2015 Annual Report

em•pow•er
/əmˈpou(ə)r/
verb
make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.
i.e. “movements to empower the poor”
synonyms: emancipate, unshackle, set free, liberate
Warren
2015
Impact Report
Continuing to Evolve, Continuing to Empower
One of our assets at YWCA Warren is our adaptability. When we find
that the needs of the women and girls we are serving are evolving,
we evolve along with them. 2015 is a great example of how we find so
many different ways to live out our mission of empowering women.
We celebrated the first anniversary of the opening of our permanent
supportive housing, the WINGS. In the short time that our housing has
been open, we have already seen women and their families gaining
strength and branching out, like Ashley*, who after only a year with us
is now living independently with her three children.
We initiated a new program to raise the next generation of young
women in leadership. When we were recruiting high school mentors for
our mentoring program, we ran into a challenge: girls were telling us,
“I don’t see myself as a leader.” With that in mind, we decided to focus
on empowering young women to become the leaders our community
needs.
We continued our hallmark child care programming that helps working
parents juggle hectic schedules. As child care costs skyrocket to
nearly one-third of a family’s income in Ohio, we know that affordable
childcare is more important now than ever.
We advocated for programs that empower women and families to
lead better lives, we raised our collective voice to speak out against
injustice, and we stood against racism.
We have many ways of accomplishing our mission, but at the end of
the day, it’s all about empowering women and eliminating racism.
Thank you for your belief in our work and our purpose.
With gratitude,
Kenya A. Roberts-Howard
Executive Director
*Name has been changed to protect privacy
Economic
Empowerment
The WINGS at YWCA Warren
The WINGS at YWCA Warren provides
permanent supportive housing
for women and their children who
are leaving behind homelessness,
domestic violence, and/or who have
a disability.
Andrea
FINDING A FRESH START
Andrea is a single mom who came
to the WINGS with her son. After
her ex-husband left, Andrea was
alone caring for Blake, who has
special needs. She ended up in
financial trouble and in need of a
place to live.
“I’ve been on my own since I was
18 and had Blake. Living here
has helped me make connections
and make friends. I became close
friends with another woman
living here, and now our kids are
inseperable. The WINGS gave me a
roof over my head, and gave me my
second family.”
In 2015, we partnered with
Coleman Professional Services
and Beatitude House to connect
our 12 residents and their children
to mental health care, financial
mangement assistance, education
and employment opportunities, and
any programs or services that meet
their specific, individual needs.
Permanent supportive housing is a
step up from transitional housing,
and is geared toward individuals
who need additional support
in their daily lives. Some of our
residents stay with us long enough
to get back on their feet, and then
they move on. Others will stay
indefinitely.
Empowering Girls
Girls’ Leadership
LaKyra
A LEADER IN THE MAKING
LaKyra came to Girls’ Leadership
as a freshman from Warren G.
Harding High School. She comes
from a family of seven, and
appreciates the opportunities that
she has through Girls’ Leadership
to form strong friendships, and
to be mentored and to mentor
others.
“Through Girls’ Leadership, I’ve
learned to get along with a lot
of girls. Working together has
brought us closer. The funnest part
about Girls’ Leadership is doing
community service and working
with the students in Team Sanders,
Inc. for our Friendship- Mentorship
Project.”
Fall of 2015 saw the start of a new
program focused on developing
strong leadership skills in high
school girls, fostering academic
success, encouraging a spirit of
volunteerism, and promoting
healthy emotional development.
The skills girls gain through our
unique partnership with Girl Scouts
of Northeast Ohio will serve them
well as they apply for college, trade
school, or prepare to enter the
workforce after graduation.
20 girls were served by Girls’
Leadership in 2015.
Girls’ Camp
Girls’ Camp is a 5-week intensive
summer camp for girls in grades 6-8
that focuses on STEAM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts,
and Mathematics) exploration
and provides a variety of cultural
experiences to girls. We also focus
on building girls’ self-esteem and
increasing their circle of social
support as they enter adolescence.
20 girls participated in Girls’ Camp
in 2015.
Youth Enrichment
Before & After School
Emmanuel, Rose
& Sarah
A HELPING HAND
When Emmanuel became a single
parent after Rose and Sarah’s
mother passed away, he wasn’t
sure how he’d juggle his work
schedule with the girls’ school
hours, not to mention where to
turn in the summer. YWCA Before
and After School Childcare has
helped him balance his hectic
schedule, and has helped the girls
grow and become more confident.
“Since I can’t be a female role
model, the teachers have taken on
that role for the girls. I trust them.
They have been there for the girls,
and taught them strong values
and to believe in themselves. I’ve
also seen their grades improve,
and they’re learning to respect
themselves and others.”
Before and After School Enrichment
provides parents of children in
grades K-5 in Warren City Schools
with an affordable option for child
care. Children in the program
receive homework help, collaborate
on creative projects, and focus on
literacy through our participation in
the United Way of Trumbull County
“Reading Great by 8” initiative.
We provided child care to 61
students in the 2014-15 school year.
Camp Discover
Camp Discover is an 11-week
summer enrichment camp for
students in grades K-5. Campers
enjoyed field trips to Wagon Trails
Animal Park and Preston’s Park in
Cleveland, putt-putt golf, swimming
lessons, and participated in
community service projects around
the city. They ended the summer
with a talent show for their families.
Fifty-six campers spent the summer
with us in 2015.
Our child care programs are licensed
by the State of Ohio. We accept
Ohio Department of Jobs and
Family Services vouchers, making
affordable child care a reality for
Warren families.
Eliminating Racism
Stand Against Racism
Stand Against Racism, our annual national campaign to bring
communities together to work for racial justice, gets bigger every
year. In 2015, we welcomed world-renowned classical violinist and
Warren native Jerald Daemyon, who encouraged our students in
our after-school programs to work hard to overcome obstacles they
encounter on the road
to success. He used his
own story of becoming
a professional violinist
as an example of how
it is possibile to break
stereotypes and pursue
passions.
We were also honored
with a proclamation
from City of Warren
Mayor Doug Franklin,
recognizing April 23,
2015 as Stand Against
Racism Day.
Later that day, we held
a public screening of
the film “Hidden Colors:
The Rules of Racism.”
Warren Mayor Doug Franklin (L) presents YWCA
Warren Executive Director Kenya RobertsHoward with a proclamation for Stand Against
Racism Day. Pictured with musician Jerald
Daemyon.
Racial Justice Film Series
We rolled out a new series of events designed to educate the
public and promote conversation about racial justice issues in our
community. The films shown include an award-winning 3-part
documentary on the history of race in America called “Race: The
Power of an Illusion,” and “White Like Me: Race, Racism and White
Privilege in America.” Attendees of the films formed discussion
groups, which were active into the new year.
Advocacy
Don’t Bust the Trust
2015 saw an expansion of our efforts to be more effective advocates
for the people we serve, taking on issues at a systemic level. We
worked with a coalition of other agencies that help the homeless to
successfully fight back against budget cuts to the Ohio Housing Trust
Fund. The Trust Fund makes affordable housing a reality for hundreds
of thousands of Ohioans; our WINGS permanent supportive housing
is funded in part through the Housing Trust Fund.
Capitol Hill Day
Two staff members represented YWCA Warren at YWCA USA’s Capitol
Hill Day in Washington, D.C. in June. We met with United States
Senator Sherrod Brown and staff from Congressman Tim Ryan’s and
United States Senator Rob Portman’s offices to lobby for measures
that would improve access to paid sick days and family medical leave
for workers, close loopholes in gun laws to protect domestic violence
victims, and end racial profiling.
Week Without Violence
Week Without Violence
is an annual campaign of
YWCA USA that pools the
collective efforts of people
in our community to put an
end to violence of any kind,
no matter where it occurs.
2015 marked the twentieth
year of the campaign. We
honored the theme, “End
Domestic Violence Now,” with
a workshop on self-defense.
Children in our programs also
took part in an art show that
centered on making art with
positive messages.
A year to empower and enrich
The grandchildren of our School Age Child Care and Youth Program
Manager, Natalie, display artwork from the Week Without Violence Art
Show.
Thanks to the generosity of several donors, the residents of the WINGS had
plenty of presents under their trees and delicious meals on their tables for
the holidays. Residents of the WINGS benefit greatly from the donation of
household items all year long.
A year to educate and engage
Girls’ Camp worked with Shaye Cahill, a local professional videographer, to
learn how to use a camera, lighting, and sound equipment and make their
own commercial.
Every day was a new adventure for Camp Discover. They spent an entire
week learning about health and fitness. A Summer Youth Worker hired
through a program of the Department of Jobs and Family Services, shows
campers how to use the parachute for exercise.
Finacials
Revenue*
Expense*
* unaudited numbers
YWCA Warren
Staff
YWCA Warren
Board of Trustees
Kenya A. Roberts-Howard
Executive Director
Cheryl McArthur
President
Monica Byrd
Teen Programs Manager
Jennifer Soloman
Vice-President
Tabitha Hackett
Administrative Coordinator
Sister Jean Orsuto
Vice-President
Stanley Shrodek
Director of Maintenance
Traci Miller
Treasurer
Brittainy Stringer
Program Assistant
Laura Vanzo
Secretary
Crystal Tiggett
WINGS Housing Manager
Janice Hardman
Tanay Hill
Mary Monroe *
Michelle Schmader
Linda Spence
Julie Vugrinovich
Deidre Windom
Molly Toth
Advocacy and Special Projects
Coordinator
Natalie Vaughn
School Age Child Care and
Youth Program Manager
Leonel Brown, Rayshaun Miller,
Delwaun Miller
Maintenance Staff
Gardenia Frazier, Roberta Moore,
Bobrea Robinson
Child Care Staff
*resigned
YWCA Warren is dedicated to eliminating racism,
empowering women and promoting peace, justice,
freedom, and dignity for all.
The vision of YWCA Warren is founded on the premise that
if we invest in more women—provide them with hope for
the future and connect them with resources to unleash
their potential, they will in turn invest in their own family’s
education, health, and nutrition—thereby lifting up the
entire community of Warren.
375 North Park Avenue
Warren, OH 44481
P: 330.373.1010
F: 330.393.6483
ywcaofwarren.org
Warren