A Message From Our Board Chair

Now is an incredible time behind the scenes at the YWCA. Our Board of Directors approved a new strategic plan in the summer of 2018. I’m proud of our team and grateful for the hard work by all involved to bring this to fruition. I know it has our organization headed in the right direction. It will guide the organization as we put in place and improve the necessary fundamental items to help our organization grow and continue to fill its vital need in our community. I’m inspired to be a part of this organization as we prepare for the future. We are rebuilding and positioning ourselves so that the community continues to need the YWCA. We are challenging ourselves as a board to review the status quo and see what we can do better to help strategically guide this organization. Our board has met this challenge head on and has provided insightful and thoughtful feedback. These ladies are growing with the organization. Our staff has also equally taken on this challenge. We are balancing and redefining our roles. It’s making us a stronger organization. Seeing these groups collaborate and work with our community is inspiring.

So where are we headed this year and beyond? Upward. My goal is simply this: to lead our board as we continue to implement the strategic plan. It’s imperative that we are action-oriented with the facets of our strategic plan guiding our direction. We as a board hold ourselves accountable to this, as does the executive team within the organization. Both critical leadership teams are operating together and creating work plans to help us achieve the various elements outlined in the strategic plan. Some exciting changes are on the horizon. We are fired-up. I’m passionate and energized. I hope it spreads to each of you and you stay tuned in to see what we have in store for our organization.

Thank you all to our dedicated staff, board, supporters, and champions, for everything you do to help us bring our mission to life. You contribute to the success of our organization and allow us to fill the vital needs in our community that we serve.

28th Annual Women’s Hall of Fame

On November 9, 2018, we hosted our 28th annual Women’s Hall of Fame that honored five exceptional women and one female high school student; Mandy Altimus Stahl, Jennifer Fox, Judi Krew, Michelle Mullaly, Kristen Moore and Sadie Owens. The event, chaired by Hattie Newman and Jamey Petit, celebrates these women of achievement and promotes public awareness of the YWCA mission to eliminate racism, stand up for social justice, help families and strengthen communities. Since 1990, the YWCA Canton is proud to have honored 180 of Stark County’s women of achievement.

2018 Women’s Hall of Fame Sponsors

Our Numbers

EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTERS

18,355 nights of service

Main Shelter: 299 adults and 60 children

Family Shelter: 27 adults and 40 children

NEW BEGINNINGS

32 households with 41 adults and 9 children

GATEWAY PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

Gateway I- 44 individuals

Gateway II- 60 individuals

STARR RAPID RE-HOUSING

STARR- 57 individuals– 47 households served

STARR II- 193 individuals– 61 households served

YWCA Canton Housing Services

YWCA Emergency Shelter program provides up to 90 days of housing for the homeless in our area. With 38 rooms on our third floor and a five-unit apartment building across the street from our main facility, we are able to house all family components except single males.

Permanent Supportive Housing provide housing for the hard-to-house homeless. The goal of the housing is to assist homeless individuals in maintaining permanent housing and financial stability in an independent living arrangement. Gateway I has 40 apartments, in which 36 are permanent supportive apartments. Gateway II has 40 permanent supportive apartments. New Beginnings Housing has 40 apartments.

Stark Area Rapid Re-Housing provides needs assessments housing search assistance and communication with potential landlords, financial assistance for housing deposit, rent (short term only), utility deposits, limited assistance with utility arrears, support services including budgeting, application for mainstream assistance, and understanding rental responsibilities including lease compliance.

Additional Services

Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) marked a fourth year of being designated a Step Up To Quality five star rated center. Our center provides quality care and education services to children from ages six weeks to 11 years. In 2018, 133 children and 101 families benefitted from our programming. ECLC actively participates in the Early Head Start partnership and Canton City Preschool expansion.

Early Head Start– In March 2015, the YWCA Canton was awarded a five year, renewable $1.9 million, Early Head Start Child Care Partnership grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. The grant provides for year-round comprehensive child development and family support services for 140 Stark County children who range from six weeks to three years and live in low-income households through 5 center-based and 2 family child care program partnerships at locations throughout Stark County. Our program has continued to experience growth. Data shows that the children enrolled in the YWCA Early Head Start programming are meeting or exceeding widely held developmental expectations in areas that will ensure positive outcomes for children and builds a foundation to ensure school readiness.

www.ywcaearlyheadstart.com | facebook.com/earlyheadstartywca

THRIVE

Through a partnership with the THRIVE Project, the YWCA Canton has a Community Health Worker on-site. THRIVE, Toward Health Resiliency for Infant Vitality & Equity, is supporting healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. The goal of the program is to reduce infant mortality and ensure babies make it to their first birthday. The Community Health Worker in the THRIVE Project is an integral member of an outreach team. This program allows for us to connect clients to prenatal care and insurance, assist in navigation of resources, and support clients by addressing their overall health and social needs under the supervision of an integrated team – operating within a social service agency, hospital, or HUB partnering organization.

YWCA Canton 2018 Audited Financial Statements

Download the 2018 Annual Report