LA Y Team Member Newsletter

By now, you've probably heard at least one person mention the term "ERG", but what does that acronym actually mean? Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, social affinity groups exclusively for LA Y employees (and volunteers!) and intended to create an inclusive space for discussion, social justice work, fulfilling projects and mentorship.

There are so many benefits of ERG participation! Learn more by joining us on Friday, February 3rd, from 12:00-12:30pm for a virtual webinar on ERG involvement. See you there!

This December, we celebrated the hard work and dedication of you, our wonderful LA Y Team Members. You truly make anything possible and we are so fortunate to be your employer, partner and supporter.

We also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone involved in the planning and execution of the different branch-related celebrations. From written words of encouragement to bagel breakfasts and even some gift card donations, our branch leadership team was instrumental in pulling together fun and unique celebrations for our LA Y Team Members.

Congratulations to Gary Ocampo!! Gary was just selected as the Executive Director of our West Valley YMCA! Gary Ocampo was born and raised in Reseda and started his Y career at the West Valley Y. Gary has been with the Y for just over 12 years, serving in various roles across the LA Y. Gary has worked in various departments and brings a wide range of skills to this new, and much deserved, role. When he's not leading our Emerging Leaders Employee Resource Group, Gary is cheering on the SF Giants and spending time with his wife and 2 golden retrievers.

Congratulations Lily Maciel! Lily, the Aquatics and Community Program Director for the Mid & West Valley Ys, was named in Y-USA's 30 Under 30, an award formally recognizing 30 fulltime YMCA leaders under the age of 30 for their accomplishments and potential to lead our Ys in the coming years. Lily's Y story began in 2006 at the Mid Valley Y when she and her twin brother were enrolled in swim lessons. At 16, Lily was volunteering for the Y and by 20, she was offered a job in the Aquatics department. Lily has been a key partner in the Ys pandemic-response programs and continues to push the envelope in the recovery efforts, rebuilding her team at 2 Ys and providing the leadership and direction to grow their swim lesson program to almost pre-COVID numbers. In her spare time, Lily likes to care for community cats, binge-watching Netflix shows and visit National Parks.

Congrats, Gary and Lily! We are so happy for you both!
(Special thanks to Lionnel Zaragoza for providing the information for this shout-out!)

This year, we've added a new perk to your employee benefits package! Every LA Y Team Member will now receive 1 paid Social-Emotional Wellness Day per calendar year. What does this mean? We believe that social-emotional health is incredibly important and worth the investment for our team. Use your Social-Emotional Wellness Day for your choice of self-care activity. This paid day must be used by Dec 31, 2023 and will not roll over to the following year if unused. As you would with a traditional vacation day, please provide as much notice as possible to your supervisor so that they can schedule accordingly. Enjoy!

With over 175 years under our belt as a leading community-focused non-profit, the YMCA has an incredibly rich history. This month, we're highlighting the Y Retirement Fund. Many team members know that the Fund is available to all Y employees once eligibility has been met but did you know that the Y was the first major organization to offer a retirement plan to its employees? It's true and a significant donation instrumental in the Fund creation was gifted by the Rockefeller family.

In 1921, a special act of the legislature of the State of New York incorporated the Y Retirement Fund. The Fund’s actuary estimated that $3.7M would be required in order to cover the Y professionals who would likely participate and from that estimate, a fundraising goal of $4 million was set. Y employees raised $335,000 and Dr. John R. Mott, then the general secretary of the International Committee of the Y, secured pledges of $2 million.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (in conjunction with the Laura Spellman-Rockefeller Foundation) contributed a gift of $1 million (including a conditional $750,000 matching gift). An additional $2M was raised from individual Ys and other donors over the next two years.

The Rockefellers were tremendously supportive of the Y, with a history of contributions dating back as far back as the 1880s. Visit Y-USA's website to learn more about the history of the Y!

If you've ever scrolled through social media or read a book written by an inspiring author, you've likely read a powerful quote that deserved to be pinned, saved or highlighted. Although not every quote you read will strike a chord, the ones that do resonate serve an important purpose. Discovering a quote that you connect with can increase your focus, help with making progress towards goals, provide an additional perspective to work through challenging situations, contribute to feelings of empowerment and help articulate complicated emotions.

We're hoping that this quote from Neil Gaiman will help us all to start the new year off right!

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.”