YWCA Glendale: Our Response to Current Events – October 2020
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
This month, we’d like to take you on a virtual tour of our shelter to share how we are responding to the needs of survivors during COVID-19. We are currently fundraising to complete a backyard landscaping project at the shelter so we can provide a safe, private and healing space for families leaving violent relationships. We’d love to have your support! You can follow us on social media where we will be posting information about domestic violence and the resources available to support survivors in English, Spanish and Armenian. For more information on our growing service numbers and our upcoming 10/22 Purple Tie Awards, honoring men working to end domestic violence in our community, please read our October newsletter.
YWCA Glendale Chosen As 2020 Nonprofit of the Year By Assemblymember Laura Friedman
YWCA Glendale is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year by California Assemblymember Laura Friedman. YWCA Glendale is one of over a hundred other nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assembly members for their tremendous contributions to the communities they serve.
“The challenges of COVID-19 were not only to respond to the pandemic itself, but it caused a dramatic swell in domestic violence case loads as a side effect of isolation in place. We are pleased that our organization also rose to the challenges of calls for racial justice that have already led to social change. We are humbled to be recognized by Assemblymember Laura Friedman as Nonprofit of the Year for our work to advance gender equity and racial justice,” Valerie Merritt, YWCA Glendale Board President. READ THE PRESS RELEASE HERE
Historic Sundown Town Resolution Unanimously Passed by Glendale City Council
In June 2020, the YWCA Glendale, Black in Glendale and a group of committed community members, parents, educators, and faith leaders formed the Coalition for an Anti-Racist Glendale to lead the community forward following the murder of George Floyd and to lay the groundwork for systemic change to address racial inequities in Glendale. The Coalition determined that a critical starting point for this work would be the passage of a formal resolution to acknowledge and apologize for Glendale’s documented history as a sundown town. On September 15th, the Glendale City Council unanimously voted to pass the Sundown Town Resolution, making it the third city in the country to take this courageous step of reckoning with its past to move toward a more equitable future. You can visit our Racial Justice program page for links to media coverage on the resolution from LA Times, Spectrum News, NBC4, PBS American Portrait, and more.
Update on Domestic Violence Work During COVID-19
Like most of you, YWCA Glendale has been laser focused on the news of the evolving coronavirus pandemic. As a provider of emergency and social services for the most vulnerable members of our community, we understand that we play a critical role in maintaining both the health and safety of those seeking our services. We are classified as an essential business under the Safer at Home Orders for the State of California and Los Angeles County; our domestic violence shelter will remain open during this time. We have shifted all community services: counseling, legal and case management to online video conferencing and phone calls, but will see some clients on a case by case basis by appointment only. We encourage all clients with questions to call: 1-(888)-999-7511.
Our curbside grocery pick up program will continue serving families in our domestic violence shelter and community programs and families in Door of Hope’s shelter program (our local domestic violence transitional shelter partner) during COVID-19. Please call 818-242-4155 to schedule any drop offs of food donations for this program.
Based on the evolving response to COVID-19, in Los Angeles County and the State of California, we have taken additional steps to protect our clients, staff, and community:
- In an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communal living environment, we have immediately suspended receiving in kind donations outside of cleaning products and non perishable food items at our Lexington headquarters. If you wish to help, please donate financially or donate the following items: general cleaning supplies, hand soap, paper towels, lysol wipes, lysol spray, hand sanitizer, diapers, and non perishable food items. You can leave these at our front door for a contactless drop off, Monday-Thursday 7AM-1PM or purchase them through our Amazon emergency wish list and they will be directly delivered to us.
- Instructions have been provided to our clients about how they should respond if they experience flu like symptoms and a COVID-19 shelter plan has been implemented to safely house survivors.
- Our After School Programming: Girls Circle will be provided virtually on Tuesdays for the first semester of the school year. Registration is now open for a September 8th start date.
YWCA Glendale will remain open as a safe place to serve and house women and children in crisis. This is our call. We thank you for your partnership and support that enables us to rise to this occasion.
UPCOMING EVENTS
November & December New TechGYRLS’ weekday and weekend workshops: Wearable Tech, Lego Robotics & Google CS First Coding Workshops. Register today.
November 8th – National STEM/STEAM Day
October 19th-29th Solidarity Supply Drive for Women’s Shelters in Armenia. We will be accepting donations of new clothing, medicine, diapers and hygiene products, Monday – Thursday 9AM-2PM. Sorry, we are unable to accept used clothing or opened items. Please reach out to Hasmik Burushyan (818-588-5233) with any questions.
October 27th 3:30PM: TechGYRLS LED Wearable Jewelry Workshop (virtual). Register today.
October 22nd 1-2PM – Purple Tie Awards: Reimagining Hope WATCH THE EVENT RECORDING HERE
October 18th-24th – A Week Without Violence
September 8th – December 15th After School Programming: Girls Circle (Held Virtually)
