Welcome to our March edition of empowerNOTES! As we move from the winter season towards springtime we are glad you are here with us for this edition. |
|
Happy Women’s History Month!
March is all about honoring and celebrating a rich history of dynamic and powerful women who helped to blaze a trail for the generations that would come after them.
This is a story YWCA NH knows all too well. This is a story we live and breathe every day in our work in the community, and that story began with the women that charted a course for our existence over 103 years ago.
Our founder, Annette Perkins led a group of women in the community to imagine a different future for the young women who were leaving high school and going to work in the famous Manchester Mills. Ahead of their time, they knew that if they could offer these women affordable single rooms, educational programming and wellness programming-they may be able to envision a different future for themselves.
|
|
|
Well, they were right. Ever since 1920, we have been evolving and growing with the needs of women in our community. Always with the health, vitality and safety of women at the forefront.
Leading us to what we have today: an organization that embraces everyday as Women’s History Month. We are so glad you are part of that history too!
|
|
|
|
|
Spring is around the corner and we're hoping it brings with it some warmer weather and sunnier days.
At YWCA New Hampshire, we have been extra busy continuing to serve the Manchester community in new and exciting ways. Partnering with the City of Manchester to open an emergency women's shelter has been one of the highlights of the last few months.
The Brook Street Women's Shelter allows us to live out our mission of '...empowering women' in a way that meets the women of our community where they are without judgement or obstacle.
|
|
We've also started the second year of our Advocate in Me program, seeing a 50% increase in participation among local area high school students. These young people are committed to learning about all the ways they can create and sustain change for themselves and their peers.
All of your support allows us to keep moving forward with the critical work we do and services we are able to provide. Thank you for your continued investment in our mission and work at YWCA New Hampshire. Can't wait to see what blooms for us this Spring!
|
|
Granite State Respect Week |
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence hosted its annual Granite State RESPECT Week February 13-17. This statewide initiative is a teen-centered campaign that takes place in high schools across New Hampshire during February for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Each day is built around a theme that speaks to an aspect of teen dating violence awareness, including healthy relationships, bystander intervention, |
|
|
Title IX and respect, with the 2023 theme focusing on empowering students to “Lead with Respect”. Activities throughout RESPECT Week were led by outreach staff at Coalition member programs, as well as educators who volunteer to take the lead on these initiatives in their schools. Together over 16,000 students at 32 participating schools were reached. Our hope is that RESPECT Week helps begin important conversations about healthy relationships, and that students will learn about the resources available to them in their communities. Over the course of 5 days, Emma was able to do 10 presentations in 3 schools, as well as 3 days of tabling in 4 schools, all reaching hundreds of students in our community! |
|
|
|
Brook Street Women’s Shelter |
Our newest program, Brook Street Women’s Shelter, is off to a great start! We opened our doors on February 6th, just 19 days after the idea was presented to us. This would not have been possible without all of the amazing volunteers, supporters, and donors who gave us the time, energy, and funds to
|
|
make it happen. We’ve already provided emergency housing to approximately 20 women in the last month and hope to continue to serve many more! |
|
Center for New Americans Update |
This year we began our weekly Refugee Farm 2 Refugee Table program in partnership with local job training program, Fresh Start Farms. We deliver a box of locally grown fruits and vegetables directly to the doors of the families that participate in the Amiko Youth Program. The produce is culturally specific for each family. |
|
|
We encourage parents to include their children in the preparation of cultural dishes using this food. Our goal is to increase fresh food intake among our youth participants, and strengthen the connection of New American families to their new community, and support the sharing of cultural food traditions in the home. |
|
|
|
REACH for Hope
5K-Race Against Racism
|
Our annual REACH for Hope 5K-Race Against Racism event will be on Saturday May 6th at the Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, home of the NH Fisher Cats. This event is a great opportunity to engage in and support our work in a fun and active way! Register here to participate! Sponsorship opportunities available, email katiep@ywcanh.org for more information.
|
|
REACH Crisis Services
Volunteer Training
|
We were able to host a round of new advocate training in February for our REACH Crisis Services Program. In this 30 hour training, volunteers learn how to support survivors on our 24/7 crisis hotline. This round we trained 3 new volunteers and 1 new per diem staff. We would like to welcome all our new volunteers to the team! |
|
|
|
|
REACH Crisis Services had a client come to us who had fled to a new apartment and was struggling with maintaining it while transitioning into a new city and job. They needed financial assistance to allow them the time to pick up enough hours and access other services they needed. We were able to help them via our housing first program with a month of rent, which helped them stay in their apartment and gave them the time needed to become more secure financially. We were so glad that this person sought our services and that we were able to help them get to a better space! |
|
o YWCA New Hampshire is proud to partner with The Phoenix, a local chapter of a national organization whose mission is to build a sober active community that fuels resilience and harnesses the transformational power of connection so that together we rise, recover, and live. Last year, the programs hosted at YWCA NH drew in nearly 200 participants, making it one of the highest attended programs in the state!
|
|
|
We are so appreciative and proud of our continued partnership with The Phoenix and hope to impact even more people in 2023! |
|
|
|
Welcome new Staff!
We are so excited to welcome our staff members into our YWCA NH team! We have welcomed 2 new REACH Advocates, a new front desk receptionist, and 15 new Brook Street Shelter Support Staff. These new team members will add so much to our work and support to our mission.
|
|
|
|
YWCA NH REACH for Hope 5K – Race Against Racism |
Please join us for our YWCA NH REACH for Hope 5K – Race Against Racism taking place on Saturday May 6th, 2023 at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium and help support YWCA New Hampshire.
April 14th is the last day to register and still be eligible for a shirt.
|
|
|
All proceeds raised from this event will support YWCA NH programs and services. |
|
• March 8, International Women’s Day
• March, Women’s History Month
• April 28-May 1, YWCA USA Stand Against Racism
• April 16-22, National Volunteer Appreciation Week
• April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month
• May 6, REACH for Hope 5K-Race Against Racism
• May 19, Transgender Pride Day
• May, Mental Health Awareness Month
• June 17, Manchester Pride Festival
|
|
Join us in our mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Join us as we work to create a thriving community free from violence and oppression.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
