Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States since 1949. Every year during the month of May, individuals and organizations throughout our community come together to fight stigma, provide support, and educate or advocate for individuals affected by mental illness. According to the Association of California School Administrators, "about 1 in 5 people in the U.S. struggle with their mental health.

The link between mental health and physical health is generally misunderstood because the mind and body are considered two separate entities, but oftentimes these two entities need to work together for our own wellbeing. Our mental health can directly affect our physical health and vice versa. Poor mental health not only impacts your body’s ability to make healthy decisions, but it can also increase your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and other health complications like obesity, weakened immune system, and more."

Check out the "Program Spotlight" section to learn how YWCA Northeast Indiana prioritizes the mental health and wellness of our clients through our therapy services and support groups.

As we continue with our year long "Aha!" campaign, we are proud to highlight four fantastic community members as they share about moments and realizations they've had that led to new and empowered perspectives. Read more below!

As we've just acknowledged the importance of both mental health AND physical health, we want to applaud everyone who came out and participated in our recent Race Against Racism 5K Walk/Run and got their bodies moving in pursuit of a more just community!

These funds help us do many things, including bring free events to the community all year long! Learn about our new Allyship & Film Series as well as our upcoming Diversity Dialogue below in the "Upcoming Events" section.

As we always say, we could not do what we do without your generosity and the support of our community! This month in our "Special Shoutout" section, we recognize the PHP Foundation for their financial gift supporting our therapeutic services and WPTA 21Alive for their in-kind media partnership for the Race Against Racism.

Support from people like you allows our employees to continue to provide life-saving services. This month, we highlight the #PersimmonPride of seven passionate staff members celebrating work anniversaries in May. Read why they chose and continue to choose to work at YWCA Northeast Indiana below.

We get closer and closer each day to moving into our future home, The Hefner Center, and we could not be more excited for the impact this will have on our organization and the northeast Indiana community! "The Scoop" and "Get Involved" sections below showcase recent construction updates in our new building and provide opportunities to support our capital campaign and donate in-kind to help with our transition.

You make the difference, not only in our organization, but in our community. We are beyond grateful for all of your support and look forward to all we are going to accomplish together!

Mental Health and Wellness

YWCA’s clinical therapy services help people who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, addiction, or related traumas to process their experiences and emotions in a healthy way so they can move past barriers to healing and meeting their personal goals. Clinical therapy services are also available to family members of people who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, or addiction, and participants in therapy services do not have to be clients of YWCA’s other programs.

YWCA currently employs a three person therapy team supervised by the Director of Clinical & Recovery Services. Therapists meet one-on-one with clients and can also provide family therapy. During services, therapists focus on helping clients meet their goals across the 8 Dimensions of Wellness: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental.

YWCA Northeast Indiana also has an Advocate (LSW) that facilitates support groups for our clients. Support groups, which are an evidence-based practice, can include: Self-Esteem, Healthy Relationships, Anger Management, Trauma Bonds, Sexual Assault Support, and Co-Parenting with an Abuser.

To connect with a YWCA therapist or refer someone for therapy, please reach out to therapyos@ywcaerew.org.

"Aha!" Empowerment Campaign

YWCA Northeast Indiana is BIG on empowerment. It is who we are and what we stand for. Our 2024 "Aha!" campaign features local celebrities sharing moments that have helped them feel more empowered.

"Empowerment can come when someone sees an ability in you and trusts you to do something you never would have dreamed of. This happened for me, and because of this, one of my 'Aha!' moments was when I learned from Fort Wayne Community Schools leadership that 'hope is not a strategy.' If we are looking to have different results, we will continue to receive what we always have received if we continue to do the same things. For change, empower others. See the ability in others. Trust in others."

-Kathy Gaines (Happily Retired)

"I’ve found that most people are willing to give their time, talent, and treasure when you can clearly articulate the why and then provide a path towards action.”

-Randy Rusk (Community Affairs Manager, Do it Best Foundation)

"It is one thing to know there are racial disparities in health and life expectancy, but it is another to experience a colleague suffering from diseases related to stress or having parents pass away young from preventable diseases. I really feel the privileges bestowed upon me based on the zip code where I grew up and the education my parents had access to. These insights have been an 'Aha!' for me, as well as the amount of work still needed so that everyone in our community has the same opportunities for good health, access to a quality education, and affordable housing."

-Carla Kilgore (Director of Mission Advancement, YWCA Northeast Indiana)

“I felt empowered when I changed my mindset to promote other women versus comparing myself to them. Everyone has their own unique and special gift. My 'Aha!' moment was when I realized I don’t have to be like others but I can instead celebrate them!"

-Kim Carpenter (VP of Client Experience, Ash Brokerage)

Find more "Aha!" moments by visiting our website. 

The Allyship & Film Series project is a partnership between YWCA Northeast Indiana’s Racial Justice program and Fort Wayne Cinema Center. The goal of the film and discussion series is to:

• Create space for viewers to develop empathy and understanding of diverse cultures
• Model ways for viewers to practice allyship for other communities
• Promote the voices and stories of marginalized groups, including local stories
• Educate viewers through specialized scholar facilitation and thought-provoking community discussion

This program has been made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Our second Diversity Dialogue event of 2024 is on Thursday, June 13th. The topic is For a Better Future. For our children, learning does not happen only inside the classroom. Next month’s topic will explore the resources our community offers in aiding the mental, emotional, and social development for our children.

The event will take place from 12-1:30pm at the Allen County Public Library (Main Branch) in Meeting Room AB. This event will also be available via livestream. We hope to see you there!

Julian Teekaram and WPTA 21Alive

What is Persimmon Pride? Persimmon is the orange pantone color of our YWCA brand. Internally, #PersimmonPride is more than a hashtag or mantra. It is a belief in the impact the YWCA team is having in our community. It's more than a saying. It is who we are and what we believe in.

"I choose to work at YWCA because I am passionate about the work we do. Victims of domestic violence need to know that help is out there, and I love being able to help them see how differently their lives can look when they are living free from violence. The team we have here is pretty great, too!"

-Bethany (Avocate Coordinator)

"I choose to work at YWCA Northeast Indiana because of their commitment to empowering and advocating for survivors, enabling me to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those affected by these traumatic experiences."

-Ashley (Advocate)

“I chose to work at YWCA because I have so much passion for working with victims/survivors of domestic violence. It is so rewarding watching the progress when clients go from crisis to stability in their life. I truly believe in YWCA’s mission." -Tammy (Advocate)

"I chose to work at YWCA because I wanted to work in an environment where we make a difference in lives. It’s been a rewarding year, and I have a wonderful team behind me to make it happen!"

-Emma (Advocate)

"Madeleine Albright says 'It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.' I choose to work at YWCA because it allows me to use my voice to help others find theirs!"

-Jonetta (Advocate)

"My WHY in choosing to work for YWCA aligns with the mission statement of empowering women. I have worked with the substance use disorder population for many years, in such, I have seen the systematic stigma and discrimination that these individuals face. In working with the women in the recovery program here, I am able to not only teach the skills necessary to achieve long term sobriety, but also empower the women to advocate for themselves in fulfilling a lifelong dream of not being seen as just another statistic."

-Andrea (Specialty Services Counselor)

“I chose to work for YWCA to accomplish my goal of helping others and giving back to the community. Positive words of encouragement can go a long way in life and be remembered."

-Bridgette (Client Care Technician)

The passion from our staff, in addition to the unending support from our community, is what makes our work possible. Thank you to our staff and the northeast Indiana community for your support!

"The Scoop" will keep you up to date on the latest happenings as we renovate our new building. After construction, the former Hall’s Guesthouse Hotel at 1313 W. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana will become YWCA’s new home: The Hefner Center. Stay tuned for updates!

Progress continues to be made in multiple areas of our new building! Check out the photos below of our future Recovery Lounge, Chapel, Laundry Room, and Client Care Technician area!

Capital Campaign

There is value in the past. Our history at YWCA Northeast Indiana is full of experiences, experiences that have helped develop us into the life-saving agency we are today. We are not able to serve the growing demand for our services in our current, limited space. And, while there is beauty in the patina, our old keys won’t open new doors. Now, we begin a journey of opening new doors. Will you join us?

Learn more about our capital campaign and how you can get involved and support YWCA Northeast Indiana by visiting our website.

Goldstein Family Scholarship Program

Donate

With our upcoming move to The Hefner Center, we are excited to have a larger kitchen, which will help our nutrition team better serve our clients. This larger kitchen comes will additional needs. Click here to view our kitchen supply wish list, and check out our website for other in-kind donation opportunities.

If you would like to financially support YWCA Northeast Indiana, you can access our donation page by following the link below: