February 2026
YMCA of Central New York
Staff Newsletter

Welcome to the 2026 YMCA of Central New York staff newsletter- your one-stop for information about what’s going on around the YMCA of Central New York.

Celebrating Black History Month with the AARN

Our African American Resource Network Employee Resource Group has put together a number of events and activities throughout the month.

SHOWCASING BLACK BUSINESSES (February 16-27)

A number of Black-owned businesses will be tabling in branches over the last two weeks of February. Stay tuned to learn who will be at each branch.

SPIRIT WEEK (February 23-27)

Monday: Melanin Monday Wear shades of brown, beige, tan, taupe, or black

Tuesday: Black Historical Figure Day Dress as an influential African American historical figure or wear clothing that features one.

Wednesday: Honor the Culture & Heritage Wear vibrant colors, bold patterns, or traditional Kente cloth.

Thursday: Do It for the Culture Show off your old-school hip-hop style from any decade

Friday: We Wear Black Wear your “We Wear Black” shirt or all black attire to symbolize strength, unity, and empowerment as we honor Black History and celebrate the future

WE WEAR BLACK (February 27th)

On Friday, February 27th, we’ll be joining Ys across the national movement in our annual We Wear Black day. This day is a chance for members and staff to reaffirm our commitment to being an anti-racist organization and supporting our community. Our shirts this year were designed by Toni Niederauer from the Arts & Education Branch.

We Wear Black

Spirit Week

Hockey Is for Everyone Night

Join the ERGs at a Syracuse Crunch game for their Hockey Is for Everyone night. We’ll be helping pack out the arena with diversity & pride.

Tickets are $20. Click the link below or use code YMCACNY at checkout.

Friday, February 20th • Puck Drops at 7pm

Get Tickets

Black History Month Spirit Week & We Wear Black

The AARN is hosting another Spirit Week at the end of February, culminating with We Wear Black on Friday, February 27th.

View the Flyer

AARN Luncheon

Thursday, February 12th

Shinder Theatre • Downtown YMCA

12:00 - 1:00pm

Join us as we honor our rich history and vibrant culture. We will pay homage to our ancestors, break bread together, and celebrate who we are—reflecting on all we achieved in 2025 and embracing everything we will accomplish in 2026.

Questions? Contact Vanessa or Nyisha

View the Flyer

queERG Happy Hour

Thursday, February 26th

Harvey’s Garden • 1200 E Water Street, Syracuse

5:00 - 7:30pm

Join the LGBTQ+ RN (queERG) as we get together for our first gathering of the year, discuss Pride plans for this June, and continue to build community together.

Questions? Contact Jack or Pip

View the Flyer

Save the Date: Amplify 2026

The National Women's Leadership Resource Network (WLRN) is hosting the 6th Annual AMPLIFY conference on March 6, 2026. AMPLIFY is a one-day virtual experience aimed to connect and empower women across the Y Movement, through personal and professional growth. This year's theme is "Rooted and Rising" and is designed to cultivate support for women by offering tools, resources, learning opportunities, and weaving threads of collaboration within the Y Movement.

Learn More

Did You Scan In Today?

All of our staff members are Y members too! As you enter in our buildings ensure you are scanning your membership card at the front desk! If you don't have a membership card yet, check in with your supervisor to ensure you complimentary membership is active!!

Invest in Your Future with the 403(b) Retirement Account!

Did you know that all staff can contribute to a 403(b) retirement count as of day 1 at the Y? Contributions can be a dollar amount or percentage, pre- or post-tax, or a mix of the above. The Y doesn't make any additional contributions to the 403(b), it's employee-contribution only. This is a great way to invest in your future. To make or change your contribution, complete the enrollment form or reach out to HumanResources@ymcacny.org for assistance. More information about the 403(b) can be found at www.yretirement.org.

Learn More

Rally Health Survey

Full-time staff who enrolled in health benefits are eligible to complete the Rally Health Survey not only as a way to support your health journey, but also to earn rewards! We're aiming for 90% completion, so complete your Rally Survey by 2/13! If you have questions or run into any issues, please reach out to HumanResources@ymcacny.org.

Take the Survey

Hazard Communication Plan

The purpose of this program is to ensure information regarding the dangers of all hazardous chemicals used by the YMCA of Central New York is known by all staff, the following hazardous information program has been established. Under this program, employees will be informed of the contents of the OSHA Hazard Communications standard, the hazardous properties of chemicals with which employees work, safe handling procedures and measures to take to protect themselves from such chemicals.

Please take a moment to review YMCA of Central New York’s Hazard Communication Plan

Y-USA Reporting

In December 2019, Y-USA’s National Board of Directors  voted to add a new reporting requirement for Y associations  to  the 11th  qualification  for membership in the National Council of YMCAs. 

Keeping our members and program participants—especially  children—safe is  critical to the success of each  YMCA, and to  preserving the reputation of the Y.  With the increased attention  on child sexual abuse  in recent years, it  has become the norm for national, federated organizations like ours to collect this information.

Read More

Financial Wellness Webinars for Staff

We’re excited to share a new financial wellness benefit for our staff! Our Y, along with more than 200 Ys nationwide, is partnering with Toole Financial (link to www.toolefinancial.com) to offer free, practical financial education webinars designed specifically for Y professionals. Led by former Y executive and Certified Financial Planner® Ed Toole, these sessions provide unbiased guidance on real-life financial topics with 100% anonymous participation.

Before registering for a webinar, take a few moments to read the attached Introduction to the Webinar Series (link to PDF in email) as well as watch this short video: Introduction to the Financial Wellness Pyramid.

Budgeting: Create a Spending Plan That Works for You

This is a basic-level course that is designed for 30 minutes of education and 15 minutes of Q & A. Review different methods for approaching "budgeting" to create a plan that will work best for your current situation and financial goals. Learn strategies and tips to be successful in implementing a spending plan, including aligning spending with your values. Participants on the webinar will be anonymous and able to ask questions anonymously to the presenter.

Click the links below to register

Wednesday, March 4th
12:00pm - 12:45pm

Tuesday, March 10th
3:00pm - 3:45pm

Debt Reduction Strategies: When, How, and If to Pay It Off

This is a basic-level course that is designed for 30 minutes of education and 15 minutes of Q & A. Identify different methods for eliminating "bad" debt, especially when one has multiple loans (credit card, student, mortgage, etc.), as well as how to stay out of debt moving forward. Participants on the webinar will be anonymous and able to ask questions anonymously to the presenter.

Click the links below to register

Friday, March 6th
9:00am - 9:45am

Thursday, March 12th
4:00pm - 4:45pm

Plan ahead: April Sneak Peek (registration opens in March)

-Tax-Advantaged Retirement Plans

-403(b) Loans: Pros, Cons & Misconceptions

-Home Ownership: When Is the Right Time for You

Toole Financial | Ed Toole

Ed Toole specializes in financial planning for YMCA Professionals.

The Y Bus

We’ve partnered with Centro and you’ll soon be able to see a Y-branded bus driving around the greater Syracuse area.

New Canva Team Restructuring

Our association’s canva team has outgrown the number of seats we’ve been allotted, so the MarComm team has been hard at work figuring out a solution. Over the next month, we’ll be rolling out our new structure, updated training, and easy-to-edit, readily available templates.

Email Pip with any questions - mboynton@ymcacny.org