Who We Are

Women Smiling on the Stairs, Women's Services, YWCA Lower Cape Fear

The YWCA Lower Cape Fear is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

We work to bring out the individual strengths of women and youth and to foster resiliency and self-sufficiency. Our philosophy, in keeping with the mission of the YWCA to empower women and families, centers on providing the skills and confidence needed to succeed.

The YWCA is proud to be the oldest and largest women’s movement, providing services for women and their families in our community.

Our local programs and services have furthered the YWCA vision of peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people since 1914. Over the past 108 years, programs have evolved and have included educational and employment classes for women, teen clubs, community dialogue groups to discuss race relations, child care centers, a youth resource center, and aquatics programming.

Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women and Promoting Peace, Justice, Freedom and Dignity for all.

YWCA MISSION

Key Dates in YWCA History

  • 1858

    The first association in the U.S., Ladies Christian Association, formed in New York City

  • 1946

    Interracial Charter adopted, starting the process of desegregation

  • 1960s

    Membership and leadership positions opened to non-Christians

  • 1963

    Direct Action Program begun to ensure full desegregation in community YWCAs

  • 1970

    The One Imperative (“To thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism, wherever it exists, by any means necessary.”) adopted

  • 2015

    Corporate name changed from “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” to “YWCA USA, Inc.”