Thursday, September 2, 2010
Why invest in positive solutions?
What will my gift do?
How do I give?
Success stories
Why invest in positive solutions?
| Help make your community a better place through the YMCA. Join with donors who share belief that regardless of the challenges children, teens or families face, their unique talents can be strengthened. Your donation supports YMCA programs and facility development, the critical tools that give vulnerable community members a greater chance for success. Your gift is greatly appreciated and fully deductible as a charitable contribution. The YMCA is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) organization and registered with the I.R.S. Tax ID #91-0482710. |
 Click this button to make your donation |
"I think that one of the core strengths of the YMCA is its ability to make the most out of limited resources."
-Will Fox, Board of Managers Chair-Bellevue Family YMCA
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What will my gift do?
For more than 38 years in the Bellevue community, the YMCA has earned its reputation for innovation and effectiveness in a diverse range of programs that bring out the best in people. The support of generous donors helps guarantee that this commitment will continue for generations to come.
Contributions to the YMCA Partners With Youth Campaign support positive, values-based programs for children and families. Your donation stays in our community, with 95 cents of every dollar going to life-enhancing programs and financial assistance.
Here are a few ways your gift directly impacts children and teens:
$30 Sponsers a child for Itty Bitty Sports
$120 or $12 each month makes it possible for a needy family to have their son or daughter attend mid-winter break camp
$500 or $50 each month supports 12 Landing guests for lodging, food and showers for two weeks
$1000 or $100 each month allows one youth to learn and grow through Kids University for one semester
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Gifts to the YMCA's Endowment Fund provide a stable, enduring source of funding that protects the YMCA's ability to positively influence the community for generations to come. Endowed funds are held in perpetuity according to donors' wishes and wisely invested. A portion of the interest earnings is used as designated for program support, college scholarships, financial assistance for low-income participants, facility maintenance, international initiatives and general YMCA support.
How do I give?
Make your gift online: visit our online giving site.
Make your gift, pledge or credit card payment by phone: call Keri Stout, Executive Director, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at (425) 746-9900.
Make your gift by mail, with checks payable to:
Bellevue Family YMCA
14230 Bel-Red Road
Bellevue, WA 98007
Make a pledge or request additional information by email: please include amount, program or campaign designation (if any), your mailing address and desired billing schedule. Send to Keri Stout at kstout@seattleymca.org.
Make a gift of stock:
Stock Transfer Procedures
Stock Transfer Request Letter Sample
Make the YMCA part of your legacy through a planned gift. Contact Garry Wyckoff at 206-382-5016 or gwyckoff@seattleymca.org. YMCA's Endowment Fund
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Success Stories: Supporting Families
A Grateful Mom's Story:
"Our family is proof that the YMCA is everything they promise and more. We are a small family with virtually no exterior support. When we first came to the YMCA, it was because of a personal referral from our doctor. Our daughter came into the toddler room at 13 months old. We were scared and had many apprehensions. After the first week, we were totally convinced that we had found the right place for our one and only. As time passed, we became more impressed with the family events the Y had, like family night, and the fall festival and such. My poor tired husband and I found a home.
At one point we could no longer afford the couple of days a week. We talked to the Y director and found out that we can stay in via [financial assistance]. We were ecstatic. My husband worked nights and had to watch our daughter while I worked days. This not only allowed us to stay at the Y but also gave us a few extra days for our daughter. Needless to say, our own family dynamics were in disrepair. This summer, as I prepared myself for nursing school, my husband and I were looking at the prospect of separation. Again, the Y heroically came up into play and gave us one more day for our daughter temporarily so that we could seek counsel. We are still married and happy, and we feel that our daughter is with members of her own family at the Y.
So to end, please know that your contribution to the Y is going directly to the families who are struggling, to the single moms and dads, to the lost parents and most importantly, the next generation of upstanding citizens in the United States."
Shape Tomorrow's Leaders
Madeline's Story:
"I first became involved with the YMCA in middle school. The summer of 1999 could have been full of television watching and around-the-clock snacking, resulting in me becoming a couch potato. So I thought, "What could I do to make my summer meaningful?" I decided volunteer at the Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA's day camp. There I was graced with the presence of younger children, who somehow thought of me as a leader they could look up to.
I was nervous to take on such a role, but I proudly did so. I knew deep down that I could make a difference in the kids' lives. I got to know so many children that lived in my neighborhood, and to this day I see them and their parents, and they remember who I am.
In high school I joined a program called "Black Achievers." There I learned about life in school and outside of it. I was introduced to high paying careers, internships, colleges and the college admission process. Through this program, I applied for and received a YMCA scholarship, and I am thankful for the contribution to my college education.
The Y has been a constant contributor in my life. It filled my want to work with others, become more out-going and, most importantly, the want to make an impact in someone else's life.
My future looks brighter because of what the YMCA has given me. It has given me hope and the chance to succeed in my future. Not only do I have plans to become a doctor, but I also wish to contribute to the reformation of health care. Having grown up in a low-income community, I know how bad things can be. I hope to improve not only the price, but the quality of services that low-income patients receive.
Thank you for supporting the YMCA. You have given me hope and a sense of relief. I can now focus on my studying and not worry about money. I hope that when I am older, I too will be able to make contributions to others for college. After all, it takes a whole village to raise a child."
Madeline Yguado grew up in the Rainier Valley and graduated from Aki Kurose Middle School and Franklin High School. She now attends Seattle University and credits her involvement in YMCA programs supported by the Partners With Youth Campaign as helping her succeed.
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