give the gift of a safe home

Meet Amy. She’s a SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program participant, and here is what she wanted to share with us and with all of our supporters:

“This will be my son’s and my first happy holiday season, and it will be especially monumental for us. Our home is safe, and having that means more than anything.

“Having left my 13-year marriage, home and business behind due to domestic violence, I found myself starting over with very little. My son was only four years old but had already lived through so much. The YWCA provided daycare and legal help, and it helped me stay centered.

“Today I am alive and empowered. I found myself to be not a victim but a strong woman. My son is learning boundaries and to speak up for himself. I am forever thankful to the YWCA for their services and caring staff.”

We've put together a complete guide to how you can help children and families at the YWCA this holiday season. Click here to download The Holiday Guide to Giving Joy in PDF format. And here are a few ways that you can help spread joy this holiday season:

• Purchase new holiday gifts from our holiday wish list. These gifts will be distributed at our holiday “shopping” day for program participants. Parents can choose gifts for their children and have them wrapped just as if they were shopping at a department store. Click here for giving guidelines.
• Purchase CASA Cards, available at the YWCA. These beautiful cards feature artwork by children and benefit CASA. Businesses: You can special-order cards with your logo and custom greeting—a great way to recognize clients!
• Organize a drive to collect holiday gifts or food. (We’ll provide tags for your giving tree.) Contact Leslie Stose at 360-906-9157 or lstose at ywcaclarkcounty dot org, or Rose Hart at 360-906-9153 or rhart at ywcaclarkcounty dot org, for more information.
• Shop at Our Children's Store in the Lloyd Center in Portland. A portion of these proceeds benefit the YWCA’s CASA Program.
• Tell your co-workers, neighbors, fellow church members, family and friends how they can make a difference by helping the YWCA this holiday season. We will gladly send the YWCA Holiday Guide to Giving Joy insert to anyone who would like to have it!
• Make a monetary contribution to support life-changing YWCA programs.