Increasing Resources & Support in Our Communities.
The Valley of the Sun YMCA believes that everyone in our community deserves to be healthy, confident, connected and secure. This is why we emphasize the powerful impact of advocacy for our community.
With a focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the Valley of the Sun YMCA collaborates with national and community-based leaders and policymakers to grow the resources and support that helps empower individuals, families and communities to learn, grow and thrive.
The Valley of the Sun YMCA advocates for laws and policies that support children, families and communities as well as collaborative funding opportunities for YMCA initiatives. We work with elected …show more content…
We are constantly seeking to work with community partners to nurture the potential of kids, improve the well-being, quality of life, and health of those living in our community, and finding ways to show support to our neighbors. When you advocate with the Y, you are stepping up as a leader in our community and taking an active role in helping to bring about meaningful, enduring change for not just YOUR FAMILY, but for your friends and community as a whole.
What does an advocate do? • Youth Development ◦ Pursue funding for afterschool and child care programs ◦ Encourage increased access to quality early childhood education programs ◦ Actively support and promote child safety legislation ◦ Support critical programs and funding streams that serve at-risk and disconnect youth ◦ Raise funds for evidence-based pilot programs that help close the achievement gap • Healthy Living ◦ Raise funds for initiatives that help control disease by preventing diabetes and obesity ◦ Support legislation that addresses chronic disease and obesity ◦ Help provide access to evidence-based chronic disease prevention ◦ Facilitate the adoption of nationwide standards for health out-of-school time