Last fall, the Rancho Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL), an organization connecting mothers and sons with volunteer opportunities, held its 2024 “Ultimate Gift” event.
Inspired by “The Ultimate Gift” by Jim Stovall – the story of a young man who must perform charitable acts to earn his inheritance – YMSL Rancho dedicates two days of additional volunteer support to a different charity each year.
A committee of YMSL mothers selects the charity by reviewing bids from philanthropies on how they would utilize the Ultimate Gift. The committee visits each organization to determine which one can make the most impactful use of the increased resources. The event aims to provide the chosen charity with the opportunity to accomplish something they couldn’t otherwise achieve.
This year, the chosen philanthropy was Sunday Friends, a San Jose nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of poverty by helping families achieve health equity. Founded 26 years ago by Janis Baron, Sunday Friends serves more than 1,000 San Jose residents each year by providing literacy programs, nutritious food and essential resources.
While YMSL members can be seen volunteering at many different Sunday Friends events, including Community Day and Food Distribution, this year’s partnership went deeper, providing much-needed organizational support.
The Sunday Friends headquarters had been strained by an expanding inventory of donated supplies and materials, making it difficult for them to conduct their day-to-day operations. However, the organization, mainly powered by incredibly busy volunteers, simply did not have the time or manpower to deal with the issue, especially while continuing their mission of helping the community of San Jose.
With the help of YMSL volunteers – young men in grades 9 through 12 and their mothers – the Ultimate Gift project focused on transforming the Sunday Friends headquarters.
Over two days, mothers and sons committed more than 180 volunteer hours to inventorying supplies, removing outdated shelving and reorganizing workspaces to better suit the needs of Sunday Friends staff and volunteers. The project’s completion allows Sunday Friends to expedite their mission, giving them a more functional space to carry out daily operations.
Just a week later, the Sunday Friends team could already feel the difference; volunteers and staff commented on the new sense of order and reduced stress within their workspace. “I can actually find things in the office now instead of opening every bin, because they are labeled,” one volunteer remarked, highlighting how the organizational changes made it easier to locate and use supplies. Another volunteer expressed relief, saying, “I can breathe when I come into the office now,” emphasizing how the newly organized space created a more welcoming and productive environment for everyone involved.
Sunday Friends expressed their gratitude for YMSL’s support, which lightened their load and allowed them to serve families more efficiently. The project underscored the value of YMSL’s Ultimate Gift tradition, illustrating how a concentrated effort can create lasting improvements for a local charity.
Sunday Friends welcomes ongoing support from the community through donations, volunteer work and corporate partnerships. To learn more about how to get involved, visit sundayfriends.org/do-good-get-involved. For additional information about the YMSL Rancho Chapter and its service initiatives, visit ymslrancho.chapterweb.net.
Aiden Chavda is Class of 2026 VP Communications, YMSL Rancho Chapter.
