Dear Friends,

As we embark on a new year, we at YWCA Evanston/North Shore are excited to double down on our mission to empower women and eliminate racism. We know this mission is bold, but it’s also urgent and vital to the thousands of families we serve. 

In 2019, we are rolling up our sleeves and deepening our commitment to tackling the complex, intersecting issues of violence, economic insecurity, and discrimination that marginalize so many in our local communities. 

While we know the issues we confront are challenging, your support enables us to move forward with courage, perseverance, and optimism. (Read the excellent blog by Tiffany McDowell, our Equity Institute Director, on Finding Courage on Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday). With your help, we know we can continue to make concrete differences in the lives of others – and improve the health, safety, autonomy and dignity of all people. 

Thank you for your year-end gifts and your ongoing commitment to our mission.

Karen Singer
President/CEO
“Savings for Success” helps families save for the future
YWCA Evanston/North Shore worked with the Evanston Community Foundation to launch “Savings for Success,” which helps families save for their children’s education. “We learned a lot as a family about how to manage our money,” said one participant. Read more here.

Right: Participants and coaches in the "Savings for Success" program pose for a photo.
Introducing YWCulinary
In an effort to further our goal of women’s economic advancement, YWCA Evanston/North Shore is starting a culinary program in March. The goal is to provide training and education that will prepare low- and moderate-income women for success in the food service industry.

If you're interested in becoming more marketable in the food service industry (or own a restaurant and are looking for qualified staff), please contact us. We'd love to hear from you.

Read more here.
25th annual Flying Fish swim marathon is underway!
Could you swim for an hour straight? Hundreds of youth on the Flying Fish swim team do, and in the process raise money to support all of YWCA's programs and services.

The Flying Fish swim marathon, which marks its 25th anniversary this year, has a lofty goal for this milestone year: raising $100,000 to support programming at YWCA Evanston/North Shore. Would you like to sponsor a swimmer? Or swim for an hour yourself? Learn more about the marathon (now - January 31) and how to participate or donate here.
Our resale shop has a new name and new look
Our Wilmette resale boutique for women, YWCA Shop for Good (formerly Encore & More) has been closed for much of the last two weeks for renovations, but it has now reopened with a fresh new look! If you're in the area, please come by and see us and get a jump on shopping for a new spring look (or save on discounted fall/winter merchandise). And if you're cleaning out your closets, consider donating your gently used women's clothing to us! All proceeds help support our domestic violence and women's economic advancement programs. YWCA Shop for Good, 1107 Central Avenue in Wilmette, is open for shopping and donations:

  • Tuesday-Thursday: noon to 5:00 pm (closed this Wednesday, Jan. 30, due to extreme cold)
  • Friday-Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Closed Sundays and Mondays
International Women's Day Commemoration
International Women's Day is Friday, March 8. Please join us Thursday evening, March 7, for a screening of the acclaimed documentary:

On Her Shoulders
Directed by Alexandria Bombach

March 7
Wilmette Theater 
Pre-reception at YWCA Shop for Good

Watch the trailer here.

Please save the date! More details to come soon.
Save Thursday, April 11 for our 2019 Equity Summit!
Our 4th annual Equity Summit (formerly the Racial Justice Summit) will offer an opportunity to gather our collective resources in one place for a one-day summit open to the public. The goal is to bring people – of all ages and demographics – together to deepen their understanding of their own racial identities, develop skills to work for change, formulate action plans, and engage with others.

We are excited to announce the Equity Summit’s keynote speaker, Dr. Gail C. Christopher and this year’s theme: “The way forward: through healing to transformation.”

The Equity Summit will take place:

Wednesday, April 10
5:30-7:30 pm
Hardin Hall, Northwestern University

Thursday, April 11
8:00 am-3:30 pm
Beth Emet Synagogue, Evanston

Registration is expected to open in early February. Please save the date!
We're thrilled to welcome Leslie and Rachel!
Leslie Paluch has joined YWCA in the role of policy and advocacy manager. She will develop and oversee policy work that advances YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women. Learn more about Leslie's background here.

Read our Policy Platform.
Rachel Sax has been named impact measurement manager . In this newly created position, she will analyze data to assess the impact of YWCA programming and create in-depth understanding of how the organization can expand on its mission to eliminate racism and empower women. Continue reading here.
Affordable Housing 101
YWCA Evanston/North Shore is a member of the group "Joining Forces for Affordable Housing," and affordable housing is one of our policy priorities.

  • Are you spending too much of your income on housing? 
  • Are you concerned about what more affordable housing might mean for your neighborhood? 
  • Do you believe that the lack of affordable housing is causing people to leave our community? 

Come learn about the causes of the housing crisis and what you can do to advocate for change.

Register for one of the eight sessions here.

Hosted by Connections for the Homeless and Joining Forces for Affordable Housing.
Happy 2019! This new year, make your giving easier. Become a Monthly Donor!  
You can make a difference all year long by giving monthly to YWCA. Just click “recurring gift” on the donation form.  

For just $10 a month, you’ll make a big difference in someone’s life. Your gift helps provide:
  • emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors
  • financial education workshops for low-income women
  • racial equity training for individuals and organizations 
  • financial assistance that gives more children access to life-saving swim lessons  

So don’t wait! Become a Monthly Donor today. You’ll make your giving easier, and make someone’s life better.  
We love our Corporate Partners!
YWCA Evanston/North Shore | Phone 847-864-8445 | ywca@ywca-ens.org | www.ywca-ens.org