12 Days of Giving: Celebrating Impact Across the Gateway Region YMCA
Every day, the Gateway Region YMCA makes a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of children, adults, and families.
This holiday season, we’re celebrating 12 Days of Giving, a chance to highlight the real impact our donors, volunteers, and members make possible.
From teaching life-saving swim skills to ensuring seniors feel connected, your generosity helps change lives all year long.
Give to Confidence: Safety Around Water
The Gateway Region YMCA teaches more than 17,000 children and adults to swim each year. This builds confidence, teaches lifelong skills, and keeps people safe around water.
Thanks to generous donors who support our Safety Around Water programs (Swim Smart, Swim Outreach, Go for Green, and more), cost is never a barrier for families.
Give to Adventure: YMCA Camp Lakewood
At YMCA Camp Lakewood, every day is an adventure! This year, more than 1,600 campers explored nature, formed friendships, and discovered new experiences.
Help youth and teens find their ADVENTURE this #12DaysofGiving.
Give to Connection: Active Older Adults
More than two million older adults experience depression or social isolation — but at the Y, seniors find connection, friendship, and belonging through activities, exercise, and meaningful social experiences.
Give to Activity: Inclusion & Adaptive Support
The Y serves more than 1,200 children and adults with disabilities, providing more than $690,000 in program support each year.
From adaptive sports to inclusive summer day camp, your support ensures people of all abilities can learn, grow, and discover their ACTIVITY.
Give to Passion: Community Gardens
With more than 44 million Americans facing food insecurity, our 10+ community gardens help families access fresh produce and learn lifelong skills through cooking and nutrition classes.
Find your PASSION and support hunger relief this #12DaysofGiving.
Give to Purpose: Campus Y
Campus Y at WashU, one of the largest student-led service organizations in the region, contributed over 10,000 volunteer hours across 23 community programs in 2024.
Give to Friends: Summer Day Camp
Summer camp helps children make friends, try new things, and build confidence. More than 6,400 campers experienced wonder and imagination at Y day camps this year.
Give to Curiosity: Literacy Programs
Reading is a lifelong skill. Last year, 101 students received 4,000+ hours of literacy instruction from 54 volunteers — building confidence, curiosity, and opportunity.
Give to Strength: Chronic Disease Prevention
With support from the CDC, the Y’s evidence-based programs — including LIVESTRONG®, BPSM, Exercise for Parkinson’s, and Diabetes Prevention — reached more than 500 individuals last year.
Give to Voice: Youth and Government
More than 400 students participated in Youth and Government last year, developing leadership skills and learning to use their voices to make positive change.
Give to Perspective: Global Relations & Community Engagement
As part of the International YMCA Network, we partner with YMCAs in Colombia, Belize, Ukraine, and South Africa — expanding global understanding and strengthening communities.
Give to Joy: Find Your Joy in Giving
When you support the YMCA, you provide food for neighbors, safe spaces for youth, belonging for seniors, and opportunities for all.
Find your JOY IN GIVING this holiday season and support the cause that means the most to you.
Thank You for Giving This Season
Your generosity changes lives every day. Whether you support Safety Around Water, literacy, chronic disease prevention, summer camp, inclusion services, or any of our other critical programs, you are helping strengthen the foundations of our community.
Thank you for being part of the Gateway Region YMCA mission. Together, we can continue to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.