Get Involved
There are many ways to get involved at YWCA West Central Michigan
Donate
Ways to Donate to YWCA West Central Michigan
Donate Online
From our web site, you can make your gift securely online. Several options are available:
•Make a one-time gift
•Monthly giving - Persimmon Club
•Planned Giving
Planned Giving
Choose from many giving options, including naming the YWCA West Central Michigan as a beneficiary in your will and more complex trust arrangements that provide life-long income. Help us secure the future!
If you have any questions about our giving programs, please contact Deb O’Leary, CEO at (616)459-4681.
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The YWCA does not sell, rent, or exchange donor information with other organizations.
Donor information collected by the YWCA is used for the purposes of managing a donor’s gift and philanthropic intent, to provide them with relevant communications and reports, and to meet organizational accounting requirements.
Vehicles for giving to the YWCA, such as our online donation form, response forms, and gift envelopes, offer donors the opportunity to indicate if they do not want their names to appear in public recognition pieces that the YWCA publishes.
If a donor would like to review their personal information, request corrections, be removed from future public recognition lists or from the YWCA’s mailing lists, they may do so by contacting the YWCA’s Development and Communications Office at 616.459.4681 or 25 Sheldon Blvd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
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The Donor Bill of Rights was created by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). It has been endorsed by numerous organizations.
Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the nonprofit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.
To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
Volunteer at YWCA West Central Michigan
The inequities inherent in racism and sexism fuel a broad spectrum of violence. Domestic and sexual violence exist at the extreme end of this spectrum. Addressing these issues requires all hands on deck. Thank you for your interest in engaging in this work to directly, and indirectly, help survivors!
There are two types of volunteering. Direct service positions will be interacting directly with survivors. Non-direct service positions do not.
We have various opportunities available. Background checks are completed for any direct service volunteer positions.
We need YOU to VOLUNTEER!
Ways to Volunteer
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Event Support
Event Support volunteers play an important role in bringing the YWCA West Central Michigan events to life. From welcoming guests and assisting with registration to helping with setup and breakdown, these volunteers help ensure events run smoothly and feel warm, organized, and inclusive.
We are actively looking for volunteers to help support our upcoming event, Vision Forward: YWCA CEO Breakfast, a signature annual event that brings community members together to learn about the state of the organization, celebrate impact, and advance our mission. Volunteer support for this event may include guest check-in, wayfinding, hospitality, and on-site assistance. This event is scheduled for January 15, 2026 | 7:30 am - 9:30 am.
Additional Event Support opportunities are available throughout the year, offering volunteers the chance to support a variety of YWCA events and gatherings. This role is ideal for individuals who enjoy working with people, supporting meaningful experiences, and contributing to the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and girls, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
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Volunteer Advocacy
(One year commitment. Volunteer must be 18 or older. Background check and training required). Volunteer Advocates play an essential role in providing support to victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence on an on-call basis. Volunteers are on-call for two to three 12-hour shifts per month. Advocates must be good listeners, committed to and invested in providing empathy and support to the people we serve. Reliable personal transportation is required. Training is provided as a hybrid format with expected completion within 2 weeks. Volunteers self schedule their own shifts and will shadow an experienced advocate during an exam prior to providing advocacy independently.
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Children's Activity Time
(Volunteer must be 18 or older and background check is required). Sojourner House is a program component of the YWCA West Central Michigan. Survivors enter Sojourner House to escape an abusive situation, a place to rest and receive trauma-informed services. One of the services we strive to provide is Children's Activity Time for the children to have fun and the parent to have a time of relaxation/rest. We are seeking volunteers to help with this.
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Sojourner House Opportunities
(Volunteer must be 18 or older). Cleaning, organizing, room updates, gardening, helping with children's activities, preparing meals to freeze.
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Project HEAL Opportunities
(Volunteer must be 18 or older). Organizing, cleaning and preparing an apartment at time of client turnover.
Act Now
The YWCA West Central Michigan’s mission depends on supportive and sound policy from local, state, and federal governments. As changes take place at all levels, decisions will be made that can affect the work of the YWCA West Central Michigan and our ability to serve our clients and community. As a part of our West Michigan community, you play a crucial role in ensuring we can achieve our policy goals. Your voice and experiences are critical as we advocate for policies that bring us closer to eliminating racism, empowering women, and ensuring peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Other Ways to Give
Support YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women!
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Wish List
Explore our wish list to discover the vital items that can make a tangible impact on the lives of survivors in our community. Your donation of these items can provide much needed support and empowerment to those in need. If you have something else that yo would like to donate that is not on our wish list, please call us at (616)459-4681 to find out what we need.
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Help Stock Our Shelves
Our emergency shelter is always in need of certain non-perishables and other food items. If you have any questions about any items not on the list, contact Jen Timmer at jtimmer@ywcawcmi.org.
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Matching Gifts
Numerous West Michigan companies offer their employees and/or retirees the opportunity to increase their individual gifts to nonprofit organizations by matching them with corporate foundation or company funds – sometimes doubling or even tripling the original gift.
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YWCA Helen Claytor Recognition Society & Endowment Fund
The YWCA Helen Claytor Endowment Fund exists to help support the YWCA’s ability to offer unexpected leadership-building opportunities to those participating in YWCA girls’ leadership activities.
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Persimmon Club – Give Monthly
The Persimmon Club is a donor community that supports the YWCA’s work through ongoing monthly giving.
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Donor-Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a type of giving program that allows you to combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to easily support your favorite charities. An increasingly popular charitable vehicle, DAFs are an excellent way to both simplify your charitable giving and facilitate your strategic philanthropic goals.
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Caroline Putnam Heritage Society – Planned Giving
In recognition of her steadfast commitment to the women and girls of our community, the Caroline W. Putnam Heritage Society honors the generosity of its namesake whose gift during the early part of the 20th century became the cornerstone of today’s YWCA. The Putnam Heritage Society recognizes those individuals with similar personal commitments who have graciously made estate gift arrangements to eventually benefit the YWCA and those it serves.
If you would like further information about including the YWCA in your estate plans please contact:
Deb O’Leary, CEO – 616.459.4681 or doleary@ywcawcmi.org
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Corporate Sponsorship
Supporting the YWCA as a Mission Partner demonstrates your company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, builds customer trust, improves employee morale by seeing your values in action, and can resonate deeply with your customer base. Mission Partners support programs and services while receiving significant recognition throughout the year. If your company is interested in becoming a corporate partner, please contact Lesa Hardiman at lhardiman@ywcawcmi.org
Join Our Team
Why the Y?
The YWCA is known statewide for – and prides itself on – excellence, cultural and professional competence, exemplary victim-focused care, and a shared commitment to doing what needs to be done to mitigate the impact of domestic and sexual violence, and to address the intersectionality of racism and sexism. We are smart. We bring our best game every day. We have high expectations. We work hard because the work matters. We take care of one another. We respect one another. We constantly improve ourselves, individually and collectively. And we find ways to have fun together. For those who are interested in joining the YWCA team, these are the characteristics and commitments we look for.
The YWCA offers internships for bachelor’s and master’s level students in some service areas. The majority of these are available for a full academic year, and referral from an accredited university is required. Interns must remain in good standing with their respective university regarding learning contracts, documentation of hours, grades or any other school requirements that support the internship. If you are interested, please apply through your academic advisor. The YWCA reserves the right to terminate an internship at any time.