ANNUAL REPORT 2019 1 YWCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wanda Lyle, Chair Glenn Funk Hannah Paramore Breen* Rita P. Mitchell, Chair-Elect Charles K. Grant Tracey Pearson Sharon K. Roberson, President & CEO Janie Greenwood Harris Lisa Quigley Joey Hatch* Abby Rubenfeld Gail Alexander Sean Henry Tara Scarlett Caroline Bradshaw Kate Herman Amber Sims Rebekah Carroll Rick Holton Javier Solano Monica Cintado-Scokin Rita Johnson-Mills Sunny Spyridon Kendra Deas Mary Jones* DarKenya Waller Beth DeBauche Candice Lee Jeffrey Webster Cindy Dempsey Jody Lentz* Amanda Weeks-Geveden Jamie Dunham Carla Lovell Evette White Katharin Dyer Rhonda Marko* Cynthia Whitfield-Story Rashed Fakhruddin Jamie McPherson Lisa Ferrelli Osei Mevs David Fischette Janet Miller* Incoming Board Members, 2019-20 Beth Fortune Anne Morgan Rusty Powell *Denotes member who rolled off the board at the end of FY19 JUNIOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE Emmanuel LeGrair, President Sarah Imran * Incoming Junior Board Members, Jamila Wilson, Vice President Lauren Lange 2018-19 Marci Levy Amanda Clelland Alessandra Alegre * Jacqui Logan Josie Barnes Frances Anderson * India Mayer Michelle Brown Joseph Clark * Yasmine Mukahal * Spencer Lambert Kristin Clarkson Mitra Sharifi * Rachel Lee Kathleen Dixson Brittany Spicer * Sheryl Reid Kasey Emas * Jena Thomas Nisha Simpson Derika Featherson Makeda Watson * Amber Solano Heather Gibson * Abby Wiggins * Dominique Shanks Molly Haley Meera Wright * Samantha Stewart Carlos Holmes Angela Wynn LaNelle Stowe Alicia Hudson * *Denotes member who rolled off the committee at the end of FY19 FULCRUM SOCIETY MEMBERS The Fulcrum Society is a group of women whose annual financial contributions total $5,000 or more. Nancy Abbott Claire Gulmi Celeste Reed Gail Alexander Vicki Holton Sharon K. Roberson Sue Atkinson Donna HySmith Jen Robinson Grace Awh Pam King Frances Roy Sallie Bailey Heloise Kuhn Susan Simons Melinda Balser Pam Lamp Jeanette Smith Susie Bowen Wanda Lyle Kathryn W. Smith Ann Bumstead Rhonda Marko Sunny Spyridon Kali Cain Carol McCoy Kristin Taylor Beth Chase Katherine McElroy Debbie Turner Cindy Dempsey Jamie McPherson Mimi Vaughn Sherry Deutschmann Pat Meadows Leigh Walton Kathy Dyer Janet Miller Nicky Weaver Laurie Eskind Rita Mitchell Amanda Weeks-Geveden Tiffany Eubanks-Saunders Anne Morgan Mary Wester Sarah Ann Ezzell Eden Murrie Cynthia Whitfield-Story Sara Finley Britton Nielsen Jerry B. Williams Beth Fortune Hannah Paramore Breen Christie Wilson Pam Griffith Ann Pruitt 2 A LETTER FROM SHARON K. ROBERSON President & CEO Dear Friends, When women and children need safety and support in Nashville, who can they call? The YWCA. For 120 years, we have provided hope for those that had nowhere else to turn. Today the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women is more compelling than it has ever been. Our goal is to make sure that in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, all women and children are safe from domestic violence and to ensure that all in our community are treated with dignity and respect. I’m proud to say we are making great progress, thanks to our donors, partners, funders, volunteers, supporters, and staff. Our recent renovation to the Weaver Domestic Violence Center—from 51-65 beds—has enable YWCA to serve hundreds more women and children than in previous years. Our partnership with Family and Children’s Services allowed the 255 children and their mothers who came through our doors to receive much-needed therapy for the trauma they experienced. Our volunteer-run Re-New program welcomed its 200th family home in June. Girls Inc. at YWCA continues to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold, and we’re impacting nearly twice as many girls than ever before. Corporate partnerships with organizations, including Cummins, Draper James, and VSP Vision Care, are teaching our girls about STEM and even helping the 700+ Girls Inc. students we served last year to see the world a little more clearly. AMEND Together kicked off a national expansion project in partnership with YWCA affiliates in several cities across the U.S. during 2019. Meanwhile, we continue doing the critical work teaching healthy masculinity and respect to hundreds of middle and high school boys across Metro Nashville Public Schools. Our partnership with area corporations, including the Nashville Predators, Allstate, and Bank of America, have helped AMEND Together change the culture. There’s no doubt that the foundation of a thriving community is education, and our Family Learning Center has taken the lead in this area, making sure Nashville’s adult learners are successful. YWCA’s FLC boasts nearly 25 percent of all HiSET (formerly GED) graduates, with the majority of our students coming from the Hispanic Family Foundation. This wouldn’t be possible without the longtime support of the United Way of Metro Nashville and Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Our Dress for Success Nashville program compliments the FLC by suiting many of the female graduates, as well as clients from the Weaver Center and community referral partners. Dress for Success gives clients the confidence to succeed in the workforce and in life. Our Social Justice and Advocacy program is listening to the voices from the past to impact our future. The 2019 Stand Against Racism brought together several of Nashville’s Freedom Riders to lead the event that was dedicated to the intersection of racism and immigration. We launched a new educational series and will continue bringing these important issues to the Nashville community. I am proud of the work taking place within our walls and outside in the community and grateful to our dedicated staff and volunteers. YWCA is constantly monitoring the challenges of social change and developing programs and services to meet the evolving needs of women and their families. We have met the challenges faced by women over our 121-year history in this community, and I invite you to continue to be by our side as new challenges arise. Sincerely, Sharon K. Roberson President & CEO 3 120 YEARS EMPOWERING WOMEN IN NASHVILLE & MIDDLE TENNESSEE 1898 – First organizational meeting of YWCA Nashville 1911 – YWCA Nashville opens new building on 7th Avenue 1919 – National YWCA funds a branch for African-American women in Nashville, known as the Blue Triangle Branch 1921 – Property at 5th and Gay is purchased for Blue Triangle Branch 1944 – First Teen Town opened 1953 – YWCA Blue Triangle Branch moves to 1708 Pearl Street 1964 – The Downtown YWCA and the Blue Triangle Branch become one YWCA 1974 – Board agrees to provide emergency facilities for women referred by Rape and Crisis Center 1976 – TryAngle House opens for troubled teenage girls 1978 – YWCA moves to Woodmont home one year after selling the 7th Ave building, CABLE is established, and Career & Life Planning for Women and Girls is created 1980 – YWCA opens the first domestic violence shelter in Nashville 1985 – Capital campaign of $2 million is completed for new office and programming facility 1992 – Academy for Women of Achievement is established 1998 – YWCA celebrates 100 years of service to Middle Tennessee 2000 – YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Center opens in Nashville 2008 – YWCA becomes the Nashville affiliate of Girls Inc. 2010 – Re-New at the YWCA is founded by Julie Davis and Cheryl Hayes to furnish homes of survivors leaving the Weaver Domestic Violence Center 2012 – Stand Against Racism is launched locally as part of the YWCA’s Social Justice programming 2013 – YWCA becomes the Nashville affiliate for Dress for Success 2014 – AMEND Together (formerly known as MEND) is launched 2016 – Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) is implemented in Nashville through the Mayor’s Office of Family Safety, Metro Nashville Police Department, and YWCA 2018 – Weaver Domestic Violence Center expands, enabling YWCA to serve 100 additional women and children each year 2019 – Re-New at the YWCA welcomes its 200th family home 4 WHAT WE DO YWCA programs serve the needs of women, children, and families living in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. We provide the tools needed to be safe, independent, and successful in work and life while promoting equality for all. At its heart, YWCA is a social justice organization. Social justice is embedded into the work we do internally as an organization and externally in the community with our clients and partner organizations. Our services are trauma-informed, and we focus on incorporating this knowledge to help children who’ve faced adverse childhood experiences. In addition to providing a place of safety and healing for adults and children who are victims of domestic violence, we invest directly in the lives of girls and boys to prevent gender violence and promote peace and tolerance. Our programs and services are provided free of charge and include comprehensive domestic violence services, Re-New, Girls Inc., AMEND Together, Dress for Success, and the Family Learning Center. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES 24-Hour Crisis & Support Helpline Weaver Domestic Violence Center Re-New at YWCA Transitional Housing Program Support Groups Community Education & Advocacy YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES Girls Inc. at YWCA AMEND Together TOOLS FOR SUCCESS Dress for Success Nashville Career Services Family Learning Center 5 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES YWCA offers more than safety. We help break the cycle of abuse by offering a continuum of services, including the 24- hour Crisis & Support Helpline, the 65-bed Weaver Domestic Violence Center, case management, adult and children’s 17,321 counseling, shelter and community based support groups, nights of safe community education, transitional housing, and Re-New at shelter at Weaver the YWCA. Domestic Violence Center Last year, YWCA served more than 550 adults and children at our shelter and answered nearly 5,000 calls for help. Some of those calls were from victims of domestic abuse who did not want to leave their pets behind. YWCA recognizes that all members of the family should be safe. That’s why plans are underway to build a pet shelter 568 on the grounds of the Weaver Domestic Violence Center.