I save lives

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

One of the things that people will know almost immediately when they meet Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor our CEO is:
1. He has a really long name.
2. His LinkedIn photo looks like Thomas the Train.
3. His mission in life is to save lives.

In fact if you were to ask him what he does he would say, "I save lives."

If a person's interest gets peaked by his response and says, "Really, how?"

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say:
I teach kids safety around water.
I help with spiritual wellbeing.
I help with healthy aging.
I inspire kids through camp.

All this I get to do as the CEO of the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette.
That is what Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor would say.

And, it is true.

For the longest time people have known that the YMCA or the "Y" as we have been called for the last umpteen years, has been in the business of saving lives.

For the past umpteen years we have done this through programs that resided in buildings and we got very good at it.

Now things have changed.

Now there are lives that still need to be saved, but people are distancing right now, buildings are basically empty. so the question becomes, "How do we save lives now?"

We have been asking this question a lot.

We still have people that need our help, we have:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
Kids that need help with math, science, English, math
Kids that need a P.E. class
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have people that need a little connection
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...
We still have a need for safety around water.

The list goes on and on and on...

Do you know what is really cool about the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years?

We fill niches, we are niche fillers.

We identify a societal need and fill it.

Lets take:
Shut-ins (those that cannot leave their house.)
We are in the midst of developing the "Y"-Cares team. This team will help shut-ins. The "Y"-Cares team will:
Do yard work
Pick up groceries
Help get seniors connected with Telehealth and virtual senior classes.
the "Y"-Cares team will do this and more as it develops, the important thing is that shut-ins will know that the "Y" cares. It will save their lives.

How about:
Moms and dads at their wits end trying to either work from home, or find a new job all the while being a teacher too.
We have a select group of Chaplains that will come alongside these families virtually,and provide emotional and spiritual support so these stressed out moms and dads can be their best selves for their kids. It will save families.


How about:
We have people struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem...

We have Virtual Journey to Freedom classes that have a proven history of helping those that need just a helping hand up.

These are just a couple of examples of how the YMCA, the "Y" for the last umpteen years has morphed and changed in this new climate to fill a niche, more importantly to fill a need!

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor saves lives.

I for one am right there with him.

Will you help us help others?

Blessings,

Roger