Dear YMCA Member,

Thank you for your membership to the Y. This letter is to inform you that our YMCA facilities will remain closed through at least April 30, 2020 per the Illinois Shelter-in-Place order from Governor Pritzker.  Even though the Y is closed, we want to make a plea for you to keep your membership active to save the Y.  

As a Y member, you are not only a member of a health and wellness facility, you are a member of an extended family, and, an organization dedicated to serving community needs. For more than 150 years, YMCA’s have adapted our mission to address new challenges as they arise.  You can visit our website at www.gcfymca.org to engage in “Y On the Go”, a virtual membership experience option available to keep families and kids active and engaged while sheltering in place. 

The Golden Corridor Family YMCA is truly honored to serve our community, but ceasing our operations has put a significant financial strain on our YMCA. Currently, we have had to make very difficult decisions to reduce our workforce to essential staff only, to ensure the YMCA can reopen its doors once the Shelter-in-Place mandate is lifted.

Most importantly, my promise to you, is to remain completely transparent regarding the future of your YMCA.  The YMCA is a nonprofit organization. Currently, we do not have reserves to cover the $166,000+  lost revenue from YMCA childcare programs. This figure does not include the revenue loss from  memberships or groups outings scheduled at Camp Edwards during this time.  We care deeply for our employees, our members, and our community. This is why, it makes it so very difficult, to make some of the decisions we have been faced with during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At this time, you may be asking….why are you continuing to draft my membership dues when the YMCA is closed? 

The YMCA has fixed costs whether we are open or closed. Please know our management team is taking prudent and responsible actions, to ensure the future of the Y, by reducing as many expenses as possible.  However, these savings are simply not enough to sustain Y operations.

For Y members who can generously maintain membership dues throughout the closure, will be helping  our YMCA rebound financially, and thrive once again when this crisis is over. That is why we are asking you to stay with us.  Collectively, our management team, Board of Directors, and partner YMCA’s continue to explore all options to close the gap, but we need your help. Your Y membership dollars are needed now more than ever…to bring our YMCA family back together when this crisis is over.  

Please carefully consider the membership options for your April 2020 YMCA dues:

●       Do nothing to keep your membership active. The Y will draft your account on your scheduled date. Your gift of your membership dues will HELP THE Y rebound from the COVID-19 crisis.

●       Contact us to adjust your payment while we are closed. 

●       Contact us to put your membership on hold, or cancel.

The YMCA understands many of you are facing challenging times as well and may need to pause your membership. We support your decision and will gladly update your account by request. Email management at the following locations, and they will take care of you:

Judi Nealey, Executive Director                                   Joseph Russell, Branch Manager
Campanelli YMCA                                                  Taylor Family YMCA
judin@gcfymca.org                                                   jrussell@gcfymca.org

Thank you all for your prayerful, helpful, support of the YMCA during this unprecedented time. 

Together, we can get through this. #staywithus

Sincerely,

Doug Britt, President & CEO

Golden Corridor Family YMCA