YWCA Central Virginia
Eliminating Racism Empowering Women
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
YWCA of Central Virginia is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We do that in the Central Virginia community by seeking out gaps in our safety-net and working to impact them through direct programming, collaborative efforts, collective impact, or by being a convening table for thought leaders together and make determinations as to how to proceed to serve our neighbors, friends, and family.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Domestic Violence Prevention Program
The mission of YWCA of Central Virginia's Domestic Violence Prevention Program (DVPP) is to provide support for domestic violence victims and work toward the reduction and elimination of family violence. The program provides emergency housing and food for women and children escaping family and domestic violence. Other services provided by DVPP include counseling, court advocacy, support groups, legal counseling services, and a 24-hour hotline. Every year, the DVPP serves approximately 2,500 individual women, men and children.
Sexual Assault Response Program
The mission of the YWCA of Central Virginia Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP) is to ensure that survivors of sexual violence are provided the opportunity and means with which to recover from physical and psychological trauma.
Town Center Women's Housing Program
The mission of the YWCA of Central Virginia's Town Center Women's Housing Program is to provide affordable, safe housing and to work towards the reduction and elimination of homelessness. The Town Center Housing Program provides safe, affordable dormitory style rental housing for single women age 18 years or older. All rooms are furnished, and utilities are provided. The Housing program has a community kitchen with food pantry and dormitory style bathrooms.
Where we work
Awards
External reviews

Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
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.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
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.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
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
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
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.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
YWCA Central Virginia
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mrs. Sally Ann Schneider
Sally Ann Schneider
Community Volunteer
Elizabeth P.J. Kent
Virginia Legal Aid
Kaydan Ferguson
Lynchburg Public Schools
Bethanie Mickles
Lynchburg Magistrate's Office, 24th Judicial District
Nina Rezai
Campbell County, Economic Development
Crystal Strange
Horizon Behavioral Health
Elektra Walraven
Entrepreneur
Kisha Young
Centra Medical Group, Neurlogy
LaKrisha Scott
Lynchburg Public Schools
Jenna Collins
Campbell County Sheriff's Department
Samantha Citty
Liberty University
Rachel Rose
BWX Technologies
Jennifer Shuford
BWX Technologies
Natasha Spinner
Horizon Behavioral Health
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/19/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.