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Scottsdale YMCA describes OPUS senior rides, child-care scholarships and volunteer expansion
Summary
Amanda Siegel of the Scottsdale Paradise Valley YMCA told the Human Services Advisory Commission that OPUS provided free rides and tech support to older residents, reporting more than 7,000 miles driven and over 900 hours of in-person service Jan–July; she also described early-learning and before-and-after-school programs with expanded financial aid.
Amanda Siegel, executive director of the Scottsdale Paradise Valley YMCA, told the Scottsdale Human Services Advisory Commission on Aug. 28 that the YMCA’s OPUS (Outreach Program to Aging Seniors) offers free transportation, monthly socials, technology help and household assistance to older residents.
"OPUS stands for outreach program to aging seniors," Siegel said, and reported the program drove more than 7,000 miles and logged over 900 hours of direct in-person service between January and July of this year. She described the program's primary age group as 84 to 99 and read a testimonial from a participant, "This is a lifesaver for me," describing how OPUS helped replace a closed grocery store and deliver affordable food options.
Siegel said OPUS serves 50 Scottsdale seniors with city partnership support since July 1 and emphasized volunteers as the program’s backbone. "We pull a lot of our volunteers from our YMCAs," she said, and described using a platform called Volunteer Matters to manage volunteer credentials and background checks. She told commissioners the Valley Y experienced a $7 million dip in grants across locations but said the Scottsdale branch relies more on individual donations and local supporters, reporting an annual campaign of about $175,000.
The presentation also covered youth programming. Siegel described Y Academy, an early-learning program for ages 1–5, and an after-school program for kindergarten through sixth grade; she said roughly 50% of enrolled children are Scottsdale residents and that approximately 70% of early learners receive some financial aid. She shared examples of families helped by scholarships and transportation — including a mother and two children who received a full scholarship and bus transport and later obtained permanent housing.
Commissioners asked about volunteer recruitment, the meaning of "STEAM" in program curriculum (Siegel said the A adds arts to STEM), and collaboration with senior centers. Siegel confirmed partnerships with Granite Reef and Via Linda senior centers and said she would verify specific school Title I designations for partner sites. The YMCA indicated it will continue outreach to recruit volunteers and expand services.
The commission thanked Siegel for the presentation and noted that her program information will inform upcoming funding decisions.
