Lift for Life Gym

Funds raised from Give STL Day will help send our Youth Olympic-Style Weightlifting Team to the Youth National Championships in Pittsburgh this June.  Funds will also support our teen Mentor Match program which helps provide college and work place tours along with workshops to prepare our members for life after graduation.

AT LIFT FOR LIFE GYM, WE LIFT BECAUSE:

- 29% of crimes occur between the hours of 3pm and 7pm.
- Youth with mentors are 46% less likely to use illegal drugs.
- 135,000 kids in St. Louis are at risk for hunger

Since 1988, Lift for Life Gym has advanced the physical and mental well-being of St. Louis' children through fitness training, mentoring, and a healthy meals program.  The Gym supports over 450 youth aged 8 - 18 year-round.

Our goals are to:

• Provide a safe and consistent community for youth in an area plagued by high crime rates, violence, and limited resources.
• Offer ongoing, high-quality sports, fitness, and mentoring opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible.
• Foster a lifelong commitment to maintaining fitness, good health, while meeting immediate nutritional needs.
• Inspire confidence and a sense of self-worth in our members, positively influencing their choices throughout their lives. 

Located at Cass Avenue and 14th Street in north St. Louis, the Gym addresses the pressing need for an after-school program in a community grappling with poverty, gun violence, and health-related challenges. Lift for Life Gym provides comprehensive programs and services to support the youth in this area with free round-trip transportation, in a safe environment at no cost:

Movement: We offer daily sports and fitness programming, including Olympic style weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, Basketball Training Program in partnership with Larry Hughes Basketball Academy and strength and conditioning serving 50 members each day. The Gym’s weightlifting team has received numerous local, national, and international awards. 57 National Youth Weightlifting Champions have been crowned through Life for Life Gym's program since 1999

Mentoring: Teen members are paired with a mentor who helps them explore their goals and develop actionable plans. A summer College and Career Readiness Camp prepares members for life after the Gym.

Meals: Our Evening Café serves 250 nutritious meals each week.