ENID, Okla. — YWCA Enid is expanding its services to the community with new programs that extend beyond the walls of the organization’s crisis center.

The organization has long been known for its services for women through the YWCA Crisis Center. Staff continue to focus on the facility but also are expanding services to help women escaping domestic violence get back on their feet, to empower area girls and provide legal aid to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

YWCA has a long history in Enid. In the early 1920s, the organization provided the first employment services for women and Enid’s first interracial programs.

In 1979, the organization opened Option House, a shelter for battered women and their children, after employees saw a need in Garfield County for emergency domestic violence services. The two-bedroom house was often at capacity, and community members, in cooperation with the YWCA, would sometimes open their homes to families escaping domestic violence. In 1982, the YWCA Option House moved to an 11-bedroom facility, which was the largest in the state at the time. The name was changed to the Crisis Center.

Sponsorship drive

“Right now, we’re in the midst of our annual sponsorship drive,” said Courtney Strzinek, marketing and youth program coordinator. “Essentially, we’re entirely grant-funded so that obviously leaves a lot of unpaid bills, et cetera. We’re really having to fundraise to keep up with all our programs and the needs that are arising in the community.”

This year’s fundraising goal is $100,000. Those wanting to donate can do so online at bit.ly/DonateNowYWCA.

“We have more than doubled our goal this year. With some new strategies in place, we are looking forward to our biggest campaign yet,” said YWCA Executive Director Debbie Wilczek.

The sponsorship drive allows the YWCA to continue to provide free emergency services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, as well as quality youth programs such as the annual Girl Power Rally, Project Cinderella and Racial Justice Program. These services impact an average of 1,426 individuals each year.

One of the new strategies employed this year is re-launching the Men Against Violence (Maverick) program. All male community leaders were invited to the Maverick’s Breakfast on April 5 to learn about the effects that domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking have on employees, friends and family members.

“Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking not only impact the victim (but) these crimes impact the entire community,” Wilczek said. “Our first annual Maverick’s Breakfast was an opportunity for men to join us in taking a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault in our community.

“We have been extremely blessed by the generosity of this amazing community. We offer many levels of giving to allow for diverse array of participation, with sponsorships starting at $50,” Wilczek said. “Sponsorship contributions are simply an investment in our mission and reflect an individuals’ belief in the value of our programs.”

“We’ve seen in other YWCAs that they’ve had a lot of success getting more men involved,” Strzinek said. “We’ve seen a lot of more male victims coming in.”

Strzinek said the sponsorship drive will conclude April 27 with the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event. For $15, men can put on a pair of high heels to walk around the courthouse square from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We’ll have lunch available,” Strzinek said. “We would like to see an increase in our walkers this year. We’re hoping to see some of our key leaders and getting them involved.”

Project Cinderella

The Project Cinderella boutique is a collection of dresses and shoes and available to girls in need of attire for prom.

“Any high school girls in need can come in and get a free dress and free shoes,” Strzinek said. “We probably have over 300 dresses looking for a home.”

Those wanting to visit the boutique are asked to contact the YWCA and make an appointment. The boutique will remain open until April 20.

“We’ve had some girls just come in in tears because they couldn’t otherwise go to prom,” Strzinek said.

YWCA Crisis Center

Viviana Smith, women’s services director at YWCA Enid, said the crisis center is specifically designed to serve women with children, unlike other facilities that do not serve children.

The shelter provides services to women fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking and serves communities in Garfield, Kingfisher, Blaine, Major and Grant counties.

Smith said the crisis center is a short-term shelter, designed to provide a safe haven for about 30 days. But while the shelter may be short-term, Smith said services such as counseling, help with finding jobs and housing and legal services are available after women leave the shelter.

“It’s not like after they leave here their whole support system disappears,” Smith said. “We still assist them with services, as needed, after they leave.”

She said the Crisis Center is not just a place for women.

“We do offer services to men who are victims of domestic violence. If they need a place to stay it does apply to them, as well as the females,” Smith said. “There has always been such a stigma with male victims. We are not going to deny services to anybody.”

Strzinek said statistics show one in three women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. She said statistics also show one in four men will, too.

“We have seen an increase in the number of men reporting,” she said. “A lot of people have a misconception that we only serve women.”

My Sister’s Closet

Another service of YWCA Enid is My Sister’s Closet, which assists women and their families with clothing and household items.

The on-site donation facility provides gently used or donated clothing for women, men and children, as well as furniture and household goods for those making a new home.

My Sister’s Closet currently is housed in two different storage areas in the YWCA facility: a large room with racks and shelves for donated clothes and a smaller room that contains toys and household goods.

YWCA staff are moving My Sister’s Closet to a larger space being renovated on the facility’s north end, across from the conference room.

In 2016, the closet served almost 1,500 clients and distributed about 22,000 articles of clothing.

My Sister’s Closet is not limited to residents of the shelter. Community members in need also can browse for needed items. Strzinek said community members only need present photo identification to shop at the closet once per 90 days.

In addition to clothing and household goods, Strzinek said the YWCA is in constant need of donations to support the crisis center clients.

Needed items include towels and washcloths; sheets and blankets; size 5-6 diapers; coffee, creamer and sugar; non-perishable food items; toiletries; laundry soap and dryer sheets; cleaning supplies; sanitizing wipes.

Strzinek also collects school supplies year-round for children of women in the shelter and children of families in need in the community.

Girl Power

YWCA Enid is working this year to expand Girl Power, a workshop designed to empower girls in grades 4-7 with the “knowledge and self-confidence to stand up for themselves, to stand up against peer pressure and injustices of all kind,” according to the YWCA Enid website.

The event has long been a one-day workshop, but the plan is to expand the event this summer to a week-long day camp with “more camp-type activities.”

SANE Exams

YWCA Enid provides a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam room and volunteers to assist both female and male victims of sexual assault and rape.

Thanks to a partnership with St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, victims can have an exam performed in a private room dedicated to that purpose inside the YWCA.

Source: http://www.enidnews.com/news/ywca-enid-opening-its-doors-to-all-needing-help-in/article_e0c23d4c-401c-11e8-9b0e-6b34e3bd7227.html