YWCA USA

For other uses, including specific buildings and chapters, see Young Women's Christian Association (disambiguation).

Neysa Moran McMein (1888-1949) Y.W.C.A. In Service for the Girls of the World, Poster, 1919

YWCA USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all^[1]. It is one of the "oldest and largest multicultural organizations promoting solutions to enhance the lives of women, girls and families."^[2]

History

YWCA USA was founded as the Ladies Christian Association in New York City in 1858.

Prior to the U.S. civil rights movement, some YWCA facilities were segregated or operated as separate organizations. Advocates like Helen L. Seaborg in Washington, D.C., worked successfully to mediate mergers between the segregated groups. Mary Ingraham was president of the National Board of the YWCA from 1940 to 1946 and involved with the YWCA's war work and interracial efforts.^[3]

YWCA USA changed its corporate name from “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” to “YWCA USA, Inc.” in December 2015.^[4]

Structure

YWCA is a national organization with 225 local associations across the United States. At YWCA’s annual meeting in May 2012, a transition from the prior regional structure to a national federated structure was approved, followed by the adoption of new bylaws in November 2012.^[5]

Dara Richardson-Heron, M.D., is the CEO of YWCA USA.^[6][7]

Services

YWCA serves more than 2 million women, girls, and their families in the United States. It is also part of an international movement serving 25 million worldwide in 120 countries.

Each year, YWCAs help more than 535,000 women with safety services, which include sexual assault programs, domestic violence services such as emergency shelter, crisis hotlines, counseling and court assistance, and other community safety programs. We also help more than 122,000 women with economic empowerment programs, and more than 160,000 individuals participate each year in racial justice education and training programs.^[8]

YWCA of The City of New York

The YWCA of The City of New York, the oldest of all of the YWCAs in the United States, was founded in 1858. It is unique in that the organization is guided purely by human service-oriented programs rather than physical services. Such programs include their Early Learning Centers, Family Resource Center, Out-of-School Programs, Professional Development Programming, and Women's Employment Programming to name a few, and are still guided by the YW mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. YWCA of The City of New York services are a major component of the non-profit community in New York City.

The YWCA of The City of New York produces several fundraising events annually including the Salute to Women Leaders Luncheon, the YWCA-NYC Theatre Benefit (featuring the Broadway hit The Color Purple in 2005 and the revival of Michael Bennett's A Chorus Line in 2006).

During their annual Summer Soirée (held at the W Hotel in 2005 and Cipriani 23rd Street in 2006) they present their "W" award. This award is presented to a woman who is a visionary, an innovator, trend-setter, a woman who gives back to her community and helps those the YW serves daily: the women, girls and families of New York City. In 2005, this award was given to Marian McEvoy, and in 2006 to Star Jones-Reynolds.

See also

• 92nd Street Y
• Jewish Community Center
• The Y (disambiguation)
• Y
• YMCA

References

Sources

• Robertson, Nancy Marie (2007). Christian Sisterhood, Race Relations, and the YWCA, 1906-46. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03193-9. She helped to found the USO. In 1946, Harry Truman awarded her the presidential Medal of Merit for that work, with the citation that she had led in efforts to address interracial problems; Ingraham was the first woman to receive the award. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to YWCAs in the United States.

• Official website
• World Young Women's Christian Association
• YWCA Canada
• YWCA of the U.S.A. Records, 1860-2002 (Bulk: 1906-2000) Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College
• Young Women's Christian Association of Cambridge (Mass.) Records, 1881-1981 Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.