YWCA of Kalamazoo

YWCA Kalamazoo is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. We are a member association of the YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families. YWCA Kalamazoo was founded in 1885 and serves as the oldest association in Michigan. Originally established to provide residence services for young women, today YWCA Kalamazoo serves as a primary resource for economic, gender, and racial justice for all women and girls in Kalamazoo.

The YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 150 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 in order 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.