The Evanston branch of the YWCA was formed in 1931 to provide services to working and unemployed girls whose needs and welfare were not provided for elsewhere in the community. It provided an affordable, safe place for young women in the area to live, in addition to various classes for YWCA members. It served as a community meeting place, and in 1981 a battered women’s shelter was opened and expanded upon.
History
The Evanston branch of the YWCA was formed in 1931 to provide services to working and unemployed girls whose needs and welfare were not provided for elsewhere in the community. It provided an affordable, safe place for young women in the area to live, in addition to various classes for YWCA members. It moved from various homes and buildings until 1950, when it found a home at 1458 Maple Avenue. It was a meeting place for various groups and organizations, including groups for the mentally disabled, young wives, and working women. In 1972 the YWCA moved to 1215 Church Street to expand their facilites and programming. In 1981 a battered women’s shelter was added and expanded to care for 32 people.
Importance
The Evanston branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in 1931 and offered similar services and programs for young working women. In 1969, the YWCA purchased the house at 1215 Church Street and expanded its facilities and programming, becoming a center for women’s groups and social services for women. In 1981, the YWCA opened a battered women’s shelter with rooms for five women and their children. Today, the shelter has 32 beds and the YWCA offers a wide range of programming for women and families, including training in financial literacy, family swim programs and violence prevention.