The YWCA Central Alabama has joined with the YWCA USA national office and other local YWCA associations around the country to launch Own It!, a national grassroots campaign that invites Generation Y women, ages 18-30, to engage in community service on behalf of women.  The campaign will also partner with young women to advocate for the YWCA’s priority policy issues, including racism, gender discrimination and economic empowerment for women.    

Find out how you can get involved! Download our Ways to Get Involved document online.

“During the next year, YWCA Central Alabama will partner with these smart, compassionate young women and provide opportunities for them to be involved with our key issues and community services,” said Megann Cain, director of Donor Relations and Communications, YWCA Central Alabama.  “As the nation’s oldest and largest women’s organization, the YWCA has continually reached out to new generations of women to provide critically important services to at-risk women, especially those who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, are homeless or in need of job skills training.”

In communities around the country, the YWCA will reach out to Gen Y women on college campuses, at community colleges and trade schools, and in faith communities and employers’ offices to connect them with volunteer service opportunities.  To launch the campaign, this week YWCA Central Alabama is running an ad in The Birmingham News and updating its Web site with information about how young women can Own It! and engage their YWCA. As part of the campaign, YWCA Central Alabama is encouraging Central Alabamians to host or organize drives for food, clothing, furniture and other household items to stock two new domestic violence and homeless housing facilities due to open this fall.

Last year, YWCA Central Alabama made a positive difference in the lives of those suffering from domestic violence by providing more than 7,800 nights of shelter to 335 adults and children, legal advocacy services to more than 6,200 victims of abuse, victim group services to more than 430 women and children, support through its crisis hotline to nearly 1,900 people, and provided emergency, transitional or permanent housing to more than 360 adults and children. By engaging young women in Central Alabama, the YWCA will enhance its services and ensure that it continues to meet the needs of its community, including ‘Gen Y’ women.

At the campaign’s new Web site, www.ywcaownit.org, young women are encouraged to share their stories about issues that matter to them, and to send in photos, videos, and stories to illustrate their community service projects, volunteer work, and other activity with YWCA on behalf of women.

The YWCA is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. “We are demonstrating our continued commitment to American women by reaching out to this new generation of young women – the nation’s future leaders – by ensuring we are listening to their concerns and hopes for the future, as well as working together with them to improve our community,” said Ms. Cain.