BREAKING THE CYCLE

Words by Alicia Underlee Nelson

Photography byDennis Krull, 5foot20 Design Lounge

The YWCA operates a shelter with capacity to serve 65 women and children. The shelter is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of year and serves women and children throughout North Dakota. Over 37,000 women have received safe shelter and housing through the organization in the last 30 years alone. But the YWCA provides a continuum of housing services, case management, educational and employment assistance and support to empower women to start a new life on their own terms.

“There are many misconceptions about women living in poverty not wanting to work and ‘get off the system.’ In our experience, that is just plain wrong,” said Prochnow. “The women we work with have so many challenges facing them; it’s not that they don’t want to work their way out of poverty, it’s that they don’t know where to begin.”

Gate City Bank’s longstanding partnership has been expanded, allowing the YWCA to enhance its Education and Employment Program, which provides critical employment and educational mentorship to the women the YWCA serves. The new Gate City Bank Economic Enrichment Wing contains a computer lab, an education and employment classroom and a study room. Each client works with a team of experts to uncover her strengths, set goals, polish her resume and refine her interview skills.

These services are vital, since many of the women aren’t employed or work as full-time mothers and caregivers when they begin working with the YWCA. Those that are employed outside of the home often struggle to earn a living wage. “On average, women served at the Emergency Shelter earn $6,700 per year,” said Prochnow. “Eight of ten women in YWCA housing programs earn less than $15,080 a year, which is equivalent to what a minimum wage worker earns.”

In addition, the women the YWCA serves are statistically more likely to be without access to sick days, vacation time, benefits, meaningful compensation and the flexible work arrangements that are essential to balancing work and family life. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80% of working women occupy low-wage, lowstatus, traditionally female jobs in the service, retail and domestic sectors. So in 2014, the YWCA expanded its Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) Program to train women for more traditionally male jobs in transportation, welding and manufacturing. The program meets regional demand for these types of workers while helping women provide for their families and advance their careers.

The YWCA tackles other obstacles as well, like financial literacy. A woman may have delegated money management to a husband or boyfriend or she may not have access to money that she’s earned. “Over half --58% -- of the women served at the YWCA last year did not have a checking or savings account,” said Kim Meyer, executive vice president and director of administration for Gate City Bank.

“Gate City Bank understands the importance of the full continuum of care that is provided by the YWCA, beyond shelter,” continued Meyer. “ The YWCA’s approach to support and empower women and their children at an extremely vulnerable time is essential to the progress of women in our community.”

Prochnow agreed. “Investing in women and children makes sense not just from an altruistic perspective but from business and community perspectives as well,” she said. “Women who are empowered, confident and economically secure are more likely to raise children that do the same.”

“To us, empowering is not about setting goals for women, telling them what to do, when to do it or how to do it,” said Prochnow. “Each woman learns new approaches to daily life, but the overall path she selects is up to her. We celebrate in small, but substantial victories, because taking small steps is what leads to big changes.” [AWM]