YWCA USA Receives Generous Contribution from MacKenzie Scott to Fund Mission-Based Work to Eliminate Racism and Empower Women

For Immediate Release:Yolanda RaineSenior Director, Marketing and Communicationsyraine@ywca.org202-524-5331 Washington, D.C., – This week, YWCA USA received a generous donation from entrepreneur, author, advocate, and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott as part of her dedication to her giving pledge and ongoing commitment to provide immediate support to people suffering the health and economic impacts of these challenging times. As part of YWCA USA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women, 60 YWCA local associations serving communities large and small across our nation will utilize the contribution to continue to serve women, children, and their families who have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, and the national reckoning for racial justice. By continuing to provide programming, direct services, and other community resources, local YWCA associations will continue to answer the call for supportive services to respond to domestic and gender-based violence and child care needs, as well as provide workforce development training, women and minority entrepreneurship programs,  much needed services for the elderly, and racial justice advocacy.“We are grateful for this contribution and the generosity of MacKenzie Scott, which will help us continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children, women, and their families in the communities we serve,” said Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA. “This contribution is an example of trust-based philanthropy at its best and will go a long way to help YWCAs across the country continue to serve over 2 million women, girls, and their families to meet the growing needs of those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, fight against racial injustices that plagues our nation, and provide programming and services designed to level the playing field and bring about equality for women and people of color.”Since the start of the pandemic, YWCAs have been on the front lines answering the call for help.  However, the need across communities is large. While we are grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s contribution, we recognize that the need for our work and services continues to grow. This is the time for continued support of nonprofits and organizations on the ground that are delivering services and support to individuals and families who are most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.Every day at YWCA, we get up and do the work of justice to advance the call for gender equity and racial justice. Our YWCAs work to improve the lives of women, girls, and communities of color through local programming and services, advocacy, and other initiatives to achieve gender equality and to transform the lives of the people we serve. We do this work because we envision a world of opportunity, and we demand equity. We won’t stop until the world sees women, girls, and people of color the way we do: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.To learn more about our work, visit ywca.org.###About YWCA USAYWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We are one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for over 160 years — from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, we combine programming and advocacy to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls. Learn more at www.ywca.org.