Tara Peterson, YWCA Glendale and Pasadena’s Chief Executive Officer, shares about YWCA’s work as a home for sheltering survivors of domestic violence, housing Girls’ Empowerment Programs, and advancing racial justice.

OUR MISSION

YWCA Glendale and Pasadena is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

YWCA’s mission, originally inspired by principles derived from Christianity, has in recent years embraced an inclusive vision of “peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people.” In 2015, YWCA USA officially changed its name from Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States, Inc. to YWCA USA, Inc. Today, membership and participation in YWCA is open to people of all faiths and those with no religious affiliation.

OUR PURPOSE

Our purpose is to ensure the health, safety, and economic empowerment of women, children and families and to strengthen communities to prevent and break the cycle of domestic violence.

WHAT WE DO

We provide resources and support to survivors of domestic violence and their children and through our education and prevention efforts we empower women, girls and families to build healthy relationships, achieve self-sufficiency, and live free from violence.

Our programs include a 24/7 Crisis Hotline, a 16-bed Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter, a Domestic Violence Community Services Center that provides case management, legal services, adult and child counseling, trauma informed childcare, and housing navigation support, a Violence Prevention Education and Outreach Program, a Girls Empowerment Program that offers after school programming, summer camp and STEAM education workshops and mentorship, and the Coalition for an Anti-Racist Glendale.