Young Womens Christian Association Of Sweetwater County

YWCA SWEETWATER COUNTY IS DEDICATED TO ELIMINATING RACISM, EMPOWERING WOMEN, AND PROMOTING PEACE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL.

THE YWCA EARLY CARE AND LEARNING CENTER IN ROCK SPRINGS PROVIDED QUALITY, DEPENDABLE CHILDCARE TO APPROXIMATELY 129 STUDENTS FROM BIRTH TO AGE TWELVE. THE ORIGINAL CENTER OPENED IN 1977 WITH AN ADDITION IN 2009 OF A SEPARATE INFANT AND TODDLER CENTER. CHILDREN LEARN FROM A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM WHILE PARENTS ARE ABLE TO WORK AND/OR GO TO SCHOOL. THE CENTER FOCUSES ON SCHOOL READINESS AND AGE-APPROPRIATE EXPERIENCES TO PREPARE THE CHILDREN FOR THEIR FUTURE. THE YWCA PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO 34 CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS INCOME QUALIFIES AND WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO AFFORD QUALITY CHILDCARE. THE YWCA HOSTS A SUMMER DAY CAMP FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. OVER THE DURATION OF THE SUMMER AS WELL AS A BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE PROGRAM WITH ACTIVITES PLAN FOR NO SCHOOL FRIDAYS. APPROXIMATELY 49 CHILDREN ATTENDED THE PROGRAM ALLOWING PARENTS TO CONTINUE WORKING AND/OR ATTENDING SCHOOL.

THE YWCA CENTER FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN PROVIDES SERVICES TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND ELDER ABUSE. THE PROGRAM HAS TWO OFFICES, ONE LOCATED IN ROCK SPRINGS AND ONE IN GREEN RIVER, AND AN EMERGENCY SHELTER THAT PROVIDES SAFE, TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR VICTIMS IN NEED. THE SHELTER IS PET FRIENDLY. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR CRISIS LINE WITH ADVOCATES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO VICTIMS OF THESE CRIMES IN AND AROUND SWEETWATER COUNTY. ADVOCATES TAKE CRISIS CALLS BY PHONE OR MAY RESPOND TO THE HOSPITAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OR OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES. ADVOCATES MAY ASSIST WITH PROTECTION ORDERS, CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, SAFETY PLANNING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND MORE. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED 17,934 SERVICES TO 443 INDIVIDUALS IN 2021. ADVOCATES ANSWERED 1,089 CRISIS CALLS, ASSISTED WITH 232 PROTECTION ORDERS, AND PROVIDED 2,426 SHELTER NIGHTS TO SURVIVORS AND THEIR CHILDREN.

FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT (FE) HAS BEEN A VALUABLE PROGRAM FOR YWCA OF SWEETWATER COUNTY FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS. THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR SERVED 125 ADULT CLIENTS AND 38 YOUTH. CLIENTS CAN TAKE THE CLASS ON-SITE, OR THE INSTRUCTOR CAN COME TO THEM. THE CLASS TIME LASTS APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE CLIENT'S NEEDS. EACH PARTICIPANT IS PROVIDED WITH A WORKBOOK THAT TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO BUDGET, BOTH IMMEDIATELY AND IN THE LONG TERM. OF THE 65 CLIENTS WHO COMPLETED THE ENTIRE COURSE, 80% WERE WOMEN. 53% OF CLIENTS WERE SINGLE-PARENT FEMALES. 9% OF CLIENTS WERE DISABLED, AND 2% WERE VETERANS. ACCORDING TO WYOMING'S LIVING WAGE CALCULATION, 64% OF CLIENTS LIVED IN POVERTY, WHILE 9% EARNED A LIVABLE WAGE.