YWCA Minneapolis

Eliminating Racism. Empowering Women.

You have the power to make a difference for children and families throughout our community. Your gift on Give to the Max Day will support our mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Through equity-centered programs focused on helping children thrive, advancing racial equity, empowering girls and youth, and creating a gym for every body, we are working with members of our community to tackle systemic issues at their roots. This holistic approach has already changed thousands of lives thanks to the help of supporters like you! Still, there is so much left to do, especially in the area of early childhood education.

Helping Children Thrive

By age two to four, children are already internalizing the biases they see in their community. So, while we can’t protect them from the difficult realities of the present, we can prepare them to create a better future — one where racism and sexism no longer exist. That is why YWCA Minneapolis is proud to provide full-time early childhood education programs built around an anti-bias curriculum that teaches children to foster strong relationships and respect all points of view. We help children develop intellectual curiosity, empathy, and social skills in a way that empowers them to break through the systemic inequalities that have plagued previous generations. 

To keep these services available to parents of all income levels, YWCA Minneapolis works with a number of organizations as well as donors to provide scholarships for anyone who needs them.

Unfortunately, a key funder unexpectedly canceled a contract with us that provided $200,000 in scholarship support for our early learning families due to their own budget constraints. Because of this, we need your help now more than ever to continue providing children and families with the high-quality care they need! Together, we can work to make sure each of these children is able to retain access to quality education services.

Advancing Racial Equity

Having conversations about racism is difficult, messy, and uncomfortable. No matter who we are, each of us is at a different stage in our racial equity journey. We make it a point to have these conversations in a way that is accessible to all. Through events and monthly racial justice workshops, we provide the opportunity for everyone in our community to take the next step in their personal journey. And for those individuals who want to facilitate even greater change, we also offer facilitator training that will empower them to have meaningful conversations with their friends and family.

We are also committed to advocating for change through public policy. We’re proud to help members of our community make their voices heard and become impactful advocates for positive social reform. Our public policy agenda promotes solutions to institutional racism and sexism that focus on high-quality education and economic empowerment. Through your support, we can do even more to urge our state and federal representatives to make real, positive changes in our community.

Empowering Girls and Youth

We believe it’s imperative that we support children as they transition from youth to young adults. Our programs advance systemic change in schools and communities by promoting the value of youths’ lived experiences, ethnic, and racial identities and diverse perspectives. Every year, we inspire and challenge over 1,250 young people to achieve academic success and become leaders in their communities.

Throughout our diverse after-school and summer programs, we use culturally responsive, research-based curriculum to support the overall well-being of our girls and youth. All of our programs also provide a support structure that empowers youth to ask questions, engage in meaningful conversations, and try stepping out of their comfort zones. By donating to these programs, you can help us do even more to support our youth as they transition to young adults. Together, we can make sure every child knows they have people who care about and believe in them!

Creating Fitness for Every Body

YWCA Minneapolis is more than just a convenient spot where community members can break a sweat and reach their fitness goals. We're a place where people can connect with their community and become the healthiest version of themselves — mentally and physically.

Everyone deserves a safe place where they feel supported in challenging themselves to grow. And thanks to generous supporters like you, we are able to provide swimming lessons for children and provide more than 500 health and wellness scholarships annually!