Gateway Region YMCA Corporate Office
Business Hours
| Mon - Fri: | 8:30 am - 5 pm |
| Sat - Sun: | Closed |
Business Hours
| Mon - Fri | 8:30 am - 5 pm |
| Sat - Sun | Closed |
At the Y, we are so much more than a gym. We're a cause.
The Gateway Region YMCA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charity that has been dedicated to strengthening our community and responding to the needs of the bi-state region for more than 170 years. We aim to nurture the potential of every child and teen, improve health and well-being, and support and serve our neighbors.
Our Mission:
To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body, for all.
A Look at the Gateway Region YMCA Throughout the Years
1844
George Williams organizes the first YMCA in London.
1851
First YMCA in the United States opens in Boston, MA.
1853
St. Louis YMCA was founded.
1866
Southwest Illinois YMCA was founded.
2016
The St. Louis YMCA and Southwest Illinois YMCA merge to form the Gateway Region YMCA.
Gateway Region YMCA
2025 Annual Report
Building Tomorrow
In 2025, the Gateway Region YMCA strengthened community through membership, programs, financial assistance, volunteers, partnerships and life-changing outreach.
Open the full PDF report for the complete stories, photos and details, or select a category below to explore a quick interactive snapshot of our 2025 impact.
Explore the 2025 Impact
Choose a category below to expand highlights from the annual report.
Select a category above to view photos, program highlights and impact statistics from the 2025 Annual Report.
2025 Highlights
Tornado Relief
After a devastating tornado impacted St. Louis, the O’Fallon Park Rec Complex served as a critical drop-off and distribution site. More than 4,000 volunteers helped serve more than 10,000 individuals, and the Y raised and distributed $75,500 to impacted members.
Miracle League All-Star Weekend
The Y hosted more than 100 athletes with disabilities and their families from 26 states and Mexico at the Adaptive Sports Complex for games, events, awards and a weekend centered on belonging.
NAYDO 2025 Conference
Nearly 2,000 YMCA leaders from North America and around the world gathered in St. Louis to share best practices, serve the community and strengthen cause-driven work.
Chesterfield YMCA Renovation
The Y celebrated the completion of a $9 million expansion and renovation, including a new 5,000-square-foot SSM Health medical care facility inside the branch.
Ste. Genevieve County Partnership
The Gateway Region YMCA announced a partnership to assume operation of Ste. Genevieve County Recreational Facilities, expanding access to health and wellness programs.
Jayson Tatum Foundation Gift
A $10,000 gift from the Jayson Tatum Foundation was matched by NBA Cares, creating $20,000 in support for affordable youth basketball programs at O’Fallon Park Rec Complex.
Youth Development
Healthy Living
Philanthropy & Financials
Philanthropy
$3.57M raised for the 2025 Annual Campaign
$36.05M endowment value
5,485 donors to the Y
$90,500 raised for YMCA World Service
Financials
$77.88M operating revenue
$69M program expenses
$5.5M contributions
$160.84M total end-of-year net assets
YMCA Areas of Focus
Youth Development
nurtuting the potential of every child and teen
Healthy Living
improving the nation's health and well-being
Social Responsibility
giving back and providing support to our neighbors
Gateway Region YMCA Leaders
Meet the experienced and dedicated team of staff and volunteers who work every day to bring life to the Y's mission of healthier, more connected communities to life.
Meet the CEO
Tim Helm, President and Chief Executive Officer
Tim Helm currently serves as the 12th President and Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Region YMCA, one of the region’s leading nonprofits serving more than a quarter-million individuals annually through programs and services that nurture the potential of children and teens, promote health and well-being, and encourage positive social change.
Tim came to the Gateway Region YMCA in 2014, and in his first year, led the successful merger of the YMCA of Greater St. Louis and the YMCA of Southwest Illinois to become the Gateway Region YMCA. Tim also launched the Association’s long-term strategic planning process that guides organizational excellence, cultural improvement, and social responsibility to most effectively respond to growing community needs and position the Y for continued growth in the region. Tim has grown the Association from just over 38,000 membership units with an annual budget of $52 million, to more than 48,000 membership units on a budget of $75 million, which includes significant growth after recovering from the impacts of the COVID pandemic.
The Gateway Region Y is celebrating the recent completion of its five-year, comprehensive “Opportunity for All” capital campaign, launched in 2018. Under Tim’s leadership, the Y raised more than $59 million on a goal of $55 million, with the campaign focused on three primary strategies – bridging the opportunity gap, connecting communities and cultivating health equity in order to help those most in need in our region.
Before 2002, Tim held several other positions with the Dayton Y, including Branch Executive, Vice President of Operations and Senior Vice President. Before joining the Dayton Y in 1996, Tim served a variety of roles for the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati from 1989-1996. Tim has also assumed leadership positions on a number of national committees, including as the Chair of the YMCA Mid-Majors Group and as the Vice Chair for the National Board of Directors for the Association of YMCA Professionals. Tim currently serves on the YMCA Employee Benefits Committee, and is the past Chair of the YMCA Champions for Child Protection and for the Missouri State Alliance of YMCAs.
Tim is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Tim is married to Heather May, and between the two of them, they have seven children and five grandchildren.
Meet the COO
Jared Beard, Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer
Jared Beard is the Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Gateway Region YMCA. In this role, Jared provides executive leadership for all of the Y's operating units and program areas, including health & well-being, camp, before and after school enrichment, and early childhood development.
Previously, Jared led the YMCA of Southwest Illinois as the interim President and CEO through a 2015 merger with the YMCA of Greater St Louis. In that role, he worked directly with volunteers and staff on the final phase of a strategic alliance to form the Gateway Region YMCA. The combined association now serves 13 counties, provides $6.3 million in financial assistance, relies on 7,000 volunteers and serves nearly 300,000 individuals through 24 branches across diverse communities in Missouri and Illinois.
Over the last ten years as the EVP and COO, Jared has built the reputation of the Y into one known for service and community throughout the region. Through strategic planning and execution, the organization has embraced a more inclusive and diverse culture. During the COVID-pandemic, the Y led vital programs to help communities recover and when met with social challenges, all levels of staff pulled together to deliver the Y’s mission.
As an advocate for lifelong learning, Jared holds a PhD in Nonprofit Management, a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management, a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science/Sports Management and a Certificate in Fund Raising Management. He is also a Certified Fund-Raising Executive through CFRE International.
He and his wife Rachael, who is a researcher for the VA Health Care System, live in the Metro East with their son, Cole.
Meet the Board
Volunteer Board of Directors
The Gateway Region YMCA Board of Directors is composed of civic leaders who generously volunteer their time to support the mission of the YMCA and work to strengthen the communities we serve.
Officers
Board Chair: Steve Hanley
Vice-Chair: Greg Dart
Treasurer: Steve Rasche
Secretary: Suzan McDaniel
Immediate Past Chair: Jon Rosenstengel
At Large Members
Greg Dart
Michael Gibbons
Steve Hanley
Brent Jackson
Joe King
Melissa Lackey
David Layton
Mark Leeker
Suzan McDaniel
Pam Morris-Thorton
Jennifer O'Neal
Jane Overall
Dave Randolph
Steve Rasche
Susan Ratz
Jon Rosenstengel
Amy Smith
Cary Stalnecker
Danna Stone
Julie Stupp
Jacques Thro
Suzanne Lyons
Matt Whiting
Jim Zeck
Joe Barnard
Julie Tang
Rodney Malone
District Branch Board Chair Representatives
Darren George (Southeast District)
Brad Gift (Southwest District)
Christine Efthim (City District)
Dean Vazis (Northwest District)
Rich Bridge (East District)
Leadership Team
Judy Abrams: Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Wendy Cornett-Marquitz, CFRE: Senior Vice President of Philanthropy & Chief Development Officer
Deborah Tallo: Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer
Cathie Degler: Vice President, Human Resources
Keelyn Krill: Vice President, Membership & Healthy Living
Steve Mastorakos: Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Melissa Lickert: Vice President, Accounting and Controller
Paul Schermesser: Vice President, Property Management
District Operations
Erin Abercrombie: District Vice President, East District
Ken Strawbridge: District Vice President, West District
Matt Clark: District Vice President, South District
Matt Thompson: District Vice President, City District
Tom Verheyen: District Vice President, Southwest District
Additional Publications
Supporters of the YMCA have ensured the legacy of our organization for many years. One of the earliest gifts recorded came in 1883 from the Collier family in honor of their son. Today, those gifts and more help children and families prosper, and will for years to come.
Social Responsibility
Engineering & STEAM
1,344 youth participated in STEAM programs and events, including Spark Lab, Techbridge Girls, Underwater Robotics and Summer STEAM.
Mental Health
436 adults attended mental health workshops, and 233 youth participated in Fitness for Youth.
Y Literacy
5,425,477 minutes were spent reading at the Y. Youth in YRead improved an average of 2.2 grade levels in word recognition and 2.4 in comprehension.
Campus Y
564 student volunteers contributed more than 10,000 hours across 22 active programs with 50 community organizations.
Youth and Government
340 teens participated in Youth and Government programs, with 59 youth joining the Back-to-Basics program.
Junior Leadership
11 high school juniors participated in the inaugural Gateway Region YMCA Junior Leadership Program.