YWCA Central Virginia

YWCA of Central Virginia is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We accomplish this by providing key unduplicated direct service programs in the areas of victim services (domestic violence, human trafficking, child human trafficking, and sexual assault/violence) and low-income single person housing. Further, we provide key education in the areas of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, racial equality, and social justice to our community for free.

The YWCA of Central Virginia's mission is advanced through major mission impact programs and services including:

-YWCA racial justice and civil rights programs designed to educate our community on the impacts of structural and systemic racism and achieve equity and equality for all.

-YWCA women's and girls' economic advancement programs designed to address financial literacy, job training, skill development, childcare, parenting needs for our clients who are survivors of Domestic Violence and/or Sexual Assault. Further, we work to provide safe and affordable community-style housing for low-income women seeking to live independently despite their income.

-Sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic violence services and gender-based violence prevention programs designed to keep women, girls and families safe.

-Local, State, and National advocacy on issues of national concern to women, girls, and people of color.

YWCA of Central Virginia has existed in our service area for over 100 years to provide assistance to those in need. We are able to do this work due to our:
- Over 100 years of experience serving Central Virginia
- Professional and expert staff
- Long tenure in providing safe and affordable housing (since 1918)
- Trauma-Informed, Person-Centered, and Evidence-Based Domestic Violence programing
- Trauma-informed, Person-Centered, and Evidence-Based Supervised Visitation Center program
- Trauma-INformed, Person-Centered, and Evidence-Based Sexual Assault Response Program
- Connection to local, state, and national networks that enhance our programming with best practices and technical support

YWCA of Central Virginia continues its legacy to provide housing as we have since 1918. We provide the communities only certified 24/7 domestic violence program complete with both an urban and a rural safe house, as well as a 24/7 hotline. Our Supervised Visitation Center is the only program of its kind outside of the Department of Social Services for our service area as well. We also continue to provide the communities only sexual assault response program, complete with a 24/7 hotline and emergency room crisis response.

Ahead - Upgrades and Mission Movement:
YWCA of Central Virginia's Board of Directors has placed a heavy emphasis on our original founding in 1912 to provide safe and affordable housing for women. To that respect, the Board has engaged in critical planning during the 2019-2020 year to upgrade our historic Town Center facility to ensure (1) safe and affordable housing that is ADA compliant and appropriately modernized and (2) a modern hub for the Associations work including our Children's Supervised Visitation Center, our Church Street Bridal Shops, and adequate community space to be a true hub to eliminate racism and empower women. A Capital Campaign in soon to follow to engage in these pursuits.

The Board is also dedicated to moving our mission forward. The association will continue to provide top-notch victim services to those who need it in our community through our unduplicated programs. However, the board is looking to work more on our mission focus to eliminate racism in the coming years through an emphasis on education and other community programming to ensure that we are helping to move the needle towards achieving the goals for racial equity and social justice. Further, the Board wishes to ensure we are empowering all women and will look for opportunities to lift up women who are not only survivors but all women.