ABOUT LIFT FOR LIFE GYM
Our mission is about so much more than physical fitness. The gym offers a positive, nurturing after-school environment for St. Louis youth to grow—physically, mentally, socially and even spiritually.
Our Story
In 1988, Marshall Cohen started Lift for Life Gym, then a youth weightlifting team in the basement of Globes Drugs in downtown St. Louis. The purpose of the Gym was to offer impoverished youth constructive recreational opportunities as an alternative to idleness, crime, drugs and violence.
What began as a simple weightlifting program grew over the next 35 years into a youth fitness training center offering services designed to alleviate the burden of poverty and build a sense of resiliency that helps its members achieve success personally, physically and professionally. Lift for Life Gym is located at 1415 Cass Avenue, providing free fitness programs including powerlifting training along with comprehensive mentoring and career and college readiness programming. The Gym supports over 450 youth aged 8-18 year-round.
What We do
We provide comprehensive programs and services to support the youth in St. Louis City with free round-trip transportation, in a safe environment at no cost.
Movement: We offer daily sports and fitness programming, including powerlifting, a Basketball Training Program in partnership with Larry Hughes Basketball Academy, and strength and conditioning serving up to 50 members each day. The Gym’s weightlifting team has received numerous local, national, and international awards.
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.
Our signature fitness program is the powerlifting team. The individuals on our powerlifting team practice three to five times a week, totaling over 4,500 hours each year. The team participates in three to four competitions each year sanctioned by credible leagues like USA Powerlifting and Powerlifting United. The team members serve as role models for the other youth in the gym, setting examples of discipline and resilience.
Our Team
Lift for Life is a labor of love. And for our key team members, the Gym is part of who they are. The passionate dedication of our team—from coaches, to coordinators, to board members—is essential in making a better future for our youth members.
Our Program Partners
Our partners help us provide fitness, nutrition and education to St. Louis youth each year. We couldn’t do it without the support of great organizations like these!
