Submitted by the YWCA of Olympia:
2014 marks not only a new year but a new chapter in the history of the YWCA of Olympia. Our association welcomes a new Executive Director, a new Girls Advancement Director and several new Board members. While change is alarming to some, we see it as an opportunity to refine our goals and recommit to our long term strategic plan.
Here’s what we hope to accomplish:
• Our YWCA will become a model organization for women-focused, family-friendly policies and practices, offering creative solutions that even small organizations and businesses with limited resources can implement
• Our YWCA is the premiere girl empowerment organization in Thurston County and we’ll continue to grow our camp and after school programs until all girls have the opportunity to benefit from them
• Our YWCA will provide economic empowerment opportunities for women so that they will be better positioned to get a job, maintain a job, and experience economic stability
• Our YWCA is embarking on a year-long internal process that entails education and training in the areas of race, racism and racial justice. This will lay the foundation for future community-based work focused on our mission of eliminating racism
• Our YWCA will begin exploring ways that we can incorporate advocacy into our work recognizing that systemic change comes about through direct service and public policy
These are exciting times for our YWCA, and when I use the word “our,” that includes YOU. Our YWCA is a community resource for everyone. We are an association of women, helping women. There are plenty of opportunities for those that are seeking social services, those seeking to serve and those seeking to connect. Join us, and help create the kind of YWCA we all want for our community.
I look forward to seeing you at the Kearney House!
Hillary Soens, Executive Director
