This year, the Everett Family YMCA is proud to celebrate 34 years of our Bright Futures Benefit Auction.  In this event’s 33-year history, over $1,850,150 has been provided back to our community to ensure accessibility to your local YMCA.  Every day, the Y works to address the most pressing needs in the community it serves by making sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Regardless of age, income or background, when you give to the Y, you help to strengthen the foundations of our community forward. 

As one of the county’s leading non-profits for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y uses your gift to make a meaningful, enduring impact right in your own neighborhood.  Last year, financial support made it possible for: 

• Children to have a safe place to learn and build confidence in a child care environment
• Teens to build positive relationships with mentors, develop leadership skills, be active and make new friends, and prepare for college
• Youth, families and seniors to have access to a community environment where they can focus on their health and well-being, positive relationships and chronic disease prevention
• Families living in shelters to have access to family-oriented activities which counteract the state of crisis and stress that many families experience during homelessness

However, we have never encountered a year like 2020 and it goes without saying that this year’s impact will look a little different than it has in years past. The YMCA has been a sustaining community-centric nonprofit charity in Snohomish County for 120 years because we remain relevant, nimble and valued. YMCA staff and volunteers are working hard today to ensure that continues to be true into our future. Here are some of the ways we have been serving the community during the stay at home order and COVID-19 pandemic.

• Within 48 hours of a countywide school closure, YMCA Child Care staff closed 27 Before and After School Child Care centers and opened 10 all-day emergency childcare centers, serving 630 school-age children, and offering expanded care for infant through Pre-K, as well as, in partnership with the school districts, offering meal support to all children in the community
• There is no cost for childcare for children of first responders and health care workers, and YMCA direct financial assistance is made available for all other essential service workers who need safe, supportive childcare
• Our Health and Wellness staff are engaging 685 seniors weekly, reducing social isolation and depression through virtual wellness consultations and thoughtful conversation using the telephone and ZOOM meeting platform
• Offering Y-At-Home, serving our members’ social and physical needs through live and pre-recorded preschool story time, family crafts, senior coffee time, and a large variety of wellness classes and coaching
• Connecting with teens through Zoom, through a time of loneliness and uncertainty, and helping to mentor them through change, diversity, and give them a platform to be heard

The Y always has and will continue to evolve to serve the ever-changing needs of the community. We invite you to help fulfill the needs of our community by attending this FUN event, spreading the word to your friends and family, and helping us procure some awesome auction items!