By SUMMER ZIMMER
Director of Communications and Social Responsibility, Kosciusko Community YMCA

The Kosciusko Community YMCA has been chosen as one of the first Ys in the country to help launch Togetherhood, a member led community service program. Togetherhood is the Y’s Signature Program for Social Responsibility and invites Y members to lead and participate in volunteer service projects that benefit the community where they live.

For the third of four projects over the next year, the Kosciusko Community YMCA’s Togetherhood Have a Heart program will encourage members to bring in school supplies to donate to local schools and non-perishable food items to donate to Combined Community Services.

Y members can pick a heart off of the tree in the Y lobby, buy the school supply listed on the heart and bring it back into the Y for distribution to a local school. Three local schools gave the Togetherhood team a list of items they’re low on and could use help with this year. Collection will go on throughout the month of February.

Togetherhood was created to strengthen communities by allowing Y members to lead and run convenient, fun and rewarding service projects as part of the Y member experience. By bringing people together in service to their neighborhoods, Togetherhood is designed to build both individual and community well-being.

Y members work as a committee in partnership with their Y to select, plan and run projects outside the Y that benefit the people and organizations in their community. Many of the projects will include a partnership with another community non-profit. This year’s committee is made up of Brogan Gargis, Marilyn Kincaide, Dixie Kraus, Krista Nicholson, Dan Pacheco, David Phelps, Susan Potter and Betsy Ray.

If you have any questions about serving through the Togetherhood program contact Summer Zimmer at (574) 269-9622.