How YMCA is Building a Better Community Through Social Responsibility
Central to every YMCA is a commitment to Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. But what is social responsibility and how does your YMCA of Western North Carolina use it to advance its mission?
Social responsibility is an ethical framework that calls on people to contribute to the welfare of their community as a whole. It's a recognition of the truth behind common expressions like, "we're all in this together." When we recognize that we all share this community, we appreciate that we all play a role in the community's well-being.
When we're socially responsible individuals, we act for the betterment of our community without the expectation of direct personal gain. Volunteering, donations, building support systems and safety nets are all examples of social responsibility in action. When all of us act in socially responsible ways, we improve the quality of life among the entire community. As an organization dedicated to improving lives in our community, social responsibility is central to the YMCA of Western North Carolina.
YMCA of Western North Carolina's Social Responsibility Initiatives
For us, social responsibility is present in our mission and drives our values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. The YMCA of Western North Carolina's mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Since our founding in 1889, we've known that social responsibility can build a better community in Western North Carolina.
A sense of social responsibility sparked the creation of YMCA of Western North Carolina, when young men and local leaders recognized that supporting youth development in Asheville was an investment in the entire city. As the Y grew, so too did our capacity to act in a socially responsible manner. Building athletic fields and courts allowed children to form lifelong healthy habits around exercise, while childcare services supported the careers and livelihoods of families throughout the region.
Our historic understanding of social responsibility informs our work to this day, exemplified by our mobile food markets and financial assistance programs. Our work also gives individuals in our community the opportunity to practice social responsibility. With numerous partnerships and volunteer opportunities, we create spaces for individuals to act in ways that better our entire region.
Mobile Food Markets
Our mobile food markets are where YMCA of Western North Carolina uses social responsibility to advance our mission of building healthy bodies for all in our community. Providing community members with access to free, fresh produce through our mobile food markets is how we act to benefit our neighbors rather than enrich the Y itself. We distribute food, rather than sell it, to ensure everyone can access the healthy food, recipes, and nutrition information we need to thrive.
Financial Assistance Makes Y Programs Accessible to All
Similar to our mobile food markets, we understand that financial barriers keep Western North Carolina families from accessing care and programs offering vital support. We would not be able to fulfill our mission of creating a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all, if financial concerns prevented broad swaths of the population from using our facilities and programs. Our commitment to social responsibility is why we offer financial assistance to individuals and families, enabling them to pay what they can.
Partnerships with Local Organizations Support Underserved Communities
While the mobile food markets and our financial assistance program are ways the YMCA of Western North Carolina puts social responsibility into practice, we also create opportunities for everyone in our community to act in a socially responsible manner. When local organizations and businesses partner with the YMCA of Western North Carolina, they do so knowing that there may not be a direct benefit in return. What they do know is that it will create a positive impact on the community we all belong to.
Volunteer Opportunities
YMCA volunteer opportunities are where individuals in Western North Carolina can embrace their social responsibility values. If you find yourself searching, "volunteer opportunities near me," to get in touch with your socially responsible side, become a YMCA volunteer. With varied opportunities across all our programs, there's a match between our needs and your interests.
Our Mobile Food Markets Fight Hunger in Western North Carolina
Food security was a challenge in Western North Carolina that Hurricane Helene exposed and worsened. At any given time, roughly 20% of adults in our community struggle with food insecurity. This means they don't have regular access to healthy, safe foods. This might be because this food is not available near them, they don't have the means to acquire the food, or a combination of the two. But through our mobile food markets, we make healthy, safe foods available to all, regardless of their means.
How it Works
Our Mobile Food Markets look and feel much like any other farmer's market. But beneath the surface is a program breaking down barriers to quality food. YMCA volunteers start by sorting the food received from nearby grocery stores, farmers, and Manna Food Bank into ready to go bins of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Our mobile food market then travels to a location in one of the five counties we serve, from Swannanoa Library in McDowell County to Haywood Pediatrics in Haywood County. It might seem like a lot of travel, but doing so ensures that more people have access to fresh produce than if we operated our food markets from one central location. Once we set up shop at a location, we distribute pounds of fresh produce all totally free of charge, no questions asked.
Changing Lives Through Mobile Food Markets
As mentioned, food insecurity reaches down to the core of our community. When you don't have access to high-quality food, you feel sluggish, foggy, and can even become sick. Without healthy, safe food, our food insecure community members become more at-risk for diseases like diabetes.
For food insecure children, the lack of nutritious food stifles growth and development over their lifetime. This isn't a problem on the margins either—as many as 1 in 5 children are food insecure in our region. Looking at the total population of the area we serve, we find that over 75,000 people grappled with food insecurity according to the most recent data. In McDowell County, the rates were some of the highest at nearly 17% of the total population.
In combating this problem, we've distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh produce. In 2023, we served 25,073 people through our mobile food markets and provided 99,986 pounds of produce to our community members. The program grew in 2024, with over 28,704 visitors to our mobile food markets and over 115,000 pounds of food distributed. That represents almost one pound per food insecure person in the entire congressional district. Each mobile food market visitor served is one less food insecure person in our community.
Volunteers Make it Possible
Reaching tens of thousands of people to distribute hundreds of thousands of pounds of food is only possible through YMCA volunteering. A YMCA volunteer or teams of volunteers are present at every step in the process. Our food sorters ensure that the best food makes it to market and that what isn't servable is composted. They make sure all the produce is clean and tidy and follows our nutrition standards.
Once the food is properly sorted, our mobile food market volunteers get the food into the hands of our fellow community members. Whether they greet and orient new visitors, share recipes and ideas, weigh food, or carry bags to cars, they're what make the mobile food markets an event people want to come back to. Their knowledge and people-skills also help ensure that all the food gets used, as certain items may be unfamiliar to mobile food market guests.
Financial Assistance: Make the Y Open To All
Social responsibility requires us to consider the needs of all, even when we may not derive a direct benefit. Meanwhile, our mission explicitly calls for us to deliver programs for all. Putting those messages out there is an important method for letting everyone in our community know they have a place to belong at the YMCA of Western North Carolina. But that's not enough on its own.
If we want to achieve our mission of serving all in our community, we can only do that by breaking down barriers that prevent people from accessing our programs and services. Like food insecurity, barriers can include access and means. Operating multiple facilities spread out throughout the region gives greater access to people who may not have the means to travel as far as others. Our financial assistance program is how we break past the means barrier.
Through our financial assistance program, we offer a sliding payment scale to meet individuals and families where they are. This expands access to Y programming regardless of income and across many of our services. We offer income-based rates for membership, programs, and childcare. You can use this tool if you want to get an idea of how you or your family can benefit from our income-based membership. And with online forms for all our income-based programs, you can request assistance 24/7.
Volunteer Opportunities: Social Responsibility in Action
Wondering how to volunteer in Western NC? Join the YMCA of Western North Carolina in being socially responsible by addressing the needs of all in our community. Volunteers drive every program at the Y through their assistance, dedication, and effort.
Volunteering isn't just a way to be socially responsible, it multiplies our social responsibility efforts at the YMCA of Western North Carolina. Volunteers ensure our mobile food markets run without a hitch. The support of volunteers across programs saves the Y money that it passes on to individuals and families through our income-based memberships and programs.
When you become a YMCA volunteer, you don't expect a direct benefit, but that doesn't mean you miss out on the positive impacts. YMCA volunteer opportunities provide a space to meet new people, build skills, become more active, and learn from others in the community.
Besides the mobile food markets volunteer opportunities, there are diverse opportunities to volunteer in Western NC through the Y. Volunteers engage members and help with special events at various YMCA locations. There are also opportunities to volunteer in our Safety Around Water program, helping youth learn to swim. Or, if you're looking for Asheville volunteer opportunities specifically, you can become a general volunteer at our Asheville YMCA location.
If you can't get enough of our food programs, there's YMCA volunteer opportunities for our Food Box Delivery program. Volunteers pack boxes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Volunteers also help deliver the food, taking those pre-packed boxes to eligible community members on a weekly basis. Check our website for all the opportunities to volunteer in Asheville and beyond.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Beyond our volunteer programs, entire organizations can join in on YMCA of Western North Carolina's commitment to social responsibility. Through our partnerships with local organizations and businesses, we expand our capacity to care for the needs of an ever greater community.
It's through partnerships that our mobile food markets are able to distribute food across the region. Our partnerships with local grocery stores and Manna food bank provide produce and food for the program. And partnerships with county services, health care providers, and living facilities give the markets a place to park and distribute food.
Our camps, childcare, afterschool, and mental health programs are made possible and accessible through partnerships with local school authorities, healthcare providers, and universities. Social responsibility calls on us to all recognize how connected we are, and our partnerships and collaborative efforts make that connection visible.
How You Can Support
If you're looking for ways to practice more social responsibility, get started by supporting the YMCA of Western North Carolina. Like everything we do, we ensure there's a way for everyone to support the Y no matter their means or availability. Whatever your capacity, you can find a way to support by either donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.
Donate to Spread Accessibility
One way to support the YMCA of Western North Carolina is through a one-time or recurring donation. A donation fuels our programs, enabling us to make critical purchases and offer income-based payments. Donations fund scholarships for childcare and youth programs. They support seniors in our community and promote a healthy lifestyle for all in our area.
Volunteer Time and Skills
YMCA volunteer opportunities put social responsibility ethics into practice. Taking time from your day or week to give to others demonstrates your care and concern for your community. It's also a great way to meet and interact with people from across our area. Whether you typically volunteer in Asheville and want to experience another part of Western NC or vice versa, there's a volunteer opportunity for you at the Y.
Spread the Word
Remember, social responsibility and YMCA's mission are all about doing good for all in our community. For some of us, donating money might stretch budgets thin and there may not be enough hours in the week to volunteer. Those barriers to giving back are real, but they can be overcome. By sharing YMCA initiatives and programs through word-of-mouth or social media, you help care for your community and support the YMCA of Western North Carolina.