Blue Mountain Action Council ↘

At this year’s Leadership Luncheon, the YWCA was proud to present the 2026 Leader of Distinction Award to Blue Mountain Action Council and Executive Director Danielle Garbe Reser in recognition of their partnership, leadership, and steadfast commitment to supporting individuals and families across our community.

In the work of supporting survivors, one truth becomes clear very quickly: no single organization can meet every need a person may have. Safety is only the first step.

For survivors rebuilding their lives after violence, long-term stability often depends on access to housing, financial support, advocacy, transportation, childcare, food security, and trusted systems of care. Real healing requires more than emergency response. It requires a network of organizations willing to work together with compassion, coordination, and shared purpose.

That is what makes the partnership between the YWCA and BMAC so meaningful.

Through this collaboration, survivors who come to the YWCA in moments of crisis are able to access critical next steps toward long-term stability and independence. Whether helping individuals secure safe housing, navigate complex support systems, or access essential resources, BMAC plays a vital role in ensuring that support continues long after immediate safety is established.

This partnership reflects more than coordinated services. It reflects a shared commitment to people. Every day, both organizations work alongside individuals and families facing extraordinary challenges, often at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. The work requires patience, trust, creativity, and a deep belief that every person deserves dignity, stability, and opportunity.

Under Danielle Garbe Reser’s leadership, BMAC has continued to strengthen that commitment through collaboration and community-centered care. The organization consistently shows up as a thoughtful and reliable partner, willing to problem-solve alongside others and remain focused on what individuals and families truly need to move forward.

Meaningful partnerships are not built overnight. They require trust, communication, and a willingness to keep building together even when challenges are complex. The relationship between the YWCA and BMAC demonstrates what is possible when organizations choose collaboration over isolation and shared impact over individual recognition.

The Leader of Distinction Award recognizes those whose leadership strengthens not only individual lives, but the broader fabric of the community. BMAC’s work embodies that spirit.

Because of this partnership, survivors in our community are not only finding safety; they are finding pathways toward stability, healing, and hope.

The YWCA is honored to recognize Blue Mountain Action Council and Danielle Garbe Reser as recipients of the 2026 Leader of Distinction Award and to celebrate the impact this partnership continues to make possible throughout our community.