DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER 

GOVERNOR NAMES DWC CALIFORNIA'S NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR

 

From left to right: Nancy McFadden, Executive Secretary to Governor Jerry Brown; DWC CEO Lisa Watson; Secretary Karen Baker of CaliforniaVolunteers; and Margaux Helvey, DWC Director of Development & Community Engagement.
From left to right: Nancy McFadden, Executive Secretary to Governor Jerry Brown; DWC CEO Lisa Watson; Secretary Karen Baker of CaliforniaVolunteers; and DWC Director of Development & Community Engagement Margaux Helvey.

DWC was named California's Nonprofit of the Year, receiving the Governor's Volunteering and Service Award. The Office of the Governor and CaliforniaVolunteers recognize DWC's extraordinary ability to engage community volunteers in our efforts to end homelessness for women.

"As more women become homeless, DWC is fortunate to have the support of 2500 volunteers, advocates, and friends who empower our organization to work towards ending women's homelessness," said Lisa Watson, DWC CEO.

 

Read more about this honor in Blogdowntown.
SKID ROW COMMUNITY GATHERS TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HEALTH
 
Women's Day in the Park

On Friday, May 17th, more than 150 women from our community gathered for Women's Day in the Park at Elysian Park. The annual event is organized by the Downtown Women's Action Coalition, bringing together two dozen partner agencies to provide women with a day of retreat and an array of health and wellness services, resources, and activities to improve their physical and mental health.  


Women's Day in the Park is part of National Women's Health Week, an observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Women's Health. Women facing homelessness in Skid Row experience an excess of health issues, including a high incidence of physical and mental health problems, disabilities, substance abuse, and aging-related issues.  

View our partners and more photos on Facebook.
CEO LISA WATSON ON HOMELESS WOMEN AND HEALTH CARE

Read DWC CEO Lisa Watson's latest editorial,  "Removing the Barriers to Health Care for Homeless Women," in the Huffington Post, highlighting the challenges that homeless women face when accessing the Affordable Care Act and solutions to help them overcome those barriers. Click to read here.

SUMMER IN STYLE AT MADE BY DWC


 
See our new Summer 2013 Look Book, shot on location in sunny Laurel Canyon and filled with seasonal clothing and handmade products from MADE by DWC. One hundred percent of sales proceeds go directly to programs for homeless and low-income women at the Center.
 
See our summer looks on Facebook.

MADE logo

MADE by DWC Resale Boutique
325 S. Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(between 3rd and 4th Streets)

Mon-Fri: 10:00am-6:00pm / Sat: 11:00am-5:00pm

MADE by DWC Cafe & Gift Boutique
438 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (@ 5th Street)
Mon-Fri: 8:00am- 4:00pm / Sat: 10:30am-3:00pm

 
Find our handMADE products at: MADE by DWC boutiques, Bloomingdale's Century City, Craft & Folk Art Museum, Hudson News at LAX (terminals 4 and 8), and Raven+Lily   
FROM SKID ROW TO EAST LONDON

 



DWC's Product and Merchandise Senior Manager, Dena Younkin, was recently awarded a fellowship through the
Department of Cultural Affairs Public Art Division, City of Los Angeles, and British Council USA to visit and collaborate with organizations in the United Kingdom that are working to create social impact using the arts. Dena brings back new knowledge and skill set to DWC's social enterprise MADE by DWC to end homelessness for women.

You can learn more about her experience and how it will impact her work with women at DWC in this video created by EZTV -- and don't forget to 'like' it!
Watch video here.

MADE by DWC is a social enterprise created by the Downtown Women's Center to break the cycles of chronic unemployment and homelessness by empowering women to discover talents and develop skills through vocational opportunities, as well as generate economic and social capital to support programs at DWC.
DWC'S DINNER WITH A CAUSE



 

 

 

 

Join us on Thursday, October 3 for a historic evening as we celebrate 35 years of ending homelessness for women and our continued success for the future.   

 

To learn more, purchase tickets or sponsorships, and check out our auction items, visit
www.DWCweb.org/dinner.
FROM OUR DWC KITCHEN TO YOURS: TRY THIS DELICIOUS SUMMER RECIPE

[PHOTO: DWC Board of Directors' Cooking Club prepares a nutritious and delicious summer meal!]
DWC Board of Directors' Cooking Club prepares a nutritious and delicious summer meal!
Rainbow Coleslaw Recipe by Resident Francine Andrade

Makes 12 servings

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 cup chopped yellow or red bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped red onion

Dressing
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2  half cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation
1. Combine all vegetables in a large bowl
2. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, and celery seed for dressing
3. Pour dressing over the vegetables, toss until well coated.
4. Toss salad with cheese and serve chilled

*An excellent source  of Vitamins C & K!*

Want to cook for our Ladies?
Start your own Cooking Club this summer! Contact Camille Crenshaw at Volunteer@DWCweb.org to learn how! For more DWC recipes, visit www.DWCweb.org/recipes.

 

VOLUNTEER WITH DWC!

Administrative Volunteer

Administrative volunteers provide support to staff, community members, and the Ladies by fielding phone calls and working one-on-one with the women we serve. This is a great way to gain direct service experience and learn about other agencies in Los Angeles.
 
Tuesdays: 1:00-4:00pm
Thursdays: 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00-4:00pm
Fridays: 1:00-4:00pm

Residence Host
Provide coverage for either of our homes when Resident Managers are not available. Troubleshoot residents' questions and problems while getting to know the Ladies.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays: 5:00-7:00pm

Donation Sorting
Sort, organize, and distribute donations. Get to know fellow volunteers while helping us allocate vital clothing and household items to the Ladies. This opportunity is great for people who enjoy hands-on work, systematic organizing, and retail merchandising. Training is not required, so bring your friends and family and introduce them to the Center!
 
Saturday, June 29th: 1:00-4:00pm

Learning Center Assistant
The Learning Center provides computers, books, and job readiness training classes to the Ladies. Each morning during open lab hours, Ladies browse the internet, check email, or connect with family. Your role may include one-on-one support, computer assistance, or simply being available as a resource for questions.

Mondays: 8:45-11:45am

 

Volunteer Orientation & Training Dates
Orientation: Wednesday, July 17th from 6:30-8:30pm
Training: Wednesday, July 24th from 6:30-9:00pm
RSVP required.

Please contact us at Volunteer@DWCweb.org.

Tour the Center 
Come visit and take a tour of the Center to learn more about our history, the services we offer, and permanent supportive housing as a solution to ending homelessness.

Every Tuesday at 10:30am & 2pm. Reservations are required in advance. Please RSVP to Tours@DWCweb.org.

Donate your Luggage!
Are you gearing up for your summer vacation by purchasing new luggage? If so, please bring your gently-used luggage to DWC. Day Center participants are in need of sturdy luggage to carry their items, and wheeled luggage is especially welcome! Donations can be dropped off at our Day Center during the following times:

Monday - Friday: 6:00am-4:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8:00am-2:00pm
LONG-TIME DWC STAFF MEMBER NAMED "UNSUNG HERO" BY SCANPH

 

[PHOTO: Angelia Pettiford, Senior Resident Manager wins Bright Light award from SCANPH]

DWC is proud of our hard-working and compassionate staff, and we'd like to celebrate Angelia Pettiford, Senior Resident Manager, who was awarded with Southern California Association of NonProfit Housing (SCANPH)'s Bright Lights "UNSUNG HERO" Award for her dedication, compassion, and always going the extra mile to make our Ladies feel welcome and safe.


 

DWC IMPROVES HOMELESS WOMEN'S HEALTH WITH SUPPORT FROM FUNDERS

 

With the support of our family of funders, DWC is able to ensure that homeless women have access to quality healthcare including counseling, medical care, mental health services, preventive screenings, and enrichment activities -- so that they are able to regain their personal stability.

A big thank you to our health funders who make this work possible:

 
Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation; ANONYMOUS; Anthem Blue Cross; Archstone Foundation; The California Wellness Foundation; The Capital Group Companies; The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation; Carl E. Wynn Foundation; The Charitable Foundation of Prudential California; Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; CVS Caremark; David Geffen Foundation; David and Lucile Packard Foundation; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health; the Universal Studios Hollywood, Discover A Star Foundation; George Hoag Family Foundation; Kaiser Permanente/Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Northrop Grumman Employees Charity Organization; Office of Women's Health; QueensCare; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President's Grant Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation; State Street Foundation; TJX Foundation; UniHealth Foundation; and Union Pacific Foundation.   

 

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Stay In Touch 

 

Join the DWC Team! See our current employment and internship opportunities by clicking here.




DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER
442 S. San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, California 90013
213-680-0600
www.DWCweb.org 

The mission of the Downtown Women's Center is to provide permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and to advocate ending homelessness for women.