YWCA of Cambridge

MISSION The mission of the YWCA when it was established in 1891 was to promote the rights and freedom of women. Since that time, this mission has been broadenend to encompass both the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism. DESCRIPTION The YWCA of Cambridge was founded in 1891 to give female factory workers a safe residence and the opportunity to learn penmanship, etiquette, dressmaking, stenography and other useful skills. More than a century later, the YWCA of Cambridge continues to serve the needs of women and children by providing residential assistance and access to a variety of training programs, although they now counsel women in financial responsibility and interviewing techniques rather than millinery. The YWCA of Cambridge has grown to become the largest residential facility for women in the city. They provide temporary and permanent housing for displaced women, homeless women and children, women with HIV/AIDS, battered women, and women recovering from substance abuse. Because their goal for all these women is that they are able to live fruitful lives outside the YWCA, they encourage them to participate in job training and educational programs. Because those skills are not always enough to survive independently, they also offer training in a variety of daily living skills, such as money management, health and awareness, and parenting techniques.