Economic Empowerment
As part of the financial literacy program YWCA provides Free one-on-one financial counseling. Meet with a financial coach who can help you: Take control of your debt, deal with collectors, improve credit, plan for homeownership, open a bank account, start an emergency fund and save and plan for your future.
Financial counseling is confidential and always free. Appointments available in English or Spanish. For more information contact: economicempowerment@ywcasa.org
On May 30th, 2024, the YWCA of San Antonio, in collaboration with the UTSA Small Business Development Center and generously sponsored by P&G, proudly presented our first annual bilingual Pitch Competition. This exciting event served as a platform to celebrate and empower aspiring women entrepreneurs in the San Antonio community. The competition aimed to foster a supportive environment where women could network, gain mentorship, and access the necessary tools to turn their visions into successful enterprises.
The event showcased the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit within the community, supported by various local organizations and experts. It highlighted the importance of collaboration and support in fostering innovation and economic empowerment.
The Pitch competition featured several key highlights, including an inspiring keynote address by Janie M. Gonzalez, CEO of Webhead, and welcoming remarks from prominent leaders such as Francesca, CEO of YWCA San Antonio, Shannon, Director of National Programs at YWCA USA, and Richard SiFuentes of UTSA SBDC. The event recognized the hard work of the top five finalists who participated in a month-long pitch preparation workshop led by experts Carlos Acosta from LaunchSA and Lisha Garcia from UTSA SBDC. Esteemed judges Alicia Diaz (Aldin Consulting Group Founder & CEO), Allie Perez (George Plumbing Co., Inc. - CMO, Texas Women in Trades / Texas Women Work - Founder) and Rosantina Aranda (Vice President, Senior Commercial Lender, Midfirst Bank) with significant experience added credibility to the competition, while networking opportunities allowed participants to connect with community partners like Launch SA, Prosper West, City of San Antonio, LiftFund, and UTSA SBDC. Victoria Lopez, April De Mendonca, and Brenda Jimenez from NALCAB presented runner-up awards, and the top three prizes, generously sponsored by Procter and Gamble, were awarded by Francesca and Veronica. The winners were selected based on the feasibility of their business ideas, innovation, market potential, and presentation quality, with Stella Bustos (Thera Pillows Company) receiving $7,500, Flora Tallman (Di Vino Wine Tours) receiving $6,000, and Anabel Valenzuela (JAS) receiving $5,000. Additionally, Carolyn Taylor and Luisa Horton received $1,000 grants to support their entrepreneurial journeys.
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Racial Justice
Child Care
Mark Your Calendars
More Exciting News
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Health Equity
Welcome, Summer Interns!
This summer, we are thrilled to welcome 13 new interns to the YWCA team! These talented individuals will be working across various departments through our advanced Community Health Worker (CHW) internship program. Our advanced internship is designed for those with previous experience, helping them gain their state CHW certification.
This program provides the necessary hands-on experience to meet the experiential learning requirements and offers a robust online curriculum to cover core competencies. Our interns have already participated in a fantastic team-building activity at a local escape room, fostering collaboration and camaraderie from the start. We are excited to see the positive impact they will have on our community through their work and dedication.
Participation in the Fanny Fund.
We are proud to announce that YWCA San Antonio’s Health Equity department has been selected as one of the three organizations to participate in the prestigious Fanny Fund. This incredible opportunity will allow us to expand our healthcare services, which already include free eyeglasses and mammograms, through strategic partnerships.
Thanks to the Fanny Fund, we will now be able to provide free primary and reproductive healthcare services. This expansion ensures that our community has access to comprehensive healthcare, addressing critical needs and supporting the well-being of women and families in San Antonio. We are honored to be part of this initiative and look forward to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.
Stay tuned for more updates, and join us in celebrating these exciting developments in person on October 3 when we host our annual Think Pink community event! Together, we continue to strive for health equity and empower our community through accessible, high-quality healthcare services.
For more information, visit our website or contact our Health Equity team at (210) 433-9922 or healthandwellness@ywcasa.org
YWCA San Antonio has been hard at work presenting numerous training and community events. In April we brought our Racial Justice training Soul Sanar training to restore education where we engaged in highlighting and healing the relationship between the black and brown communities. We also hosted our Neurodiversity: It's Everywhere training with University Health as well as the City of San Antonio, Metro Health Department. June is known for Juneteenth and Pride and YWCA San Antonio hosted two community events. Our Junteenth: Celebrating in San Antonio event welcomed B Michelle, our guest speaker that spoke to us about creating the Juneteenth Block Party in San Antonio and how we can continue to uplift the people in San Antonio. The end of the month saw our Pride: It Takes a Village luncheon. We hosted a panel with professionals from Equality Texas, Fiesta Youth, San Antonio Gender Association as well as TEKU Mental Health. We learned about the resources available and the wonderful work each organization is doing. We would like to thank each of our speakers and all of the attendees that joined us for these events!
We are so very excited for what is coming up. We are gearing up to deliver some phenomenal professional training. If you would like to learn more about the training we have to offer please email us at racialjusticeandgenderequity@ywcasa.org.
The Youth Department hosted its first of two summer camp cohorts in June. This group of campers are Middle Schoolers. We had fun volunteering with SA Threads, Brighter Bites and in YWCA's Food Pantry. We also enjoyed guests organizations NAMI Bridges to Care and Youth Code Jam. For field trips, we got the chance to go to the movies, roller skating, the zoo and Landa Park. Overall we enjoyed all the summer activities we jammed packed into 3 weeks. Students got to have fun but also learned the importance of being leaders and advocated in their community from their experiences.
Recognizing and celebrating the contributions of a community leader continues as an annual tradition of the YWCA. The 2025 Women of Influence luncheon is scheduled to take place March 6, 2025. Details are forthcoming.
This year the honoree was the wonderful Elise Boyan. Begun in 2008, former honorees have included Janie Barrera, Ruth Jones McClendon, Aaronetta Pierce. Hope Andrade, Lila Cockrell, Rosemary Kowalski, Kim Lubel, Carmen Tafolla, Adena Loston, Maria Hernandez Ferrier, Susan Pamerleau, Sister Margaret Carew, Yonnie M. Blanchette, Alma Smith, Sandee Bryan Marion, Rosie Castro, Erika Prosper Nirenberg and others.
Big shout out to The United Way of San Antonio and City of San Antonio Early Head Start Child Care Partnership for supporting the importance of creating a sanctuary for the YWCA staff.
Welcome to our Zen Room. This is a dedicated space located at the Olga Madrid Child Development Center designed to offer a serene and peaceful environment for all our staff members. In today’s fast-paced world, it is essential to have a place where one can escape the stresses of daily life and find tranquility. Our Zen Room has been thoughtfully designed to provide such a haven, fostering relaxation, mindfulness, and well-being.
Features of the Zen Room:
Minimalist Design: A clean, uncluttered space that promotes a sense of calm and clarity.
Natural Elements: Incorporating elements such as wood, plants, and a water feature to connect you with nature.
Soft Lighting: Gentle, ambient lighting that creates a soothing atmosphere.
Comfortable Seating: Cushions and mats are available to ensure your comfort during meditation and relaxation.
Calming Sounds: Enjoy the gentle sounds of nature and soft music to enhance your experience.
Equipment: We are equipped with a full body massager and leg and foot massager. A BioMat that produces soothing infrared rays and negative ions, delivering a wealth of health benefits.
Whether staff needs a few moments of quiet reflection, a place to meditate, or simply a break from their busy schedule, our Zen Room is here for your mind, body, and spirit.
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Looking to make a difference? Join our dedicated team of child development teachers and help YWCA's children grow and flourish.
YWCA Childhood Education is a recognized Texas Rising Star and serves children 6 weeks to 12 years of age.
Call (210) 433-9922 for more information or email: HR@ywcasa.org
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Workforce
The Ready To Work Program continues to provide education and career options for participants to learn new skills, train for a great job and earn more money.
Highlighting this time around is a veteran that came to Ready To Work unemployed back in April 2024. He had been terminated due to the work contact had ended. He took a course with our Partner, Gener8tor Skills for Project Management and graduated successfully. Our client found a job right after graduation that offered a $5000.00 sign in bonus and will be earning an hourly pay rate of $55.29, yearly pay of $115, 000.
(Client photo unavailable)
For more information, contact: readytowork@ywcasa.org
We are excited to announce the upcoming Newcomers Resource Fair on September 21st from 9 am to 1 pm at the San Antonio Food Bank. This event is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to the city to learn about various resources available to them. The fair will conclude with a townhall, providing a space for attendees to voice their questions and concerns.
Save the date and join us to connect with community resources and make your transition to San Antonio smoother and more informed.
Youth
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Thank you for following our accomplishments and supporting our mission as we continue to eliminate racism and empower women.
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Renovation has begun on the former St. Andrew's Convent, destined to become the YWCA San Antonio Women's Live and Learn Center Completion is scheduled towards the end of the year.
The Capital Campaign to secure financial support for the project, continues at a healthy pace with 90% of funds committed towards the goal of $12.8 million. Recent commitments include a gift from the Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation for $50,000 to support the Early Child Development and Care Center.
In addition, through the hard work of City Councilwoman Terri Castillo, from the Tax Increment Westside Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), an amount up to $2,000,000 for the residential facility has been secured.
