Improving Lives of Women and their Families for 120 Years!
YWCA was formed in St. Louis in 1904 to provide safe housing for women traveling to work at the World's Fair.
Today, we provide a variety of crucial services for women and their families: crisis intervention and housing for victims of sexual and domestic violence, Head Start and Early Head Start education and services that support families, and programs that promote career readiness and economic stability as a strategy to end racial and social injustice.
Additionally, we are the only agency that provides holistic, wraparound services that sustain clients while they are in in our programs - rent/utility assistance, transportation, childcare, food and housing. Once they've successfully moved through our programs, we see stable families, healthy children and thriving communities.
On behalf of the 10,000+ women and families we serve annually, thank you for your support!
Note: All figures from 2022 Audited Annual Report
Women's Crisis Services
Safety is the primary focus in which YWCA’s services are rooted. We have specially-trained therapists who treat the trauma of sexual assault, domestic violence, and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that often accompanies it. We are available to the women who need us at our Drop-In Center, and through our 24/7 Crisis Help Line. In 2022, 7,435 women received sexual/domestic violence and other crisis intervention services. 90% of crisis intervention clients reported gaining healthy coping and stress management skills, and 100% of clients gained knowledge about safe and healthy relationships. For more information, visit here.
Rapid Re-Housing
120 years after we were founded to provide safe housing, our Rapid Re-Housing program shelters women and their children who are fleeing or homeless due to domestic/sexual violence, human trafficking, or stalking. In 2022, 116 women and 119 school age children were placed in safe housing. 100% of clients had their immediate basic needs met, including safe shelter, food, clothes, and more. For more information, visit here.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start (children ages 6 months to 5 years) provide high-quality education, childcare, and family support services to income-eligible families. As the largest Head Start grantee in the State of Missouri, YWCA’s Early Education mission is to equip children with the building blocks for lifetime success. In 2022, 1,979 clients were served, with over 89% either meeting or exceeding goals in social-emotional, gross motor, language, cognition, literacy and math skills. For more information, visit here.
Economic Empowerment/CREED
CREED (Career Readiness, Economic Empowerment & Development) breaks the cycle of poverty, helping women earn certifications or degrees in higher-paying vocations by removing barriers. YWCA helps pay for needs like transportation, childcare, health care, tuition, and more, allowing participants to focus on their studies. In 2022, 651 women were served, and we helped 54 women open bank accounts. 100% of clients enrolled in/completed job training, college, or vocational training. For more information, visit here.
Racial Justice
YWCA uses public discussion groups to educate the community about the history and harm of racism, the intersection of race and gender, and how to heal from the effects of discrimination. In 2022, we provided more than 1,200 hours of service. 96% of clients reported gaining critical thinking and decision-making skills. For more information, visit here.
