WHO WE ARE
The Y is a cause-driven organization focused on three key areas: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. We believe a strong community can only be achieved when we invest in our kids, our health, and our neighbors. Our programs, services, and initiatives enable youth to realize their potential, offer families ways to have fun together, empower people to be healthier in spirit, mind, and body, welcome and embrace newcomers, and help foster social responsibility.
OUR MISSION
The Skagit Valley Family YMCA creates positive community change through relationships by empowering the mind, body, and spirit of ALL.
OUR AREAS OF FOCUS
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Nurturing the potential of every child and teen.
The Y invests in early learning, youth, teen and young adult programs knowing this foundation makes possible lifelong learning, flourishing, connecting and serving self, family and the broader community.
HEALTHY LIVING
Improving our community's health and well-being.
The Y provides environments and programs that promote personal growth, encourage active lifestyles, foster multi-generational social connections, and support family development across our diverse community.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Giving back and providing support to our neighbors.
The Y leverages its resources and capacity to positively impact the lives and circumstances of its members and the broader community. We seek to close opportunity gaps in our community by acting as an agent for change, ensuring equitable access to programs, and leveraging the capabilities of our volunteers, donors, and partnerships.
For a Better Us
OUR COMMITMENT TO NONDISCRIMINATION, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The Skagit Valley Family YMCA is an organization that embraces nondiscrimination, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome all people regardless of ability, age, background, ethnicity/race, faith, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. The Y believes that, in a diverse world, we are stronger when we are inclusive, when our doors are open to all, and when everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
As our laws and communities continue to change, one thing is constant: the Y is, and always will be, a place where individuals and families from all walks of life are welcome and where they may learn, grow, and thrive - together.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
The Skagit Valley Family YMCA works hard to keep our kids safe. We require a complete criminal, personal and professional background check of each staff and volunteer member. Additionally, all members and guests who enter the Y facility are immediately screened through a local and national sex offender registry.
Here are some additional practices that the Y has in place to protect children in our care:
- Not only all staff, but also volunteers, must read and follow our child abuse prevention policy. Our policy is strict: it prohibits a Y staff person or volunteer from being alone with a child where they cannot be observed by others.
- All staff and volunteers are required to participate in training about the prevention of child abuse, identifying the signs of abuse and reporting suspected abuse incidents. staff renew this training every year. Staff and volunteers in direct service with children are required to undergo additional child abuse prevention trainings.
- If any Y staff member or volunteer become aware of any incident of suspected child abuse, they are required to report the incident to the Washington Department of Social and Health Services immediately for investigation and follow up.
- The YMCA conducts regular sex offender screenings on all members, participants, and guests. If a sex offender match occurs, the YMCA reserves the right to cancel membership, end program participation, and remove visitation access.
HARASSMENT PREVENTION
Harassment includes unsolicited remarks, gestures or physical contact, display or circulation of written materials, or pictures derogatory or either gender or racial, ethnic, or religious groups including electronic exchange or posting to this end, or basing personnel decisions on an employee or volunteer's response to sexually-oriented requests. It is considered sexual harassment when verbal, written, electronic, or physical conduct is sexual in nature or is gender-based; that is, it is directed at a person because of their gender.
OUR HISTORY
The YMCA was founded in London in 1844. Since then, the Y has grown into an organization serving communities all over the world.
The Skagit Valley Family YMCA was established in 1911 as a Railway Y, providing a safe, positive environment for men working on the railway away from their families.
OUR BOARD
Paul Pickering, President - Max Dale's
Rod Cann, Treasurer - Savi Bank
Josh Baldwin, Secretary - Quantum Construction Inc.
Duane Henson, Past President - WAFD Insurance Group Inc.
Dan Berard - Mount Vernon School District
Luanne Burkhart - Blue Lake Property Management
Laura Cailloux - Skagit Valley College
Dave Cleave - Retired YMCA
Gautam Kini - Shell
KC Knudson - Anacortes School District
Gary Lorenz - Skagit Gardens
Opie Moore (Ulmer) - Retired
Randy Rabenstein - Retired YMCA
Kelly Reep - Skagit Valley College
Pete Vander Meulen - Diversint
