YWCA of Silicon Valley

Results: The YWCA of Silicon Valley has been serving Santa Clara County for 103 years and we continuously seek to redefine successes and create and develop innovative programs.  Our programs reflect societal needs and changes and they provide important services to our clients and the community.  To ensure that everyone can benefit from our programs, all services are offered free-of-charge, on a sliding-scale basis, or with subsidies when available.  Our core programs and services include: Child Care Services: Seven YWCA Child Care Centers provide quality subsidized and affordable child care to nearly 700 children each year. We consider the needs and interests of the children first; our mission is “It’s all about the kids.” Our child care staff is trained in cultural sensitivity to meet the needs of our diverse community. Centers are located in low- to moderate-income areas and we have been serving Silicon Valley families for over sixty years.  Counseling Services:  YWCA Counseling Services strive to promote the emotional, mental, and behavioral well-being of our community. We offer a variety of therapy and support services to individuals, couples, and families. Short- and long-term counseling, including women’s support groups, are offered at the YWCA’s downtown San Jose Counseling Center. These services are provided on an income- based sliding-scale fee schedule, putting counseling within reach for people at the very low- to middle-income levels. Our School-Based Counseling Program places YWCA Counselors on-campus at 16 middle, high, and continuation schools within the San Jose Unified School District. Together, these programs reach almost 1,800 community members per year, 77% of whom are children or adolescents under 18 years old. Family Services: The YWCA offers an array of family services and workshops in support of parents and their families throughout Santa Clara County. Our goal is to provide parents and families with the knowledge and skills to encourage a healthy, nurturing environment where family relationships can thrive, preventing abuse, neglect, and family violence. Workshops are offered throughout the year county-wide in English and Spanish. Supervised (Monitored) Visitation Services are also available, providing a safe, nurturing environment for non-custodial parents and their children to enjoy time together. Rape Crisis Center and Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Programs: The YWCA works within Santa Clara County to minimize the traumatic aftermath of sexual assault. We provide a 24-hour crisis hotline, immediate crisis counseling and assistance, information and referrals, and accompaniment services to medical, police, and court facilities. Additionally, we annually reach over 15,000 students, grade K through 12, with age-appropriate sexual assault awareness and prevention programs. A MyStrength® Club has been formed at Oak Grove High School, an advocacy and empowerment program for young men we hope to replicate county-wide. We began providing crisis and educational services to our community in 1973, and since 2005 we have operated an on-campus Rape Crisis Center to serve the Stanford University community. Social and Racial Justice (SARJ): SARJ is a formalized effort to address the overall YWCA mission: to eliminate racism and empower women. SARJ is an anti-bias educational approach used as a proactive means to eradicate various forms of social and racial oppression. We hold monthly department-wide staff meetings to discuss cultural differences, traditions, and values utilizing cultural facilitators for experiential training whenever possible. Our ultimate goal is social and racial justice throughout our programs and services as well as within our community. TechGYRLS® clubs have been formed to provide underserved girls, ages 5-14, with a safe, girl’s-only environment for exploring the world of technology. Club members build problem solving skills and computer literacy through individual and group work with the assistance of instructors and mentors. Youth Services: We provide holistic, bilingual (English/Spanish), long term, primarily educational youth empowerment programs open to both male and female students. After-school programs are currently being offered during the school year Monday through Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., on-site at four high schools within the Eastside Union School District (Overfelt, Andrew Hill, James Lick, and Yerba Buena). Our after-school program is an integrated intervention strategy comprised of academics, intensive tutoring, credit recovery, and enrichment activities. We also offer family life/sex education programs available during the school day. Our geographic service area includes all of Santa Clara County. Of the nearly 24,000 individuals reached by the YWCA of Silicon Valley’s programs each year, 84% are children or teens and 46% are of racial or ethnic minority reflecting our diverse population.  The YWCA of Silicon Valley has over 100 years experience raising the level of wellness for children and their families. We are well practiced in promoting healthy lifestyle choices, access to resources, and positive relationship modeling so that marginalized and at-risk individuals can thrive and succeed.  The YWCA partners with numerous agencies in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County which inform us of current changes in need and available services, enabling us to refer individuals to access services either within our organization or to a collaborating partner.

Target demographics: The YWCA of Silicon Valley serves 24,000 individuals yearly; 50% represent diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and 84% are youth.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 24,000 Santa Clara County Residents

Geographic areas served: Santa Clara County