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From Our CEO: We Look Forward to Seeing You Soon

YMCA of Greater Kansas City
Mayo 5, 2020
John Mikos, president and CEO, with downtown Kansas City skyline

Dear Y Family,

All of us here at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City are thinking of you in these uncertain times. Many of you are facing hardships of your own, and we’re so humbled by you, our members, who still support us during times like these despite such challenges.

We are excited to open our doors to welcome you back to our YMCAs. Because we operate in multiple states, counties and cities, we plan to reopen facilities in phases and will share more details about our opening date soon. 

A Phased Approach

Wellness centers and gyms are included in Phase 1 of Missouri's reopening plan, but in Kansas they are included in Phase 2. Local county and city governments also have announced phases of a reopening plan.

As we await future announcements, we will be very purposeful in our approach to reopening our centers and programs. At every step of the way, we will work to ensure the health and safety of all our members and staff.

How We're Getting Ready

We are preparing a safe environment to welcome you back. As we gradually reopen, some of the initial changes you will experience are:

  • Indicators for healthy physical and social distancing
  • Healthy spacing of fitness equipment
  • Ample access to hand washing/sanitizer stations
  • Significant disinfecting of equipment and activity areas throughout the day

In addition, we will deliberately phase-in areas and amenities of low risk as we grow back to full capacity and resume programs. 

Watch this video to learn more about how we’re getting ready.

Next Steps

Several major factors will determine our reopen date including direction from the governors of Missouri and Kansas, local officials and the CDC, as well as our capacity to provide a safe environment. It is our hope that at a minimum, we can partially reopen some locations in the coming weeks and partially reopen the others in late May or early June. 

Together, We are Better

Through these trying times, the Y is in the position to make a difference where it matters most. Thank you for staying with us as we transitioned our resources to meet critical needs in our community by providing child care for essential workers, reaching out to seniors to help prevent social isolation and providing virtual tools to keep you healthy at home.

This is an example of our community at its best and a great display of how the YMCA is more than just a gym…we are a community.

Stay tuned as we look to share our reopening plans with you as our community continues to adapt and heal. In addition to email updates, you may visit KansasCityYMCA.org/YResponse for the latest news.

With gratitude,

John Mikos
President and CEO
YMCA of Greater Kansas City