Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
More than 6,300 people moved closer to their goals and improved their quality of life at the YWCA St. Paul in 2014 - more than 2,200 adults and children participated in our social service & outreach programs & over 4,000 women, men and children pursued a healthy life style through health and wellness services. Working relationships with other service providers, government agencies and businesses (historically 250+) created a network of information, resources and referral sources that supported us in virtually every aspect of operation. Organizational impact in 2014 includes:
• Community-Driven Initiative for Hard to Reach Youth. Working with the Mayor of St. Paul, St. Paul Police and Parks & Recreation Departments as well as other youth service providers, YWCA helped build and launch the multi-faceted St. Paul Youth Intervention Initiative (SPYII). SPYII partners work to promote a safer, stronger St. Paul - a city with a healthy economy, low rates of juvenile crime, and where at-risk youth have access to services that set a positive path in life. SPYII uses a coordinated street outreach approach to redirecting at-risk youth from crime using culturally specific youth workers that engage and guide youth to services in the community.
• Fighting Homeless One Family at a Time. 236 families moved closer to independent living, self-sufficiency and a brighter future through YWCA housing programs. More than simply providing a safe place to live, our programs and services empower families to navigate crisis, stabilize their lives, build skills, decrease their dependency on emergency services and work to keep their families united and children safe. The 736 women, men and children, all of whom were homeless or near homeless, were from households with low incomes and were predominately people of color.
• Empowering At-Risk Youth to Reach Their Full Potential. 259 youth were safe and supported as they worked to overcome challenges, build new skills, gain experiences and develop habits and attitudes to help them succeed in the classroom, workplace and community. Participants were predominately of youth of color from low-income families. An additional 370+ youth were served through YWCA programming held at schools and community-sites.
• Building Skills for Achievement & Self-Sufficiency. 894 hard to employ people acquired skills and worked to overcome barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. YWCA employment and economic development programs help people to experience success and provide ongoing case management, training and support as they strive to gain new credentials, maintain employment or move from welfare to work.
• Putting Better Health Within Reach. 4,200 members and class participants worked to improve their physical and emotional well-being. YWCA blended its expertise in health and wellness with its service commitment to at-risk populations through Youth in Motion, SilverSneakers® and related initiatives. In our health & fitness center’s welcoming and inclusive setting, people of all ages are empowered to live an active lifestyle, prevent and manage chronic medical conditions, reduce stress and grow strong in both body and mind.
Current Goals
Service to the people of our community — the hallmark of the YWCA St. Paul — continue to drive our efforts in 2015. As called for in our Strategic Plan 2010 – 2015, we will continue to use a holistic, collaborative approach to work to improve the outcomes of women, men, children/youth through program approaches that meet community needs and enhance community assets to include helping low to moderate income residents overcome barriers to employment; enhancing lives through programs that provide quality, accessible education, health and human services; expanding housing opportunities for more families; and providing opportunities for youth to develop their academic, job and life skills. YWCA will work to increase its financial resource base and be more widely recognized as a human service agency that makes a measurable impact on the community’s most pressing human service problems. Goals include:
• Maintain agency culture that enables staff to deliver best possible programs & services
• Effectively manage the long-term financial stability of the YWCA St. Paul
• Develop and execute an integrated marketing plan
• Invest in facilities and infrastructure that support and enhance YWCA programs
• Maintain the board’s commitment to excellence and effectiveness
Community or Constituency Served
YWCA St. Paul changes Minds, Bodies and Lives. With its century old message of unity and hope, the YWCA St. Paul works across the differences of age, gender, race and economic level to help people experience positive change in their lives and develop to their fullest potential.
Geographic Area Served
Coordinating with a broad east metro referral network, YWCA St. Paul anchors the Summit University community and reaches out to its neighbors in Greater Saint Paul and Ramsey County.
