March is Women’s History Month, an opportunity to pause and reflect on all the ways women have shaped our communities. Here in Seattle, many women-led organizations work tirelessly day after day to uplift people in our community and provide critical services like food, housing, education, childcare, cultural connections, and mental health support.
This month, we are using the Community Corner space to honor a few of the many Seattle Human Services partners who focus on uplifting and empowering women.
Mary’s Place
Mary’s Place started in 1999 as a day center for women experiencing homelessness and opened the first overnight shelter for women and children in downtown Seattle in the early 2000s.
Funding from the Seattle Human Services Department provides family supports and breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at two Mary’s Place shelters that focus on women and families. HSD also provides funding for Mary’s Place to conduct street-based outreach to help bring families experiencing homelessness into safe shelter.
From the provider:
“Mary’s Place addresses the crisis of family homelessness in our community. As the largest family emergency shelter and services provider in King County, we work with thousands of families with children facing or experiencing homelessness to help them find safe, stable, affordable housing where they can thrive!”
Read more about the work of Mary’s Place in our 2024 Community Corner blog post.
YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish
YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish is a nonprofit organization that operates across 30 program sites, serving more than 15,000 women and family members a year. Its mission is to eliminate racism and empower women.
One of HSD’s investments with the YWCA funds the Gender Based Violence Specialized Service program, which provides survivors with rental assistance, childcare, beds, utilities, safe hotel stays, hygiene supplies, and emergency food. Funding has also been used to purchase doorbell security cameras to help survivors feel safe and secure in their homes.
From the provider:
“YWCA is focused on the intersection of racism and sexism, addressing the disparities that creates in the lives of our community members. We work to reduce disparities by providing culturally competent services across the most critical areas of a woman’s life: housing, health, safety, and economic stability.”
Read more about YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish in our 2024 Community Corner blog post.
Refugee Women’s Alliance
Started in 1985 by a group of refugee women, the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) supports refugees and immigrants from across the globe by delivering essential services to those who arrive in need.
ReWA’s domestic violence program is partially funded by HSD and serves more than 750 clients annually, providing services in 24 languages. Services include protection orders, safety planning, shelter access, legal guidance, family law support, support groups, community education, training for service providers and law enforcement, and referrals to community resources.
From the provider:
“Our achievements are made possible through our invaluable financial support and partnership with HSD. The trust and backing of our partners are of utmost importance, enabling our advocates to effectively address the unique needs of our communities. HSD recognizes the essential nature of our work and its significance to the well-being of our community and society.”
Read more about Refugee Women’s Alliance in our 2023 Community Corner blog post.
HSD is proud to partner with dozens of additional woman-led or women-focused organizations that support women and families in our community. A few of these are listed below:
API Chaya empowers survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking to gain safety, connection, and wellness. The organization educates and mobilizes South Asian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and all immigrant communities to end exploitation, creating a world where all people can heal and thrive.
Aurora Commons provides health care and other supports for women on Aurora Avenue facing homelessness, opioid use disorder, violence, and commercial sexual exploitation.
Byrd Barr Place is a women-led organization that provides food, shelter, warmth, water and financial tools to help people build stability and self-sufficiency.
Empowering Youth & Families Outreach
Empowering Youth & Families Outreach empowers BIPOC youth in South Seattle to thrive. Its ENYO Entrepreneurs program teaches middle school and high school girls of color the basic skills to start and run their own businesses.
Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Urban League is a women-led organization that empowers African Americans, as well as other diverse underserved communities, to thrive by securing educational and economic opportunities.