Community Partner: North Fulton Young Men's Service League

You can see them in their red “service crew” T-shirts, working alongside their mothers at various philanthropies in the greater Atlanta area. These high school boys are part of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) of North Fulton, one of many local chapters of a national organization.

The YMSL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that currently represents over 7,000 moms and 8,000 young men as part of 94 chapters across 15 states — with eight of those chapters in metro Atlanta. The North Fulton chapter represents 12 high schools with 87 members (the moms) and 97 young men, all of whom are making an impact. Last year, they clocked in more than 3,370 hours of service.

The organization’s mission is threefold: to assist, serve, and support those in need in the community; develop leadership skills among the membership; and to promote mother-son relationships.

Each year, the North Fulton YMSL chapter supports 18 local and national philanthropies, and the hours that moms and sons serve together make a lasting impact not only on the community but also on their own families. In previous years, there have been opportunities to engage face-to-face with the people they serve or to provide them with much needed active support. Through these changing times, the North Fulton chapter has evolved, so that members can continue to assist others from home with new opportunities and philanthropies being added.

As some nonprofits have reopened their doors to volunteers, members have been able to help in person at North Fulton Community Charities, Meals by Grace, Keep North Fulton Beautiful Recycling Center, Foster Care Support, Blessings in a Backpack, and Home Stretch.

However, North Fulton YMSL is not just about volunteering. The organization also provides opportunities for members to develop, practice, and enhance leadership skills. Although the North Fulton chapter has recently changed in-person meetings to virtual meetings, outside speakers and mentors are still being brought in to discuss current events and enriching topics.

Young men also take part in leading the meetings and are encouraged to ask questions and be actively involved. Each young man has a role in the organization, speaking at meetings, making life skills presentations, working in communications, or slating the young men into new roles at the start of each year.

Not every important lesson is learned in the classroom or in the home. Getting out into the community to serve and to learn from others offers a wealth of knowledge and experience. YMSL provides service opportunities, structured programming, and social activities that offer experiences to last a lifetime. The moms and their young men typically join YMSL just prior to freshman year, though if there are spots available, students can join in subsequent years.

To learn more about the organization, visit YMSL.org.

If you are interested in becoming part of the North Fulton YMSL chapter, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..