winter. Staff members from every YMCA branch picked up and loaded coats from delivery trucks, and later connected the coats with kids in our communities who needed them the most. HOLIDAYS OF GIVING In November, Thanksgiving food baskets were prepared for 784 people in our community thanks to the generosity of our members. In December, YMCA members and our community provided gifts to more than 2,000 children and families in need through our Angel Tree program. BLOOD DRIVES Twelve blood drives were held across the branches of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine with more than 600 YMCA members donating blood that aided over 1,200 area hospital patients. TOGETHERHOOD Volunteers are the backbone of our mission. Every year, thousands of you generously volunteer your time and talent by reading to children in our childcare programs, running food drives, coaching youth sports, serving on our boards and committees and more. At the Jennersville YMCA, the Togetherhood volunteer program has taken flight. “Togetherhood is a program that connects people from all different backgrounds together to plan volunteer projects,” Jennersville YMCA Executive Director Aaron Karpas said. “We put it out there and people show up. There are a lot of good people in our community that can really help a lot of people.” The Jennersville YMCA Togetherhood volunteers have visited nearby Luther House, an independent living community primarily for seniors, where they brighten residents’ days by helping with maintenance and cleaning projects. At least twice a year, volunteers will also prepare a luncheon, to which all residents and volunteers are invited. “The residents are so appreciative that our volunteers are doing something for them, but it’s almost just the presence and the visit that’s more rewarding,” Jennersville YMCA Volunteer Coordinator Rose Abbott said. “There’s that sense of community and fellowship.” The volunteer planning committee has also partnered on several community projects with Lighthouse Ministries, Young Moms and PennDOT. Building a stronger community takes all of us—and when we come together, the impact we can have is inspiring and makes a significant difference to the members of our communities. “ The residents are so appreciative that our volunteers are doing something for them, but it’s almost just the presence and the visit that’s more rewarding. There’s that sense of community and fellowship. ” - Jennersville YMCA Volunteer Coordinator Rose Abbott 4 YMCA OF GREATER BRANDYWINE
YMCA SERVICE TO YOUTH AWARD Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation One of the many ways that the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation shows the community how its members are “More Than Auto Dealers” is by ensuring that children who need coats during the cold winter months receive brand new coats. The Foundation knew the coats would provide warmth and boost self-esteem, but it faced an unexpected hurdle when it began distributing them. “Logistically, it’s hard to give out 50,000 coats in one year to those who need them,” Foundation President and David Dodge Chrysler Jeep owner David Kelleher said. “However, the Y knows who needs the coats and helped us bridge that gap. It’s a perfect partnership.” The Foundation and the YMCA have partnered for the last several years with YMCA team members and every Y association in the five-county region of Philadelphia to ensure that new coats get to those who need them most. “ We want these kids to feel good, and say to themselves, ‘This person cares about me.’ That can have a profound impact, it might just change the course of their life. The Foundation has provided more than 315,000 new coats since 2008, and for Kelleher, there’s no better feeling than personally putting them on kids’ backs. “Once I saw the kids, it all changed for me. The same goes for my fellow dealers. We are so engaged in this program. We help make the deliveries of the new coats as well as assist with the actual distribution of them. We want these kids to feel good and say to themselves ‘This person cares about me.’ That can have a profound impact, it might just change the course of their life,” says Kelleher. Annually, the Foundation also supports all 29 local area YMCAs, specifically sponsoring the Y’s Annual Healthy Kids Day Events. For their impactful efforts on the youth in our community, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine is honored to recognize the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation with the YMCA Service to Youth Award. ” The Service to Youth Award recognizes individuals and organizations whose dedication and effort have made a significant and positive difference in the lives of children in our community. www.ymcagbw.org 5
Page 1 and 2: FOR A BETTER US. 2017 YMCA OF GREAT
Page 3: Letter from LEADERSHIP A Promise to
Page 7 and 8: HEALTHY LIVING LIVESTRONG AT THE YM
Page 9 and 10: YMCA COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD Safegu
Page 11 and 12: THANKS TO OUR DONORS The Y is acces
Page 13 and 14: TRIANGLE SOCIETY The Triangle Socie
Page 15 and 16: LIONVILLE COMMUNITY YMCA Leon Shelt

2017 Annual Report

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?