$20.0M in expenses

Unleashing youth and family potential: head start and early head startearly head start and head start programs are the backbone of a strong childcare ecosystem, ensuring children are ready for school and supporting parents at work or in their businesses. YWCA metro chicago is a key leader in this effort, partnering with 19 community-based childcare providers to enroll 621 early learners (458 in head start and 163 in early head start), transforming the life trajectory of the next generation.our goals include:closing the enrollment gap: we strive to close the gap in access and enrollment in lake and dupage counties through coordinated, comprehensive services. Our partnerships with local centers and family childcare providers aim to meet the needs of families in accessible childcare programs.reaching child development goals: we ensure children meet or exceed developmental goals, including imagination, emotions, curiosity, and initiative.connecting children to health care: we strengthen the coordination of health care services and resources to ensure children and their families receive high-quality health, oral health, nutrition, and mental health services that support children's health and school readiness.ensuring quality education: we ensure childcare providers adhere to best practices regarding compliance, safety, and overall development environments for young people.increasing family engagement and wellbeing: we focus on culturally and linguistically responsive relationship-building with key family members in a child's life, including pregnant women, expectant families, mothers, fathers, grandparents, and other adult caregivers. We honor and support parent-child relationships that are central to a child's healthy development, school readiness, and wellbeing. We also offer holistic and wrap-around support to parents and caretakers, including food assistance, mental or physical healthcare, transportation assistance, workforce training, or referrals to other agencies to address immediate needs.unleashing youth and family potential: child and adult food programsthe child and adult care food program (cacfp), also known as the "tummy nutrition program," at YWCA metropolitan chicago provides essential nutrition education to support teachers, parents, and children in making healthier food choices. Through culturally sensitive and accessible group and individual training sessions, tummy promotes a comprehensive approach to wellness, focusing on meal planning, purchasing, and food preparation, while addressing obesity prevention.the YWCA reimburses childcare providers for nutritious meals served to low- and middle-income children, supplementing the income of these small business owners. In 2024, the program enrolled 2,109 children through 219 providers, delivering nearly 1.3 million nutritious meals and snacks over the past year.YWCA staff visit child care centers and home-based providers to offer training in cooking and nutrition skills, ensuring healthy meals for children. In 2024, nearly 550 center visits were conducted. Healthy eating is crucial for children's health, growth, and development, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancers.post-covid-19, YWCA staff and partners observed an increase in bmis among head start-enrolled children. In april 2023, 35% of these children were identified as overweight or obese, highlighting the importance of providing healthy snacks and meals at child care centers, which may be the only nutritious meals some children receive.

$7.8M in expenses

Advancing safety, healing and belonging sexual violence support services driving the YWCA's advancing healing, safety, and belonging strategy, the sexual violence and support services program (SVSS) at YWCA metropolitan chicago is illinois' largest provider of sexual violence services. As a community first responder, SVSS offers culturally relevant and trauma-informed services to survivors aged 3 to adult and their caregivers. The primary goals are to promote victim safety, reduce trauma, support healing and recovery, and enhance community awareness to shift social norms that prevent sexual violence. In fy24, advocates working 24/7 responded to 617 victims at 10 partner hospitals and assisted 295 individuals with civil and criminal justice procedures. Therapists provided trauma-focused counseling to 259 survivors, and educators delivered 3,669 school and community-based presentations. Overall, the SVSS program provided nearly 9,000 hours of counseling, case management, and advocacy services to 1,057 survivors and their families. Additionally, the rape crisis hotline received over 1,000 contacts, and community engagement efforts reached 184,000 people. YWCA sexual violence and support services are available in english and spanish, both in-person and virtually, primarily serving chicago, dupage county, and south cook county. Among clients, 88% identify as female, 44% as african american, 31% as latino, 17% as white, and 42% are aged 18 and under.

$3.8M in expenses

Driving economic equityywca metropolitan chicago empowers people, especially women of color, with job skills training, financial sustainability, and asset acquisition to help close the racial wealth gap. We offer workforce development, housing access and sustainability, and small business development services, primarily targeting chicago's south and west sides. Our clients are predominantly people of color, most of whom live at or below the poverty level.since 2008, YWCA metropolitan chicago has provided comprehensive economic empowerment services, including workforce development. Our workforce development services enhance access to employment in high-demand sectors like transportation, distribution and logistics, construction, energy utilities, and information technology. We incorporate financial education, digital skills, and career readiness training.leveraging our strong presence in chicago's south and west side communities, we target these underserved areas for employment services. Our trauma-informed, client-centered, and strengths-based approach ensures participants receive full support. We offer wrap-around services such as childcare, clothing, transportation, and financial inclusion education. Participants also have access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with licensed YWCA therapists to address mental health and trauma.our housing access and sustainability services assist individuals and families with pre-purchase workshops, individual coaching, financial planning, credit review, debt reduction planning, mortgage qualification, and home ownership education.as the largest designated small business development center on chicago's southside, we help entrepreneurs to conceptualize, launch, sustain, and grow their businesses. Our services include workshops, one-on-one business advising, technical assistance, and support in obtaining essential business elements like a website, ein, business structure, business bank account, and business plan. We also assist with establishing business credit, preparing investor pitches, and accessing business financing.YWCA metropolitan chicago's breedlove entrepreneurship center supports the growth and development of small businesses, especially black- and women-owned enterprises, from ideation to revenues of $1,000,000. Named after madam c.j. Walker (sarah breedlove), the center provides entrepreneurs with advising, technical assistance, incubator cohorts, and tailored support for mid- to late-stage enterprises.