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Our Mission: The YWCA Tucson is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering
women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
YWCA History: The YWCA Tucson was established in 1917 and is affiliated
with the YWCA USA. While originally a Protestant organization, the YWCA
membership is open to all women and men and has not been a religious
organization for more than fifty years. Even in 1917, when membership in certain
Protestant denominations was “required” the first YWCA Tucson Board President,
Henrietta Franklin, was a member of the Stone Avenue Temple. Our association
was the first YWCA in the United States to open membership to men and elect
men to serve on our board of directors.
The YWCA Tucson was founded as a place for women to rest and socialize and
has provided a wide range of program and services for women and their families
for nearly ninety-three years. The YWCA was the only place where children of
color could learn to swim in the years before the municipal swimming pools were
built; our organization provided the first child day care centers and the first
domestic violence shelter. The Big Sisters component of Big Brothers Big Sisters
was originally a YWCA program.
Our organization operated out a second floor room downtown on Stone Avenue
and a house on Pennington Street before building what is now known as the
Historic Y Building at 738 N. 5th Avenue in 1931. The YWCA Frances
McClelland Leadership Center, built in 2007 at 525 N. Bonita Avenue, is the new
home for the YWCA Tucson.
The YWCA Tucson joined the Sahuaro Girl Scout Council and Emerge Center
Against Domestic Abuse in 2009 to create the Partnership for Women and Girls.
This unique collaboration provides programs and services to 60,000 women and
girls each year. Emerge helps in a crisis, the YWCA re-builds lives, and the Girls
Scouts are developing our future leaders. For more information about the
Partnership for Women and Girls, go to
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YWCA Tucson Facts:
Founded in 1917. Affiliated with YWCA USA
Mission: The YWCA Tucson is dedicated to eliminating racism,
empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity
for all.
Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2009/2010: $944,776
Sources of Revenue:
Contributions 33% Rental Fees 7%
Private Grants 25% Special Events 5%
Program Fees 13% Investments 3%
In-Kind Contributions 13% Government 2%
YWCA Tucson is classified by the IRS as a 501©3 organization and audited annually by
Clifton Gunderson CPA.
The YWCA Tucson serves 21,894 annually in the following programs:
Bright Futures
Leadership development and scholarship program for girls
Girls With Tools
Woodworking and skill building program for girls 8 – 14
Journey to a Hate-Free Millennium
Community education program for youth and adults
Let’s Get Real
Anti-bullying program for middle-school students
Mujeres & Dinero
Financial education for Spanish-speaking women
Understanding Racism and It’s Time to Talk Forums on Race
Community education program
TECHgyrls®
Program to encourage girls 5 – 14 to consider careers in technology/engineering
Women on the Move Awards
Annual women’s leadership recognition event
Women’s Counseling Network
Long-term counseling for low-income women available free of charge
Leadership development for women
Financial education for women and girls
Clothing for job interviews and to begin employment
Employment training and development program for women in transition
The YWCA has a 22 member Board of Directors.
The YWCA employs 5 full-time, 6 part-time staff, 8 interns, 9 careen guidance specialists
and more than 200 volunteers
The YWCA is located at 525 N. Bonita, Tucson, AZ 85745. Phone (520) 884-7810
All materials Copyright 2010 by The YWCA of Tucson