ASSOCIATION FAQ
Q: Where is the YWCA in our area located?
A: The Administrative Office of the YWCA is located at 401 Douglas Street, Syracuse, NY 13203. We have several service locations.
Q: Is the YWCA and its local associations for women only?
A: Although YWCAs focus on women’s needs and issues, design programs around those issues, and are managed by women. They include men in staff positions, recognizing the role men play in the elimination of racism and the empowerment of women.
Q: What is the purpose of the YWCA?
A:Women’s Economic Empowerment and Racial Justice are the Hallmark Programs of the YWCA. They carry out our mission. They are what distinguish the YWCA from all other socially conscious organizations.
Q: How many people do we serve?
A: Currently, the YWCA represents approximately 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States and 25 million women worldwide. The YWCA has more than 300 associations throughout the United States. YWCAs can be found in more than 100 other countries.
Q: When was the YWCA founded?
A: London, England was home to the first YWCA, which was established in 1855. The United States soon followed with its first chapter in 1858. The first National Board was constituted in 1906. Our local association was founded in 1892.
Q: Is the YWCA a “social services” agency?
A: Yes, in the sense that the local organizations are major providers of services that meet women’s needs. Depending on local programs, these can include: child care, rape crisis intervention, domestic violence assistance, shelters for domestic violence victims and their families, continuum of care for the homeless, job training, career counseling, entrepreneurial training for teens, and fitness training. Just as important as the programs, however, is that the YWCA creates community among women, develops women’s leadership in a supportive environment, fosters diversity, and brings about real change through advocacy.
Q: Does the YWCA provide health and fitness programs?
A: Although the YWCA of Syracuse & Onondaga does not have fitness programs, some local associations have fitness opportunities as part of their programs to empower women. Each YWCA looks at its own community to determine its particular program needs and all YWCAs develop programs that fit within the Hallmark Programs of Economic Advancement of Women and Racial Justice.