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OUR HISTORY YWCA Hamilton
The Beginning, 1885 - 1902
In every decade since 1885, the National YWCA has been studying and acting to resolve critical issues in the lives of women, girls and families. The movement has always understood the necessary connection between providing services for Women and girls and acting to correct social conditions that create the needs for these services. With the later emergence of women seeking employment outside of the home and off the farms, a need arose in the cities for safe, inexpensive lodging, physical exercise and additional educational resources. Women needed a secure refuge from domestic violence. They needed after school care programs for children. The community needed supported living environments for low-income women. The YWCA Hamilton, founded in 1900, by Dr. Julia Goodman and chartered on June 25, 1902, has been an enthusiastic participant in these goals.
1902 - 1920
The YWCA of Hamilton offered housing and board, as well as classes in arithmetic, English, bookkeeping, shorthand, spelling and sewing. In 1913, a flood devastated Hamilton and the YWCA building was destroyed. Through the kindness of James Cullen–who offered his residence at 315 Dayton Street–the organization was able to continue. In response to the First World War, the YWCA formed the Hi-Y Club, which supported 100 Belgian orphans and knitted thousands of garments for men in the service and the needy overseas.
1930 - 1945
The years of the Depression made changes in the YWCA. Women and girls were losing jobs and experiencing acute need. The YWCA offered unemployment classes and from these classes grew the leisure and adult education programs. The YWCA moved to its elegant new building at 244 Dayton Street in 1931 with Judge Florence Allen of the Ohio Supreme Court providing the dedication. During World War II, the YWCA supported orphans, displaced persons, and persons overseas via the Hi-Y Club. YWCA Hamilton responded to the post-war era by adding programs such as the Newcomers Club, Friendship Club, The War Brides Club, and the Young Matron Club to accommodate the needs of women moving into Hamilton.
1950's - 1970's
YWCA Hamilton started its efforts to eliminate racism and the emerging Women’s Movement sought full equality in the workplace.
1970's - 1990's
In this era, YWCA Hamilton began providing support services such as a 24-hour crisis line and emergency shelter (Dove House) for battered women and their children. Through a grant from HUD, the also created a transitional housing program for women at risk of homelessness. The YWCA also staffed and supported a 45 room residence for single women in need of a semi-structured living environment.
For the general public, the YWCA operated an array of fitness, recreational and literacy programs for adults and children. Additionally, YWCA Hamilton provided space for independent support groups such as AA.
1990’s – 2000
The YWCA continued to offer a wide array of services: Dove House, Goodman Place (Mental Health Services), Permanent Residence, Family Literacy Program, and community space for basketball, meetings, wedding showers, and more.
2002 – 2005
The YWCA was awarded Federal Low Income and Historic Tax credits through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency for a $5 Million dollar renovation project to restore and update its historic building into individual low-cost apartments for women in Butler County. The major renovation began in 2003, and the YWCA temporarily relocated residents and staff to the Hamiltonian Hotel. In December 2004, the YWCA moved forward to a bright future by returning to its restored historic building! The grand opening was May 3, 2005.
2006 – 2009
The YWCA undertakes focused programs on Racial Justice. CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredits our Mental Health Services at the highest level. The YWCA Dove House opens a Middletown Satellite Shelter for Domestic Violence Victims. The Family Literacy Program begins a partnership with Mad Anthony Writers’ Conference. The Festival of Trees, with its quiet elegance, graces our historic building with a wonderful Gala Evening and Auction, and honors the YWCA Dove House as its chosen recipient in 2008. The Family Literacy Center continues its partnership and welcomes the popular Mad Anthony Wayne Writers’ workshops in April 2009 benefiting the Literacy Program.
2010-2022
This decade ushered in big changes. As the long running YWCA literacy program ended, a renewed focus on youth programs took shape. YWCA Hamilton received a five-year grant for Focus Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program and became one of the only Ohio affiliates of Girls Incorporated. Near the end of the decade YWCA Hamilton relaunched the girls’ program as FIERCE Girls (Fearless, Independent, Educated, Resilient, Confident, and Engaged) which worked to pass on the message of empowerment through group programs. Additionally, thanks to a special donation, YWCA Hamilton broaden its youth programming by expanding services to males with the Men of Honor program in 2018. A program helps tackle the roots of toxic masculinity. FIERCE Girls and Men of Honor were deployed using trauma informed care practices, seeking to build resilience and reduce long term morbidity.
YWCA Hamilton remained the hub for activity, including a series of Women’s Forums and free luncheons geared towards women’s empowerment. YWCA Hamilton also participated in or helped to coordinate events within the community around gender-based violence and anti-human trafficking awareness. The Biden Listening Tour, primarily for girls of color, explored the understandings of gender-based violence and awareness of resources within a community. The Speaking Frankly conferences addressed the rising incidents of human trafficking in our society, and Dove House began to accept survivors of human trafficking. In 2019, Dove House celebrated 40 years of operations and continued to be the only domestic violence shelter in Butler County.
YWCA Hamilton’s commitment to excellence continued as is received renewed CARF accreditation and earned a special designation for the voluntary board governance standards, an exceptional achievement in 2018. Modernizing to address the changing complexities of the individuals served, Goodman Place evolved to meet a community need around permanent supportive housing. The program was based on the philosophies of Housing First, Trauma Informed Care, and Harm Reduction. These evidenced based practices were deployed to increase housing stability and quality of life in the residents served.
2022
After over 122 years in an incredible building in downtown Hamilton, the YWCA of Hamilton moved! We have been serving the women, girls and families of Butler County since 1900 and it was time for a new home.
On December 5, 2022, we moved to 1570 Grand Boulevard a bigger, more secure facility where we will continue our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women as we maintain our commitment to racial justice, domestic violence prevention and education, victim advocacy, youth programming, and affordable housing for low-income individuals.
YWCA Hamilton is a 501(c)(3) organization so your donation is tax deductible.