By Sandra Shan, Vice President of People & Culture
Healthier communities are sparked by people who care.
Charities like the YMCA are powered by caring, capable, and talented individuals and teams – people who believe in the importance and positive impact of community-based organizations in the places they call home.
At the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka, our impact is made possible by hundreds of dedicated employees and a strong roster of passionate volunteers who give their time and talent to spark impact in programs and services all across our region.
Volunteering has both a tangible and an immeasurable impact on our Y. Whether a welcoming face at a local front desk or a seat at the board table, in 2025 alone, 331 volunteers contributed 24,414 hours to our Y!
Across so many of our 95+ locations in the region, volunteering positively impacts everyone. That includes all the participants who have the opportunity to come into contact with caring, smiling faces and helping hands, and the volunteers themselves, who make new connections, do enriching work, and give their time to a cause they truly believe in.
Our YMCA is proud to be a member of Professional Association of Volunteer Leaders – Ontario (PAVRO), which is focused on building individual, organizational, and community capacity to effectively engage volunteers. PAVRO’s vision is a world where the professional management and leadership of volunteers is respected, valued, and recognized as essential – and we support that vision.
We’re proud to honour all our volunteers and celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 19-25, 2026. This year’s theme is Ignite Volunteerism, which couldn’t be more fitting for the YMCA. We are united with Y colleagues across the country who believe that everyone has the potential to shine, especially when someone caring provides a spark. Our volunteers are central to that spark, to igniting potential, and to helping people feel included, valued, and supported.
And we could not be more grateful.
At the same time, our partners like PAVRO tell us that formal volunteering is on the decline in Ontario.
That’s why we’re so committed to showing our volunteers our deepest gratitude and to inspiring others to connect with the Y and any community-based charity that inspires them.
Ignite Volunteerism invites us all to discover the many ways to contribute to our communities, whether through local events, grassroots initiatives, or ongoing volunteer commitments.
With 2026 proclaimed as the ‘Year of the Volunteer’ by the UN General Assembly, there has never been a better time to consider volunteering at your local YMCA.
If you’re 12 years and older, we invite you to learn more and submit your application, today!
To all of our YMCA volunteers, our deepest and most heartfelt thanks for your invaluable contributions!