The season of gratitude and giving is upon us, and we are so very grateful to do the work of eliminating racism and empowering women with our committed supporters and partners. Together, we have been able to meet the unprecedented demand for services from women, girls, and people of color through thoughtful and responsive programming that centers their safety, builds community, and fosters hope. These three values run through each of our three program pillars - ending gender-based violence through emergency residential and wrap-around community services for survivors, empowering girls through STEAM Education and Violence Prevention Education, and advancing racial justice through coalition-building, education, and policy advocacy.

This season, we call on you to deepen your investment so we can continue being a source of safety, community, and hope to every individual and family seeking our services.

Julia came to YWCA seeking safety and shelter after fleeing an abusive marriage. Without a safe place to go, she and her children had been sleeping in their car while she tried, unsuccessfully, to find an affordable housing option. After calling our hotline, she entered YWCA's Sunrise Village emergency shelter and began her healing journey - which included working closely with our Housing Navigation Team to locate permanent housing for her family. At shelter, she created friendships with other residents, a built in community, which encouraged her and celebrated her long awaited approval for housing.

Carol is a Black elder in the City of Glendale, who continued to return to her home each night before sundown, a practice she engaged in to feel safe living in a former sundown town. She shared her experience in a television segment last year on what the passage of the Sundown Town Resolution meant for her and the Black youth in her neighborhood. With the advocacy efforts led by YWCA and the Coalition for an Anti-Racist Glendale, Carol expressed a new sense of safety and hope for a more inclusive community experience for all who live, work, and visit Glendale.

After a year of virtual learning, Sofia felt disconnected from her peers and exhausted by the continued set backs related to COVID surges. Through YWCA's Girls' Circle, she connected with other girls experiencing the same challenges. Through engaging instruction and peer support, she was able to build her confidence and showcase her creativity through hands-on art, theater, and robotics workshops. This Fall, she entered her first year of high school with expanded skills and knowledge in STEAM subjects, an excitement to re-engage with her community of peers, and hope for a new beginning.

These stories of safety, community, and hope are brief snapshots into the experiences of the nearly 5,000 individuals impacted last year by YWCA Glendale and Pasadena's programs - individuals and families supported, whose lives were transformed by your generosity. We invite you to continue your support of our work and community by making a tax deductible donation today. Together, we will set a strong foundation for 2022 in which every individual and family in our programs experiences safety, community, and hope.