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Life in Warren County > Community > Organizations
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Warren County is a community full of dedicated volunteers and generous benefactors. We have active groups of Jaycees, Lions, Zonta, Rotary, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Exchange Club, and other local chapters of national organizations as well as many locally-chartered groups. Our United Fund has been consistent in meeting its goals, raising nearly $6 million in the last ten years. A listing of many community organizations can be found here.
YMCA
 The Warren County YMCA . . . . building strong kids, strong families, strong communities.
The Warren YMCA operates a 57,000 square foot facility that includes two-full-size gyms, an indoor swimming pool, teen activity room, four-station computer lab, child care/pre-school room, babysitting room, a character club indoor playground, weight room, Nautilus-cardiovascular center, indoor running/walking track, four racquetball courts, and a parking lot for 338 vehicles. The facility is just the means to an end. Its real strength is bringing people together from all walks of life in pursuit of common goals.
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Child care, aquatics, summer camps, teen leadership, older adults, youth and adult sports, wellness, and family development are all important programs that the Y offers. The YMCA is also bursting with youth programs with 108 youth participating on the Blue Dolphin Swim Team in 2003. Over 2,000 kids have participated in the "Y" Progressive Swim classes, over 800 kids and adults are signed up for the 2004 Fall Outdoor Soccer program, the "Biddy" Basketball program has nearly 400 kids, and 428 are enrolled in the Blair Learn-to-Swim program.
Jefferson DeFrees Family Center
As the former Warren YWCA, the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center has served Warren County for over 90 years. Today, as the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center, the Center offers child care services, wellness classes, a Fitness Center, special programming, community meeting rooms and community service projects, all from its downtown location at 207 Second Avenue. 
Providing families with child care is a priority for the JeffersonDeFrees Family Center. The facility operates 4 classrooms for children ages 3 through 12 which include  full day care with preschool time, before and after school care, no-school day care and summer programs. The Centers community service projects include theCASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program, Community Resource Directory, Women are Wonderful, AskTheJD.com (link) and Project Kidsafe.
Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth and A Bear Affair
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In an effort to bring the community together through the interaction of adults and kids, Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth organized the Bear Affair project. Placed throughout Warren County are 50 five-foot-tall fiberglass bear sculptures. Each of these critters has been decorated by a group of adult artists and volunteers working together with kids of all ages. In order to claim a bear, HC/HY created an adoption process in which the parent business or organization must promote at least one of the forty key assets to building a healthier community. The assets, geared toward developing a caring environment to foster healthy lifestyles among our youth, include responsibility, planning and decision-making, and the presence of adult role models.
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United Fund
 The United Fund of Warren County has been an integral part of Warren Countys community culture since 1924. The last five United Fund Torchlight Campaigns have raised $2,920,700. The Warren United Fund can rightfully boast that 100% of a donors tax-deductible contribution is distributed to its 21 member agencies:
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| A Safe Place |
Jefferson DeFrees Family Center |
| Bollinger Enterprises, Inc. [formerly ARC] |
R.S.V.P. [Retired & Senior Volunteer Program] |
| Boy Scouts of America |
American Red Cross |
| Companions For Kids |
Ruth M. Smith Center |
| Crescent Park Health Clinic |
The Salvation Army |
| Don Mills Achievement Center |
Sheffield Area Hospitality Center |
| Emergency Medical Services |
United Service Organization |
| Family Services |
Warren County Literacy Council |
| Girl Scouts |
Warren Senior Center, Inc. |
| Hospice of Warren County |
YMCA |
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Youth Volunteer Corps.
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For more information, contact The United Fund office at 814-726-0292 or e-mail .
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