When Katrina Frei-Herrmann was early in her high school years at Hathaway Brown (HB), she learned about Youth Challenge during a fundraiser at HB. During her sophomore year, she attended a volunteer training, and the rest was history!

Katrina began volunteering regularly during east side programs and quickly fell in love, “Volunteering to me was family,” she explained. “I learned so much about how to build empathy with others and the ways connections can occur between people in the world. I absolutely loved it, especially the summer programs where you got to spend six hours a day with YC!”

Soon after she began volunteering, Katrina started making the commute to volunteer on the west side and joined YC’s Volunteer Committee, where she continued her involvement with YC with “a group of passionate friends!” During her time on the Volunteer Committee, Katrina not only volunteered at programs but helped plan programs including YC Prom!

Overall, Katrina enjoyed so much about her time at YC, including the wide range of activities, the meaningful connections that were “on a level higher than at school”, and watching her participant partners grow into adults and hit milestones along the way!

Katrina is now a senior at Claremont McKenna College in California, studying International Relations and Government. She wants to do social impact work once she graduates. She also works part-time at SOURCE Nonprofit Consulting Center in Claremont, California.

Early in 2020, Katrina decided to start giving a monthly gift to Youth Challenge. “My mother is a director of a nonprofit and she taught me that money helps the most. So, since I started earning my own money after high school, even if it’s a small amount when you can you should share. Plus, a monthly donation becomes part of your budget,” she explained.

Because of her experience as a volunteer, Katrina knows her donation is being put to good use ensuring YC programs are always there for participants and volunteers. “I have a vision that my donations are supporting the snack box,” Katrina said with a laugh, “if I can support the snack box and bringing snacks to programs, that’s joy in itself!”

We’re so grateful to monthly donors like Katrina who bring joy to YC kids – through snacks and so much more! Katrina encourages anyone considering a monthly donation to start one today! “Even if it’s $5 or $10, that little donation means so much,” she said. “When YC is present in the community, the community not only has a better understanding of access, but there’s also a stronger understanding of disability advocacy. YC not only affects the direct participants but has a larger impact on the community.”

Thank you, Katrina, for giving to YC in more ways than one! You can start your monthly donation today at www.YouthChallengeSports.com/Donation.