YWCA of Richmond
The YWCA supports Richmond/Southside women and their families. They manage the area's largest crisis center for raped and battered women by providing two confidential shelters, two 24-hour hotlines, and by offering individual and support group counseling and public education programs. They offer licensed, affordable and structured after-school childcare; we are greater Richmond's only free daycare center for children from homeless families.
Programs Supported by the Community Action Fund:
The Child Development Center provides affordable, year-round pre-school services for children between 2 1⁄2 and 5 years of age. Teachers use the Creative Curriculum, supplemented by the Early First Read Curriculum, to create a stimulating, literacy-rich environment where self-mastery and discovery are nurtured. The Center’s philosophy is that all children deserve a high quality preschool education. The majority of enrolled children are at-risk because of poverty or homelessness. Parents pay fees based on a sliding scale.
The sexual assault crisis center offers free comprehensive crisis services for victims of sexual assault (over the age of 12) and their families. The YWCA’s Sexual Assault program is the only certified sexual assault program serving the Greater Richmond Area. The program provides individual and group counseling, access to a 24-hour hotline, 24-hour hospital accompaniment, court accompaniment, emergency shelter, and referrals to other services. It also serves as a catalyst in the community by bringing together diverse entities such as representatives from the law enforcement, legal, medical, education, civic, and business communities, to develop collaborative partnerships to end sexual assault.
The Domestic Violence Shelter programs at Richmond and Chesterfield YMCA provides a comprehensive array of services to over 2,500 victims each year. The program empowers women and their families by first providing safety and then providing the tools needed to maintain that safety and increase self-sufficiency. The program provides the following services: emergency shelter for domestic violence victims and their children, a 24-hour hotline, individual counseling and case management, adult and children’s support groups, educational groups, transportation, court accompaniment, and referrals to additional services.
