December 16, 2005

Annual YMCA Community Support Campaign sets $325,000 goal

Kate Davey contributes $1,500 to kick off campaign

By Diane Hymes
Special to the Times

What do you when you set your annual fund-raising campaign goal at $250,000 for 2005 and raise $263,823? Set a higher fund-raising goal for the 2006 campaign.

(From left) Children who attend East Valley YMCA’s day care program at Silver Oak join the YMCA’s campaign trailblazers (back row from left) Rachel Hamm and Kate Davey.

That’s exactly what the YMCA Community Support Campaign at the East Valley YMCA did—set a challenging goal of $325,000 for the 2006 campaign, which represents a 30 percent increase over last year’s campaign goal. Unique to this activity is the magnitude of the return to the local community served by the YMCA branch on South White Road.

The annual YMCA Community Support Campaign returns 100 percent of the donations collected to those in need in the local community. Donations fund financial assistance and subsidize programs, making them available to many people who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

The campaign enhanced availability of sports and camp programs, adult and family mentoring, computer technology access, leadership development for teens, as well as community service projects. All of these programs are instrumental in the building of character, confidence and self-esteem in the community’s youth and teens.

As Rachel Hamm, director of the YMCA day care center at the Silver Oak Elementary School says, “By offering access to programs that would otherwise be unattainable, we are directly returning scholarship funds to our community. In this way, we are able to support many people that we would otherwise never have reached.”

One of the most important programs provided by the East Valley YMCA is located on the premises of Evergreen’s public elementary schools: on-site day care programs. Children enrolled in the program remain on the school premises after school closes for the day.

It is very comforting for working parents to know that their child doesn’t need to be transported to another location after school and that their child remains in a safe and nurturing environment until they are finished with the work day. A donation of $5,000 provides a family in need one whole year of on-site day care.

Another very important program enabled by the East Valley YMCA is the 21st Century After School program. This program supports six day care facilities throughout East San Jose. These facilities, which offer free child care to families in need, are funded by a combination of donation dollars and grants. Each site provides child care to as many as 100 daily participants!

Generous campaign kick-off donation
As this year’s campaign kicks off, Kate Davey of the Evergreen community deserves special recognition for her generous contribution of $1,500. This is her second year of kicking off the campaign, which she supported with a $1,000 donation last year.

Davey of the Kate Davey Team Premiere Real Estate Services is one of the top listing and selling real estate agents in the Silver Creek Valley. Now a fully independent real estate company, Kate Davey Team Premiere Real Estate Services offers creative and innovative service solutions along with the highest level of integrity in the industry.

“We give as much as we can to a wide variety of charitable causes, and those that involve children are the most heartwarming,” said Davey, who is happy to assist the campaign with a generous kick-off contribution of $1,500.

“The YMCA is a positive and enriching organization for keeping kids actively involved in after-school activities, and I’m sure it gives their parents peace of mind that their children are cared for in a caring and structured environment.”

Those who are volunteering their time to this year’s fund-raising program hope that the contribution from Kate Davey will inspire other members of the Evergreen and Silver Creek community to do the same. The volunteers agree that the YMCA is instrumental in improving the quality of life for many in Evergreen.

If you would like to make a contribution, contact Diane Hymes at diane.hymes@lamrc.com.