Elfi Di Bella, CEO, YWCA of Central Ohio: "Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women"
Posted by Michael Blackwell
on Jan 19, 2012
Elfi Di Bella gave an eloquent presentation about the mission of the YWCA.
"The YWCA was founded to help women coming from rural areas to the city, with the aim of creating opportunities and promoting economic and racial equality. Some of our important programs include the YWCA Kids Place, offering affordable childcare year round, our Bright Futures program that offers 11th Grade young women development opportunities, our Racial Justice program that reframes perception of race, and our Leadership Luncheon Program, which provides meaningful network opportunities and business knowledge. Now more than ever, however, we are the first stop for families in need of shelter and support due to the current economic downturn.
There are currently at least 8,000 homeless people in Franklin County, and 1,700 are children. The numbers have risen exponentially in the last three decades.
Our Family Center is a nationally recognized that provides direct family assistance with meals and shelter, helps them register for benefits, provides childcare so parents can seek jobs, and assigns an advocate who assists with all aspects of increasing the family's standard of living. This video details the benefits, and the costs, of providing such assistance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aajfyaODVAU&list=UU-66q5fxXj7o3EcNr-1VWDw&index=8&feature=plcp .
For more details, including more videos, visit YCWA Columbus