Welcome to Redwood

Mothers & Sons Serving Together to Impact Their Local Community

Welcome to our Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League!

The four years of high school go by incredibly fast. Finding time to spend together with your teenage son gets harder and harder. When you join YMSL, you commit to spending quality time together with your son serving your community.

In these moments, he sees your dedication to serving others. You see his eyes and heart become open to the world around him. These are memories to last a lifetime and service projects that impact our community forever.

In addition to service, YMSL offers valuable leadership opportunities and a four-year curriculum that covers topics such as car repair, interview skills, cooking, hazing prevention, and more.

We hope you will consider joining us. The time to start the membership process is during your son’s 8th-grade year. We look forward to meeting you and serving together. Scroll down for more details.

Please click on the link below to check out this video showcasing the outstanding Redwood Chapter’s Ultimate Gift Project 2022 with Family Connections in Redwood City:

About YMSL

The Young Men’s Service League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit national organization. Members of YMSL are moms and their teenage sons who volunteer together to serve their local communities during his four years of high school. YMSL currently represents over 27,500 members and young men as part of more than 160 chapters across 22 states. 

YMSL offers moms service opportunities and time together with her son(s) to grow their relationship and to instill in him a heart of service to last a lifetime. In addition to service, as part of its four-year comprehensive program, YMSL teaches leadership and life skills to develop our young men to become the capable, confident, and compassionate leaders of tomorrow.

The pillars of the YMSL experience are service, learning, and leadership. YMSL is a four-year comprehensive program. Requirements for membership include:

YMSL Mentor (Sponsor)

YMSL is a sponsorship organization; a prospective member needs to be mentored (sponsored) by a current member of the chapter she wishes to join. Contact membership for guidance. Enrollment is during the son’s 8th-grade year. 

4-Year Commitment

Joining YMSL is a four-year commitment. Young men and their mothers are expected to remain active in the chapter during his four years of high school. An annual Volunteer and Senior Recognition Banquet is held each spring.

20 Hours of Service

A minimum of 20 service hours is required annually at a variety of chapter-approved philanthropies. Half of these hours must be served as a Mother/Son team.

Job within the Chapter

Each mom and son must individually serve in a job or leadership position within the chapter. Positions rotate annually. Roles offer valuable experience and leadership opportunities.

5 Meetings

A structured four-year curriculum for young men covers a variety of life skills and brings in local speakers. Young men must attend at least 5 meetings per year. Moms must attend at least 3 meetings per year.

Membership Fees

YMSL annual chapter dues and banquet fee.

Contact membership for more details.

Joining YMSL

Ready to take the next step?

Enrollment for new members takes place in January/February/March of the son’s 8th-grade year.

If you do not know anyone in YMSL, please contact us to assist you.

YMSL is a sponsorship organization, which means a prospective member needs to be mentored and sponsored by a current member of the chapter they wish to join.

If you would like to learn more about joining, please click the contact membership button below to send us a message. 

Our Chapter’s Membership Dates & Deadlines for Enrollment:

    Contact Membership

    Testimonials

    YMSL lets my four boys and I connect with fun and purpose while serving our community, and I get to bond with other moms too. I’m grateful for YMSL preparing my sons to lead through service in a world that so desperately needs empathic hearts and minds.
    Pat Cremer, YMSL Member 2016-presentMountain View, CA
    YMSL is special as you get to actually see the impact of what giving your time and energy can actually do for someone else rather than just sending a donation and forgetting about it.
    Rowan Henige, Class of 2024San Carlos, CA
    YMSL is a wonderful organization that has helped show my boys and me the value of serving our community while spending quality time together. We have also made lasting connections with other moms and young men in the area that have been highly rewarding.
    Jeanne Baker, YMSL Member Redwood City, CA

    Leadership

    Our Chapter’s Leadership Board

    Jennifer Nieva

    Board Member: President

    Andrea Wescott

    Board Member: President

    Karen Gebhart

    Board Member: First Vice President

    Aida Soto

    Board Member: First Vice President

    Lisa Black

    Board Member: Parliamentarian

    Stephanie Boyd

    Board Member: Parliamentarian

    Michelle Huljev

    Board Member: Secretary

    Anne Eaton

    Board Member: Secretary

    Jeanne Baker

    Board Member: Treasurer

    Alana Corso

    Board Member: Treasurer

    Jennifer Berry

    Board Member: VP Communications

    Julie Johnson

    Board Member: VP Membership

    Jennifer Royer

    Board Member: VP Membership

    Julie Gosler

    Board Member: VP Philanthropy

    Sandra Chang

    Board Member: VP Philanthropy

    Amy Schwartz

    Board Member: VP Website

    Robin Gaffney

    Board Member: VP Young Men Coordinator

    Beth Nowell

    Board Member: VP Young Men Coordinator

    Alice Harkey

    Board Member: Assistant VP Membership

    Sara Flanagan

    Board Member: Assistant VP Philanthropy

    Jaime Ackerhalt

    Board Member: Assistant Treasurer

    Jen Peters

    Board Member: Assistant VP Young Men Coordinator

    Philanthropies we Serve

    Alphabetical List

    • AYSO Redwood City VIP program
    • Bike Exchange
    • Blue Star Mothers
    • Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula
    • Each Green Corner
    • Family Connections
    • Grassroots Ecology
    • Historic Union Cemetery Association
    • Life Moves
    • Meals On Wheels (Peninsula Volunteers, Inc.)
    • Miracle League of San Francisco Peninsula
    • My New Red Shoes
    • One Life Counseling Center
    • Ravenswood Education Foundation
    • Save The Bay
    • Second Harvest
    • Special Olympics
    • St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room
    • Street Life Ministries
    • Surfrider
    • There With Care

    If you are a philanthropy interested in partnering with our chapter, we would love to hear from you. Please use the contact our chapter button below. 

    Contact our Chapter

    We look forward to hearing from you about membership or how our members can serve your philanthropy and our community. Click the button below to contact our chapter.

    If you are interested in joining our chapter, please use the contact membership button in the Join section.

    To learn more about the YMSL National organization visit: YMSL.org

    To see a full list of chapters visit: YMSL.org/find-a-chapter

    YMSL Privacy Policy

    Contact Our Chapter