it's time

The YWCA's current building resulted from a group of visionary board members who launched the YWCA Pierce County's first capital campaign back in 1927.

We have not had a campaign since. It's time to improve!

The current building was not meant to be a shelter. Built for single, traveling women, dormitory rooms that housed one woman more than 80 years ago have housed entire families since 1976 when the YWCA became the first domestic violence shelter in the state, and today remains the largest in Pierce County.

it's too small

• The YWCA currently houses up to 50 women and children under cramped conditions
• 50 people share two floors, two kitchens, and two bathrooms
• The rooms are tiny: 97 square feet on average (smaller than standard homes' bedrooms)

The current space is too small. It's time to grow.

it's inadequate

In spite of offering safety to the families served through the shelter, the current YWCA facility is inadequate, and the lack of privacy counteracts healing

• The building's plumbing has failed three times in three years
• The electric wiring system is ancient: Upgrades are cost prohibitive

The building is tired, and was never designed to house families.

is more room needed?

Without question. In the YWCA's current shelter, women and children receive safety, but they need so much more. They need to thrive, not just survive.

Studies show crowded living conditions cause*:

• Reduced graduation rates for youth
• Delays in children's cognitive development, particularly ages 1-5
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased feelings of hopelessness
• Impaired parent-child relationships
• Increased psychological distress (*Center for Housing Policy Study, July 2007)

The bottom line: Families cannot live their best lives as families in the YWCA's crowded, inadequate existing building.