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Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation Partners with Metro Transit to Help Young People Reach New Opportunities

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation has partnered with Metro Transit, and on July 2, distributed 50 Gateway Go Cards to young people who participate in the afterschool programs, summer camps, athletic programs and other activities at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis, Illinois.

The Gateway Go Cards provided to the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation on July 2 were preloaded with July and August monthly passes at half their normal price, and the young transit riders who received the cards are able to enjoy unlimited rides on MetroLink and MetroBus this summer, making it a perfect option to ride Metro to summer programs at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, located adjacent to the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center MetroLink Station, or to other camps, activities and opportunities throughout the region. The Gateway Go Cards were made possible through the generosity of Regency Enterprise Services.

“Our programs help thousands of young people improve their lives every year, but that’s only if they are able to get here and participate,” said Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic Champion and Chairwoman of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. “Transportation is often a challenge, but through our partnership, Metro Transit is helping eliminate those barriers for the young people in our community.”

The Gateway Go Card is a new summer fare program developed Metro Transit and Bi-State Development in partnership with the City of St. Louis, St. Clair County, St. Clair County Transit District, St. Louis County and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. With the Gateway Go Card, area youth between 13 and 25 years old are able to purchase fares at a 50 percent discount to ride MetroLink and MetroBus. The program uses a special version of the Metro Gateway Card smart card, and young people are able to load one-ride tickets, two-hour passes and monthly passes directly to the Gateway Go Card at half the normal price.

“Jackie Joyner-Kersee is not only an Olympic champion, but a champion for improving the lives of young people in our region,” said John Nations, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bi-State Development. “The Gateway Go Cards will make it easier for young people to take advantage of all of the wonderful resources at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and pursue new opportunities throughout the bi-state area.”

For more information on how to sign up for the Gateway Go program, visit metrostlouis.org/gatewaygo or call 314-982-1500.

About Metro Transit

Metro Transit operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system which includes 400 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 83 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. Metro also operates MetroLink light rail vehicles on 46 miles of track serving 37 stations in the two-state area, and operates Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro Transit is one of five enterprises operated by Bi-State Development.