The Young Womens Christian Assoc Of Yonkers

YWCA IS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING WOMEN AND PROMOTING PEACE, HEALTH, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL.

YWCA YONKERS HAS A RESIDENT OF 49 SINGLE ROOMS, WHERE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. UPON MOVING INTO THE YWCA, NEW RESIDENTS MEET WITH THEIR CASE MANAGER TO COMPLETE AN INTAKE AND IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. AFTER COMPLETING AN INTAKE, THE CLIENT WORKS WITH THEIR CASE MANAGER TO DESIGN AN INDIVIDUALIZED LIVING PLAN IN WHICH GOALS ARE CREATED AND TRACKED AT LEAST BIWEEKLY. ULTIMATELY, BARRIERS WILL BE ELIMINATED AND THE CLIENT WILL BE ON TRACK TO MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. DURING THEIR STAY AT THE YWCA OF YONKERS, CLIENTS HAVE ACCESS TO WEEKLY IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON TOPICS SUCH AS: LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, WORK READINESS, AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS MATTERS. IN ADDITION TO THESE IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS, THE YWCA COLLABORATES WITH OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR RESIDENTS. ALTHOUGH HOUSING PROGRAMS ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM COVID-19, WE SUCCESSFULLY MOVED TWO CLIENTS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT OR GUIDANCE TO CLIENTS UP TO A YEAR AFTER THEY MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE YWCA YONKERS DROP SERVICE HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN. THE WOMEN'S DROP IN SERVES UP TO 50 HOMELESS WOMEN A NIGHT AND THE MEN'S DROP IN SERVES UP TO 60 HOMELESS MEN A NIGHT. HOWEVER, THE YWCA ALSO OPERATES A SITE FOR AN OVERFLOW OF MEN CLIENTS, WERE WE BE SERVICED UP TO 10 CLIENTS PER NIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE DROP-IN WE PROVIDE A DAY PROGRAM IN ORDER TO ENSURE CLIENTS MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND HOUSING SEARCH NEEDS ARE MET. THE YWCA DROP-IN PLACED 35 CLIENTS IN TO PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE YEAR OF 2022. OUR CLIENTS ARE PROVIDED WITH A HEALTHY BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER AND A SNACK ON A DAILY BASIS. WE HAVE TWO ON SITE CASE MANAGERS WHOM PROVIDE THE CLIENT WITH SUPPORT IN HOUSING SEARCH, MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, JOB SEARCH, AND ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS. YWCA ALSO WORKS WITH A CONTINUUM OF CARE TO ENSURE PERMANENT HUD HOUSING PLACEMENT IS MADE. TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED TO OUR CLIENTS IF NEEDED TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS. THE SHELTER SERVICES ALSO UTILIZES MY SISTERS CLOSET FOR THE WOMEN CLIENTS THAT ARE IN NEED OF WORK AND CASUAL ATTIRE.

YWCA OPERATES A DAYCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL CARE PROGRAM FOR THE BENEFIT OF WORKING MOTHERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. YWCA PROVIDES SERVICES TO 55 CHILDREN IN OUR DAY CARE AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. YWCA DAYCARE PROGRAM SEEKS TO LAY A FIRM FOUNDATION TO HELP CHILDREN REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. THE PROGRAM OFFERS FULL-SCALE SERVICES THAT INCLUDE AN ANTI-BIAS CURRICULUM, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THREE DAILY MEALS PREPARED ON SITE AND OUTDOOR AND INDOOR ACTIVITIES. THE PROGRAM OPERATES ALL YEAR ROUND AND IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 7:30AM TO 6:00PM. YWCA INCORPORATED BABY STEPS FORWARD PROGRAM INTO THEIR PROGRAM WHICH IS AN EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM WHICH CONSISTED OF 9 TODDLERS AND 8 INFANTS.

THE YWCA YONKERS G.V.P. JOB READINESS PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO SERVING THE YOUTH AGES 18 - 24 YEARS OLD. THE YEAR OF 2022 THE PROGRAM HAS ENROLLED 231 YOUTH. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED THE YOUTH WITH SOFT AND HARD SKILL TRAINING. IN THE FEW WEEKS THE YOUTH FOCUSED ON MANY THINGS, SUCH AS SELF-WORTH, IDENTIFYING ONE'S BARRIERS, ONE'S PURPOSE/PASSION, WAYS OF SELF-SABOTAGE, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, ANGER MANAGEMENT AND TIME MANAGEMENT. IN ADDITION THE YOUTH WORKED ON INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND HOW TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS. THE YOUTH APPLIED FOR JOBS ONLINE AND ATTENDED JOB FAIRS. WE HAD 174 YOUTH PARTICIPATE IN VOCATIONAL TRAININGS SUCH AS SECURITY, OSHA, HHA AND HVAC WHERE THEY RECEIVED CERTIFICATIONS THAT POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS SEEK. SOME YOUTH WERE PLACED AT THE YWCA TO DO WORK EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THE SKILLS LEARNED DURING SOFT SKILL TRAINING. THE JOB READINESS PROGRAM HAS PLACED A TOTAL OF 149 YOUTH INTO EMPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM GAVE THE YWCA AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A BOND AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THE YWCA OF YONKERS FOOD PANTRY IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT DISTRIBUTES FOOD FREE OF CHARGE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE SERVED OVER 7,000 DUPLICATED PARTICIPANTS. OUR FOOD PANTRY PROVIDES A NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED SUPPLY OF FOOD TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 1:00PM TO 3:00PM. OUR CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH FEEDING WESTCHESTER HAS ALSO ALLOWED US TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL BAG OF FRESH PRODUCE THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH THROUGH THE GREEN THUMB PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED FOOD PANTRY, WE PROVIDE EMERGENCY PANTRY BAGS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS NEEDED. IN 2022, WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE OVER 130,000LBS OF FOOD TO OUR COMMUNITY. MY SISTERS CLOSET IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES NEW AND GENTLY USED BUSINESS ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES AT NO COST TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY. THE YWCA YONKERS CLOTHING CLOSET'S MISSION IS TO HELP ENSURE THAT WOMEN FEEL EMPOWERED AND CONFIDENT WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF NOT HAVING PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE FOR EMPLOYMENT.

THE PEARLS PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM DEDICATED TO SERVING GIRLS AGES 10-18 YEARS OLD. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2022 THE PEARLS PARTICIPATED IN MANY ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND OF COURSE FOCUSED ON ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IN 2022 WE INTRODUCED CULINARY CLASSES TO THE PEARLS. UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF CHEF TONY MOON THE PEARLS WERE ABLE TO LEARN BASIC SKILLS AND AN INTRODUCTION TO PREPARING HEALTHY MEALS. THE PEARLS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES THAT HELPED THEM STAY HEALTHY, ASSIST WITH FOCUS TECHNIQUES AND ALIGN THEIR BODY TO POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. THEY WERE ABLE TO LEARN THESE SKILLS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF KRISTIN MERCADO OF VOW TO BOW AND YASIN HASSAN OF GIANT THINKING INC. THE PEARLS PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES WHERE THEY VOLUNTEERED AND GAVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THEY PARTICIPATED IN FOR VOLUNTEERING WERE ASSISTING WITH THE FOOD PANTRY, CHILD CARE READING TO THE CHILDREN, PITCHING IN PARKS WITH ANDREA STEWART COUSINS, ASSISTING WITH SERVING THE COMMUNITY DURING OUR THANKSGIVING DINNER AND WRAPPING AND HANDING OUT GIFTS TO THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY. AS EDUCATION IS THE KEY FOCUS OF THE PEARLS OUR GIRLS HAVE RECEIVED HONOR ROLL, HIGH HONOR ROLL AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOR THEIR GRADES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. EDUCATION IS INSTILLED IN THE PEARLS AS A PATH TO AN AMAZING FUTURE AND THEIR GRADES SHOW IT. THE YWCA SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAM PROVIDES A STRESS FREE ENVIRONMENT TO SENIORS AGES 60 YEARS AND OLDER. AT THIS TIME WE SERVE OVER 20 SENIORS. OUR SENIORS ARE PROVIDED WITH A HEALTHY LUNCH AND SNACK DAILY. WE SERVE AS A VITAL RESOURCE CENTER HELPING SENIORS NAVIGATE AND AVOID CONFUSING NETWORKS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THEM. WE HAVE ASSISTED SEVERAL SENIORS WITH HOUSING SEARCH AND BENEFIT APPLICATIONS AND RECERTIFICATION'S. OUR SENIORS ARE PROVIDED WITH REFERRALS FOR AVAILABLE COMMUNITY SERVICES ALONG WITH THE SERVICES PROVIDED ON SITE. WE OFFER A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE SENIORS TO INDULGE IN DAILY SUCH AS, EXERCISE, BINGO, MOVIES, ARTS AND CRAFTS, MUSIC, AND TECHNOLOGY TIME. WE PROVIDE THE SENIORS WITH THE OPTION TO INTERACT WITH THEIR PEERS AND FEEL SAFE IN AN ENVIRONMENT AWAY FROM HOME. THE SENIORS HAVE ENJOYED SEVERAL TRIPS SUCH AS COMMUNITY CENTERS, THEATERS, RESTAURANTS, AND PARKS. THE SENIORS ENJOY READING, WATCHING TELEVISION, AND INTERACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE YWCAS OBJECTIVE FOR THE SENIORS PROGRAM IS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY AND FULFILLING LIFESTYLES WHILE PROVIDING SUPPORT AND COMPANIONSHIP. DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC THE YWCA OFFERED A DOOR DASH SERVICE, TO DELIVER MEALS TO SENIORS WHO WERE ISOLATED. THIS SERVICE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT A WELLNESS CHECK ON OUR SENIORS AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVED A NUTRITIONIST MEAL.