Question about the YMCA. Applying for membership assistance.

Jim,
Gee, I don't have an answer for you, but I don't blame you for trashing the application! I know that locally the subsidies at our Y's I believe come from the United Way, and it may be the UW policies that rule.

I know the Y's are hurting like most non-profits, and are probably swamped with applications for assistance with fees, but what you're describing seems to go above and beyond! Of course, I'm noticing the same thing with just about every program for financial assistance I'm applying for. I feel like my personal financial and medical history is all over the small city I live and used to work in. In lots of computers and probably being seen by lots of people who know me. As if it's not humiliating enough, right?

I wish there was one place we could go and have all this stuff verified and then be given a card or something that we would just take to these other programs.

One thing I've not heard of - yet - are the reference letters. That's ridiculous. Talk about an invasion of privacy. I wonder if some of this stuff is even legal. You know people sometimes come up with these things on their own in a small agency and no one knows if they're legal or even cares because they're usually not challenged. It's obvious they want to discourage applications.

Is there anyone you can speak to at the Y - or at the source of whoever provides the subsidies to them? Don't know if it's worth it, but that's all I can think of.

PaLady

I did some checking with some other Y's in my area and there seems to be no set criteria on the applications for financial assistance. Most of the Y's I checked with via their web sites had their applications available online.

Out of the 5 I looked at only 1 asked about monthly expenses. The rest just asked for basic information like gross annual income, number of family members etc. NONE of them asked for letters of reference.


After learning about the application process at other area Y's I ended up looking up the contact info for my town's Y and found an email addy for them and sent them a blazing email telling them my feelings about their application process and how intrusive it was. I know it won't do any good, but it still felt good to tell these people how I feel. After seeing the info they wanted I lost all desire to ever join the Y and it will be a cold day in you know where before I ever support this town's Y.

Jim,
That sounds just like what I was thinking - that some people sitting around (or one person with an attitude) made this stuff up, and apparently just for that one Y. I would be surprised if they weren't violating something legal, as they are a non-profit and thus are tax exempt.

One thing you might consider doing is going up the food chain, so to speak, and trying to contact a regional or even state director of the Y's and write a letter (maybe not so blazing, and assume it may be read by a sane person! lol) and see if you can get someone's chain jerked a bit. Might be a bit of justice even if you do never darken their doors. Thing is, it affects your family, not just you.

Maybe you'll get a complimentary membership? Another thing you could do is write your local newspaper or try to get a reporter to do a story on it, but asking that you be kept anonymous.

Or you could just let it go. It does show clearly how some people really don't "get it", doesn't it? When you're hurting financially like some of us are, the repeated humiliation and sense of powerlessness are enough in themselves. I got an application in the mail for food stamps. Makes me sick, but I need the help. Course, they want a copy of everything, too, but at least that makes some sense.

PaLady