North Carolina Alliance of YMCAs, Inc.

Thank you to the YMCA of Western North Carolina for supporting staff and community members alike with mental health resources in the aftermath of #HurricaneHelene. #MentalHealthMatters

Thank you to Williams YMCA of Avery County CEO Trey Oakley for this video update about #HurricaneHelene relief efforts in hard-hit Avery and Mitchell counties. As of Oct. 11, he shared that 37% of Avery County is still without power because of the work needed first to rebuild roads to get to those communities to build or repair power. Learn how the Y and partners are working together and how you can support these recovery efforts.

Thanks to Katie Linsky Shaw for sharing her Y story and photos of #HurricaneHelene relief YMCA of Western North Carolina this week! Learn more about how Ys across the state are supporting relief efforts and how you can too. And huge thanks to all the North Carolinians who have pitched in with donations of supplies and finances, as well as volunteer time to collect, sort and distribute donations! #ForAll https://bit.ly/401RbeL

Feel good Friday! Take a few minutes to listen to Sharon Padgett's interview with Kiss 95.1 FM about the work of her team at Gaston County Family YMCA and YMCAs across the state to support YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, YMCA of Western North Carolina and Williams YMCA of Avery County as they serve and support their communities so devastated by #HurricaneHelene. Many thanks to all the caring Y staff and community members who have so generously supported our neighbors in the mountains and who continue to do so! When communities are in need, the Y is here! #ForAll

Not only have 18 YMCA associations from across North Carolina donated critically needed supplies to our Ys in western NC, but so have our friends from the YMCA of Greater Boston! Thank you for making the long drive to deliver much-needed relief and nourishment to YMCA of Western North Carolina to distribute at various branches in Asheville and surrounding communities! #BetterTogether #HurricaneHeleneRelief

Today is World Mental Health Day. At the NC Alliance of YMCAs, we are committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of our communities. Through fostering connections among community members, creating a sense of belonging for all, and building strong relationships, we are helping both kids and adults develop vital coping skills. Our YMCAs offer safe spaces where everyone is welcome, and we demonstrate empathy and compassion in every interaction. 💙 One way we continue to prioritize mental health is through the training of our staff. Over 330 YMCA staff working with teens have been trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), 21 have become certified YMHFA trainers, and our Ys continue to incorporate this training for staff. This training helps us recognize when young people may need additional support from mental health professionals. It’s our role in the Mental Health Community Care Model; by being educated about mental health challenges teens may be facing, our staff are being trained to recognize if more support is needed. To date since being trained, Y staff have referred 88 teens to local mental health professionals who could provide the specialized care and support they and their families needed. Together, we are creating stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities. Explore more resources to support teen mental health through our Teen Mental Health Resource Hub. In recognition of World Mental Health Day, we invite you to share this resource widely. Too many of our youth and teens are struggling, and help is available. https://lnkd.in/etkb7ub4 #WorldMentalHealthDay #CommunityCare #MentalHealthMatters #MentalWellBeing

We're grateful to Chuck Edwards for visiting the Corpening Memorial Y in Marion yesterday YMCA of Western North Carolina to support community members there and learn how the Y is providing critical relief to those who are suffering from #HurricaneHelene. YMCAs in the western part of the state will need support to continue serving their communities.

Sharing from our colleagues and friends at YMCA of Western North Carolina. Even though staff at these YMCAs facilities in the Asheville and surrounding areas have had their own personal losses and some continue to not have power and water, they are serving these communities by providing much needed relief. Daily updates are posted on the YMCA of Western North Carolina Facebook page. #BetterTogether #ForAll

Shout-out to the incredible Silver Boot Camp members at the Pharr Family YMCA, part of the Gaston County Family YMCA for helping with #HurricaneHelene relief efforts yesterday! They turned a delivery run into part of their workout—starting with a warm-up delivery and finishing with a second round to wrap up their session. Now THAT'S what we call fitness with purpose! 🏋️♂️📦 These volunteers unloaded a generous donation brought in by the Tom A. Finch Community YMCA and the Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA and their communities! These donations are being shipped out to our YMCA locations in the mountains, making a real difference where it's needed most. Williams YMCA of Avery County and YMCA of Western North Carolina. Mission in motion—and we couldn’t be more proud and appreciative! 💙 #CommunityStrong #FitnessWithPurpose #ForABetterUs #MissionInMotion #Teamwork #YMCA #DonationsInAction

Sharing an update from Trey Oakley, CEO of Williams YMCA of Avery County about the Y's work in Avery and Mitchell counties to support those communities where #HurricaneHelene brought so much destruction. Ys across the state are collecting donations to support the people of Western North Carolina and transporting those donations to Gaston County Family YMCA, which then is delivering critically needed supplies to the Y in Avery County and to the Reuter Family YMCA, part of YMCA of Western North Carolina. Authorities continue to ask for people to stay off the roads and keep the roads clear for emergency workers and relief efforts like this. Thank you for donating to your local Y and allowing our friends at the Y in Gaston County to deliver relief on our behalf! #BetterTogether #SocialResponsibility