YWCA: ‘Every day we see the need and answer the call to help unhoused families …’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Each year, the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County helps more than 1,000 women and children improve their lives. Now they’re expanding that help.

The YWCA helps women flee violence, develop their careers, learn financial literacy and more. But none of that work can happen without a safe place to call home. The YWCA is the only agency in Monroe County that provides total housing options, specifically for women.

They have been providing housing options, both emergency and permanent, to women in need in the Rochester area for 140 years. And there aren’t many places to go with children in tow. But, having a safe option will be a little easier thanks to a $200,000 investment from KeyBank.

The money will be used to renovate a former home on Ardmore Street off Chili Avenue. The YWCA will make it into a licensed homeless shelter, allowing women and their children to stay together while they look for permanent solutions.

“At YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County, every day we see the need and answer the call to help unhoused families at our main shelter on North Clinton Avenue, which is regularly at capacity. Seeing the growing need for family units in Rochester, we set out to acquire a property that would do just that, prrovide housing for families. With this generous donation from KeyBank Foundation, we were able to purchase the 6,500 square foot dwelling,” YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County’s President and CEO Dr. Myra Henry said.

There will be twelve units in this new shelter. And this project will take about a year to complete.