The Y’s Global Relations and Community Engagement (GRACE) efforts help ensure all people are respected, feel welcome and can find a community where they can thrive. With 24 branches in the City of St. Louis and 13 counties in Missouri and Illinois, the Gateway Region YMCA is positioned to address the unique needs of the bi-state region. A key priority of this work is promoting a welcoming organizational culture that fosters community engagement and bridge-building. Our core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility guide everything we do.
In addition, the Gateway Region YMCA is part of the international YMCA network—an alliance of Ys dedicated to strengthening our global community of 46 million members in 120 countries. Our Y works in partnership with YMCAs in Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Ukraine, and South Africa. These partnerships involve working jointly on sharing ideas around youth development, promoting peace, and implementing teen exchange programs to promote global awareness.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe the Y must continue to lead the way to a brighter future by following our belief that we are stronger when our doors are open to all.
Open For All
We help ensure all people feel welcome and valued as part of the Y family.
Changing Communities
As neighborhoods become more diverse, it is important that we, with great intentionality, understand who is in our communities and how best to serve their interests and needs.
Strengthen Community
It's critical to both our mission and our business that Ys develop and integrate strategies to effectively engage, advocate for and serve all.
Our Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are groups of employees that form with a common bond, a shared characteristic or life experience. They provide support, help with career or personal development, and work to address issues inside and outside of the workplace. ERG’s are open to all active staff of the Gateway Region YMCA - whether they are a learner, supporter, or an ally. The Gateway Region YMCA currently has 4 ERGs.
Multicultural ERG
The Multicultural Resource Group is a network of YMCA staff committed to providing leadership development of African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics/Latinos in the YMCA movement and, more specifically, for career and personal development, networking, training, and mentoring.
Women's ERG
The Women's Resource Group aims to create a network of female-identified Y professionals to provide networking opportunities; provide professional development experiences for YMCA staff from experts within our organization and from the local community; and encourage space for employees to share knowledge and experience, and encourage personal growth.
LGBTQ+ ERG
The LGBTQ+ Resource Group is comprised of LGBTQ+ YMCA professionals who aim to increase awareness about issues concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, and intersex staff and volunteer leaders in the YMCA, educate the Movement about inclusion by moving beyond tolerance and acceptance to celebration of the LGBTQ+ communities in the YMCA, and to provide a safe and discreet forum and network for YMCA LGBTQ+ staff and volunteers.
Inclusive Abilities ERG
The Inclusive Abilities ERG is a network of YMCA staff and volunteers committed to creating awareness, and focusing on the impact of diverse abilities on Y employees, their families, caregivers, and maturing adults with age-related disabilities in the community and in the workplace.
YMCA World Service
The Gateway Region YMCA is part of the International YMCA Network - a powerful alliance dedicated to strengthening our global communities. Because of this global reach, we are able to respond to trends in migration, health, economic livelihood and education that are reshaping our communities.
International partnerships are developed based on the mutual interests of both local and international Ys. The Gateway Region YMCA currently partners with:
- Belize
- Chile
- Colombia
- South Africa
- Ukraine
Our Family is a Y Family!
Our son Drew was born with Down syndrome. As kids often do, Drew has taught us many lessons over the years about patience, love, and working hard to overcome obstacles. We sometimes say Drew is the best of us with his easy-going care and contagious charm, but we have had our trying times. During so many of those times, we have found support at the Y.
