YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago

YWCA Metropolitan Chicago T: 312-372-6600 Executive Offices F: 312-372-4673 360 N. Michigan Avenue www.ywcachicago.org Suite 800 Chicago, Illinois 60601 Contact Information: Sarah Frick Public Relations Officer YWCA Metropolitan Chicago 312-762-2723 direct 210-413-6525 cell [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2009

YWCA Metropolitan Chicago’s Board of Directors Increases Commitment to Model YWCA Campaign

Chicago (March 26, 2009) – YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is proud to announce its board of directors has increased their commitment to the YWCA’s Aspire. Believe. Thrive. The Campaign for the Model YWCA from $550,000 to $850,000. The YWCA plans to complete its first capital campaign in 40 years in the summer of 2011 under the leadership of the new Chief Executive Officer, Christine Bork. Christine joined the YWCA in 2002 to manage the agency’s marketing and development efforts and most recently served as Chief Operations Officer.

“The board of directors is committed to ensuring the YWCA can fulfill its mission to eliminate racism and empower women through the Model YWCA. Our board members are not immune to the current recession, but because we believe in the YWCA’s mission, we have collectively brought the YWCA one-step closer to the campaign goal,” said JoAnn Lilek, president, YWCA board of directors. Given the current economic climate, the board of directors also voted to revise the total campaign goal from $6.5 million to $5.4 million, which will cover the cost of opening two additional Model YWCA centers—one in the western suburbs scheduled to open in January 2010 and one on the west side of Chicago scheduled to open in 2011. Currently, the campaign has raised $3.4 million.

“Having already achieved 100% membership participation toward their previous goal, I am incredibly moved by our board’s decision to increase their campaign goal. I applaud their commitment to the future of the organization and am confident we will achieve our campaign goal,” said Christine Bork, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.

Aspire. Believe. Thrive. Campaign for the Model YWCA launched in October of 2007. Gifts to the campaign allowed the YWCA to open its first center, the Laura Parks and Mildred Francis Center (Parks Francis) located on Chicago’s South Side at 6600 S. Cottage Grove. Currently, the Economic Empowerment Services at Parks Francis works with 108 women in its Economic Empowerment Institute. The center is named after the mothers of campaign chairs, Cheryl and Zed Francis.

“As philanthropic dollars are becoming scarce, the board’s increased participation speaks to the work and leadership of the YWCA. We hope others will follow their lead and contribute to the YWCA’s vision to bring economic empowerment services to women and girls in Chicago’s most under resourced communities,” said Cheryl and Zed Francis, YWCA campaign chairs.

The four program areas under the Model YWCA include: Economic Empowerment, The Center for Racial Justice and Activism, Sexual Violence and Support Services and Early Childhood Services. A client utilizing the YWCA’s Economic Empowerment Institute (EEI) will work with an empowerment coach that will guide them through:

 planning: those factors that enable a woman to find work, including job counseling, job training and job placement  sustainability: those factors that allow a woman to maintain consistent employment, including child care, housing, transportation and health insurance  advancement: those factors that allow a woman to move up a career ladder, including education, additional training and mentoring  asset acquisition: those factors that allow a woman to maintain financial stability and independence, including savings, home ownership and investments

The EEI partners with a woman for long-term personal and financial success through coaching, financial education and technology training. Other existing services merging into the new Economic Empowerment Services includes the Community Technology Center and TechGYRLS programs.

The YWCA continues to act as the state’s largest provider of comprehensive Sexual Violence and Support Services including: access to its 24-hour rape crisis hotline, medical and legal advocacy, counseling and community prevention and education. The YWCA also continues to provide Early Childhood Services including: child care resource and referral services, child care food programs and home-based child care provider support. The YWCA’s newest initiative, the Center for Racial Justice and Activism, a grassroots training ground for all members of the community to learn, experience, and lead racial justice activist efforts, launched in December of 2008. The program has begun working with Racial Justice Scholars on both internal and community trainings on race.

Campaign Chairs of the Aspire. Believe. Thrive. The Campaign for the Model YWCA. Cheryl and Zed Francis, chairs of the YWCA’s Aspire. Believe Thrive. The Campaign for the Model YWCA have been supporters of the YWCA for more than 15 years. They paved the way to build the YWCA’s new center with the organization’s first leadership gift. With their gift, the YWCA opened its first Model YWCA Center, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Laura Parks and Mildred Francis Center. The Francis’ named the center in honor of their mothers, Laura Griffin Parks and Mildred Snyder Francis, two women who faced life’s challenges and created opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities. .

Cheryl is currently the Co-Chairman of Corporate Leadership Center, a partnership between major corporations and academic institutions which advances top corporate leaders and leadership practices. She serves on the corporate boards of HNI Corporation, Hewitt Associates and Morningstar; the Board of The Chicago Network; the Board of Trustees of Cornell University; and the Advisory Council of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She has been affiliated with YWCA Metropolitan Chicago for 15 years including receiving its award for Community Leadership in 2004.

Zed worked 28 years for the Bank of America, serving the bank in many capacities and rising to the role of Managing Director and Head of Global Portfolio Strategies Execution, actively managing the bank’s risk portfolio. Prior to the portfolio management position, Zed co- founded the Bank of America’s high yield business and was the head of high yield sales, trading, and research. He also served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Bank’s securities subsidiary.

For more information regarding the Model YWCA, please visit www.ywcachicago.org or call Sarah Frick at 312-762-2723. # # #

About the Model YWCA: The Model YWCA is a place where women come together to flex their muscle and sharpen their collective voice so they may better their own lives and the lives of others. It is a neighborhood center where a woman knows she can not only find help in crisis, but also be empowered to live, work, and lead a financially independent life.

Each of the three metropolitan centers will enable women to articulate a customized vision for career development, financial independence, and asset acquisition. At the YWCA, a woman can access a network of support to achieve her self-identified goals. As she becomes more empowered, she has opportunities to empower others by learning to engage fully in civic life, to mentor, mobilize and take a leadership role in her community. Each center will also provide comprehensive sexual violence and support services and serve as a referral agent to preferred providers of child care, health care, and housing services, among others.

About the YWCA: Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women is actualized through a large breadth of programs and services. Regardless of race or economic status, the YWCA provides women with the support and tools they need to transform their lives, be confident in their choices and raise healthy families. Our three core programmatic areas include: sexual assault services, economic empowerment services and early childhood services. With more than 150 employees working at 10 locations throughout metropolitan Chicago, we serve more than 138,000 women, children and families annually through these programs. And while our services are broad and varied, they are linked by a common thread— our dedication to promoting racial justice and personal empowerment across everything we do.