History and Impact of the YWCA

History and Impact of the YWCAHistory and Impact of the YWCAThe YWCA advocates women on many levels internationally and in the U.S. YWCA offers safe havens for women that suffer domestic violence, rape crisis counseling, and even job training and career counseling.The YWCA also helps women with childcare, and, of course, health and fitness programs, too. Organization Basic Information Name YWCA USA (Formerly called YWCA of the U.S.) Website Address www.ywca.org Contact Information YWCA USA, 1020 19th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036 Email infoywca.org Phone 202-467-0801 Fax 202-467-0802 Size of Organization (as of 2008)The YWCA is a global womens organization with more than 25 million members in 122 countries. In the United States, the YWCA has approximately 2.6 million members in 300 local YWCA associations. Origins and Date FoundedThe Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in 1855 in London by Emma Robarts and Mrs. Arthur Kinnaird. In 1858 the YWCA move ment made its first appearance in the U.S. when New York City and Boston opened womens residences. Only two years later, in 1860, the YWCA opened the first boarding house for female students, teachers, and factory workers in New York City, as women moved from farms to cities. Mission StatementYWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Purpose and Services If you think fitness and social club when you hear YWCA, youd be conjuring the wrong image. The YWCA is the oldest and largest multicultural womens organization in the world. The YWCA advocates for women and minorities on many levels both internationally and in the U.S. The YWCA offers safe havens for women that suffer domestic violence, rape crisis counseling, and even job training and career counseling. The YWCA also helps women with childcare, and, of course, health and fitness programs, too. History of the YWCA During its long history, the YWCA ha s contributed to women in a variety of ways. The YWCA has played a key role in many of the major movements in the U.S. in race relations, labor union representation, and through developing and implementing empowerment programs for women. YWCAs Global Outreach Begins 1894 In 1894 the YWCA established Travelers Aid and offered chaperons to liners crews to protect women traveling in steerage from violent crimes. YWCA Firsts 1915 The YWCA held the first interracial conference in the south, which was conducted in Louisville, Kentucky.1919 The YWCA was the first organization to hold a meeting for women doctors. This meeting, the International Conference of Women Physicians, had attendees from 32 countries for six weeks and focused on womens health issues. Womens Empowerment Programs 1975 Expanding on their existing health and fitness programs for women, the YWCA started the ENCORE program and exercise and stab und sttze for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery.1995 T he YWCA began its Week Without Violence initiative. This public awareness program is observed the third week annually in October in a national effort to unite men and women against violence in our communities. Labor and Womens Employment Relations 1920 As women began to take on more jobs in labor industries, the YWCA responded. To improve the work environment for women in industrial plants, the YWCA Convention voted for an eight-hour-per-day law, prohibition of night work, and the right of labor to organize.1930s and 1940s YWCA trained women for mens jobs including New York City bus drivers, Rosie the Riveters, and as lathe operators.1966 Participated in Project Equality and began refusing business dealings with companies that have discriminatory employment practices including withdrawing funds from banks that overtly participated in the South African Consortium. Race Relations and Equality for Women 1890s A visionary promoter of equality, the YMCA opened the first African American YWCA branch in Dayton, Ohio, and the first YWCA for Native American women in Oklahoma. Years later, in 1909, the YWCA began offering bilingual instruction to help immigrant women.1930s YWCA worked toward desegregation and to protect African American civil rights in the U.S. It actively encouraged YWCA members to openly speak out against lynching and mob violence against black Americans.1940s In 1942 the YWCA opened its services to Japanese American women and girls incarcerated in World War II Relocation Centers. And, in 1946, the YWCA adopted its Interracial Charter- eight years before the United States Supreme Court decision against segregation. 1950s During the 1950s, the U.S. YWCA sent leaders to address local villages of African countries that were becoming independent. The YWCA inspired and helped women establish their own leadership and pooled resources to create YWCAs in Kenya, Uganda, Rhodesia, South Africa, and other regions.1960s The YWCA refused to abide by segre gation practices and integrated its own black YWCA branches into the organization. It opened the Atlanta YWCA cafeteria, the first desegregated public dining facility in Atlanta. 1992 The acquittal of four white Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King, a black man accused of a crime, resulted in riots and racial tensions throughout the nation. In response to the incident, the YWCA adopted The National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism held each year on April 30th.