GIRLS LIKE CARRIE* NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

We have some urgent news to share with you.

Two single mothers with children enrolled in the Child Care Program may lose their slots if they can’t pay their past due balances soon.

Brenda*, a mother of two elementary-aged children, owns her own business, but sales have been almost nonexistent since the COVID shut down last spring. Jane’s* employer laid her off for most of the past year, but she is now back to work at her manufacturing job; she has three kids too young to stay home alone after school.                                    

As the pandemic wears on, we hear more and more stories like this. The “shecession,” an economic crisis disproportionately affecting women, has arrived in Cortland.

Our revenue shortfalls continue to increase due to COVID-19, and we could use your help. We need to raise $50,000 by the end of May to help women, children, and families in our community (track the campaign’s progress).

Can we count on you for a donation today? (Scroll down for donation form fields.)

We know you understand the importance of access to high-quality childcare. You can give women like Brenda* and Jane* peace of mind knowing YWCA staff are taking care of their children so they can keep working and supporting their families.

We want to share another story with you.

Due to COVID and the necessary restrictions on gathering in person, our G.E.M.S (Girls: Empowered, Motivated, and Successful) and Jr. G.E.M.S mentoring groups have begun meeting virtually to help the girls cope with this difficult time in which they are living.

Last month, a young woman in one of the groups revealed during a virtual session her experience with sexual abuse that occurred early in the COVID shut down.

Carrie* is seeking the help she needs to escape the situation, including through our Aid to Victims of Violence (AVV) Program. She will rely on the other G.E.M.S., and our Mentoring Director, for emotional support, allowing her to begin the healing process.

Can we count on your gift today so we can continue to provide services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes? Your support allows other girls like Carrie* to receive the mentoring support they need and to access AVV services such as the 24/7 hotline and crisis intervention.

Thank you in advance for your generous gift.

*We changed the names of the women and children mentioned in this letter to protect their privacy.

 You can read more about the “shecession” and YWCA USA’s efforts to build a female future of childcare and work at ywca.org.

To donate by check, please make the check payable to "YWCA Cortland" and mail to 14 Clayton Ave., Cortland, NY 13045. To support this fundraising campaign, be sure to write 'Annual Giving" in the memo line.

To donate with a credit card over the phone, please call the YWCA front desk at 607-753-9651 and mention the gift is for Annual Giving.

If you have any questions, please contact Robyn Hayes, Director of Development, by emailing robyn@cortlandywca.org.