HISTORY

YWCA Southern Arizona was established in 1917, just five years after Arizona gained statehood, by visionary women committed to establishing progressive values in this young state. From the beginning, YWCA has been committed to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA Southern Arizona was founded as a place for women to rest, socialize, learn, organize and contribute to creating a more progressive community.


Intersectional in approach since the beginning, YWCA was the only place where children of color could learn to swim in the years before local-built municipal swimming pools emerged. Our organization provided the first child daycare centers for working families and the first domestic violence shelter in our region. The Big Sisters component of Big Brothers Big Sisters was originally a YWCA program. Over the last 104 years, we've worked in coalitions to promote the well-being of our neighbors. Recently, this work has included advocacy around the impact of environmental crises, gender and racial justice, antiviolence work, and local economy building. 

As we approach our 105th anniversary, we embrace our role as Green Champions. We commit to advocating and building communities of practice to address needs and recognize solutions emerging from racialized people who are affected first and worst by the Climate Crisis. This existential threat will continue to drive issues like housing, water, land use, utilities, environmental racism, public health crises, war and displacement, and economic downturns. Towards that end, we look forward to launching future training informed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 by all the Member states of the United Nations. 

 

We have been part of the YWCA USA network, a pioneer in the United States in race relations, labor union representation, and women's empowerment for more than 160 years. Together with our sister associations, nationally and globally, we are proud to be part of a strategic alignment to continue the fight and reimagine a future where we all thrive together. 



Disclaimer: The YWCA of Southern Arizona is a non-partisan organization that cannot and does not endorse political candidates.


TIMELINE


1858
The first Association in the U.S., Ladies Christian Association, was formed in New York City

1860
The first boarding house for female students, teachers and factory workers opened in New York, N.Y.

1889
The first African-American YWCA branch opened in Dayton, Ohio

1890
The first YWCA for Native American women opened in at Haworth Institute in Chilocco, Okla.

1894
The United States of America, England, Sweden, and Norway together created the World YWCA, which today is working in over 125 countries

1908
YWCA was the first industrial federation of clubs to train girls in self-government


1917

YWCA Tucson is established, just five years after Arizona becomes a state. Our first board chair is a member of the Jewish community.


1918
YWCA was the first organization to send professional workers overseas to provide administrative leadership and support to U.S. Armed Forces

1920
Based on its work with women in industrial plants, the YWCA Convention voted to work for “an eight-hour/day law, prohibition of night work, and the right of labor to organize”

1942
YWCA extends its services to Japanese American women and girls incarcerated in World War II Relocation Centers

1965
The National Board of the YWCA created the Office of Racial Justice to lead the civil rights efforts

1970 

The National YWCA Convention adopted the “One Imperative”: To thrust our collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists by any means necessary. 

1992
YWCA National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism began in response to the beating of Rodney King, an African American man, the acquittal of four white Los Angeles police officers accused of the crime, and the subsequent riots and unrest across the country

1995
YWCA Week Without Violence was created as a nationwide effort to unite people against violence against women and violence in communities. The annual observance is held the third week of October.

TODAY

2007: 

YWCA Southern Arizona moved from its original building at 5th and University, to the newly-built Frances McClelland Community Center at 525 N Bonita Ave. 

2015
YWCA of Tucson formally changed its name to YWCA Southern Arizona, reflecting the current reach of its programming and a growing vision for the future.

2016
YWCA’s campuses welcome over 50,000 visitors a year for classes, public forums, art and theatre, conferences, community events, and meetings. The board articulates a vision for the second century – Everybody Thrives.

2017
YWCA Southern Arizona celebrates its 100th Birthday. It joins with YWCA Maricopa County to start a statewide Stand Together Arizona Training and Advocacy Center. A $1.5 million fundraising campaign begins to launch YWCA into its second century of change-making.

2020-2021

YWCA Southern Arizona continues offering programs and services virtually during the pandemic.

  • Distributes over $9 million in pandemic relief grants to small businesses and DV survivors, funded by the City of Tucson.
  • The Teen Court Bar Association is honored with the Frances McClelland Youth Vision Award for their innovation in continuing to hold hearings virtually and experiencing no break in services.
  • YWCA wins the Tucson Metro Chamber's Copper Cactus Award for Social Impact.
  • YWCA's Women's Business Center is named Best in Arizona.


FAQs

Answers to a few common questions 

As a local association of the YWCA USA, the YWCA of Southern Arizona is one of the oldest and largest multicultural women’s organizations in the nation. We are a grassroots organization independently governed by a local board of directors.

  • What value does YWCA bring to our community?

    •  More than 10000 women have attended one of the YW’s annual leadership conferences or programs.

    •  Over twenty-six thousand women have prepared for their first job interview through “Your Sister’s Closet”

    •  Ninety percent of graduates from the “YWorks” employment education and training program get a job, start a business or go back to school within six months, pumping $7 million into the Tucson economy every 12-18 months

    •  The racial justice program developed here has become a model for YWs across the nation

    •  Ten thousand Arizonans can be called to action on our top legislative priorities through the YW’s Advocacy & Action Alliance

    •  We welcome nearly 50,000 visitors every year to our two locations: Frances McClelland Community Center in West/Central Tucson, and House of Neighborly Service in South Tucson.

  • Is YWCA affiliated with YMCA?

    No, we are completely separate organizations! YWCA is a social justice organization working to eliminate racism and empower women through programs and advocacy efforts that increase economic security for women and families in our communities, especially women of color. We typically do not have the recreational facilities that most people expect from a YMCA, but we do host community events - everything from film screenings to meet-your-candidates forums to panels on issues impacting women, families and BIPOC in our state to our annual Women's Leadership Conference!

  • Is YWCA Southern Arizona only for women?

    The YWCA of Southern Arizona is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We focus on women’s needs and issues, and our programs are inclusive of trans and non-binary people. We also recognize the important role men play in eliminating racism and empowering women. The YWCA of Southern Arizona welcomes trans and gender-non-conforming people, as well as men, onto our staff and we were the first local YWCA association in the nation to elect men to our board of directors. 

  • Is YWCA a religious organization?

    Although founded more than 150 years ago by women who shared progressive Christian values, the YWCA USA has not been a religious organization for more than 50 years. One of the things we are proud of here at the YW in Tucson is our first Board President is believed to have been a member of the Stone Avenue Temple. People of every religion and no religion, who share a commitment to the mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, are welcome as members and leaders at the YW.

  • How is YWCA funded?

    We are an entrepreneurial organization, and strive to create programs that are financially sustainable. As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, we are also supported by our donors, who gift their time and money; by grants and donations from foundations and corporate partners committed to social justice and economic empowerment; and through contracts we earn from government entities for programs that make a social and/or economic contribution to the community. Would you like to be one of our supporters? Click the "Give" button at the top of the page!  Monthly gifts make an especially meaningful impact and allow us to better plan for our programs to continue and expand.  

  • Where is YWCA Southern Arizona located?

    YWCA of Southern Arizona has two campuses: 1) Frances McClelland Leadership Center, at 525 N Bonita Ave in downtown Tucson just west of I-10 between Congress and St. Mary’s Road. 2) House of Neighborly Service located at 243 W 33rd St. in the City of South Tucson.  

  • How many people do you serve?

    YWCA represents 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States and 25 million women worldwide. YWCA has over 200 associations across the United States. YWCAs can also be found in more than 100 countries. Pre- pandemic, we welcomed nearly 50,000 people to our two Southern Arizona locations each year, and we continue to directly serve almost 4,000 women and families each year through our programs.

  • Is YWCA a "social services" agency?

    Yes. Local YWCAs provide services to meet the needs of women and non-binary or gender non-conforming people in their communities. Here in Southern Arizona, we provide employment readiness training, business classes and coaching, counseling, leadership programs, and more. More importantly, YWCA Southern Arizona is a community center – one of the first places women look when they want to network with other progressive leaders, develop leadership skills, make policy change impacting women and families, foster diversity and racial justice, get healthier, learn something new, and engage in advocacy to build a better Arizona for all. Because we provide direct services to women and families, YWCA Southern Arizona is eligible for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. Our QCO code is 20570.

  • How is the national YWCA structured?

    YWCA is a national organization with more than 200 local associations across the United States. YWCA USA provides a range of technical assistance and capacity-building services to local associations, safeguards the integrity of the YWCA brand and maintains a strong national presence that will position the iconic, multi-tiered YWCA organization for increased stability and sustainability for the future. 

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