The YWCA has always been ahead of the curve in the fight to end racism and empower women nationwide. In the early 1900s, they were already working to promote many of the values we often take for granted today: women’s health and safety, career advancement, safe labor laws, and affordable housing, just to name a few. With more than 1,300 sites across the United States, the YWCA continues to offer an impressive array of programs to holistically support women and families.

Creative and Effective Social Services

You’ll find many similar services at most locations, such as childcare, health and fitness classes, after-school education programs, domestic violence prevention, and new-mother support programs. However, local chapters often create unique programs to serve a specific need in their communities, with support from the larger YWCA organization. The NerdWallet team did some research, and we were impressed with the creativity these programs embodied. Read on to learn about eight of our favorites. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit your local YWCA, or donate time or money to one of their many causes.

YWCA Salem, Oregon

Rollercoasters is a low-cost group therapy program for young children and middle school students (8 – 14 years) who are dealing with a divorce, separation or blending of new families. Lead by a licensed therapist, this eight-week workshop series helps kids tackle tough (but perfectly normal) issues that occur with a changing family, such as feeling angry or alone, and coping with change, all in a safe and supportive environment with other people who understand. Although it’s not required, parents are strongly encouraged to participate in the last 10-15 minutes of each class discussion. Divorce and separation affects entire families, but YWCA Salem recognizes the benefits of creating a support group just for kids, who often don’t have same skills for expressing grief that adults do.

Rollercoasters Support Group

To read the full article: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/innovative-ywca-programs/

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013305100022

Contact YWCA Salem to reserve your seat at 503-581-9922.

Visit our racial justice page to learn other ways you can help the progress towards the elimination of racism.

SALEM, OR (April 10, 2013) – The YWCA Salem and the Marion-Polk Food Share will install a community garden for families experiencing homelessness at YWCA Salem Outreach Shelter. “Dig Day” is Saturday, April 13 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon and will include building raised beds, backfilling with cultivated dirt and planting seeds. Marion-Polk Food Share, the major contributor in this endeavor, has coordinated nearly 50 community gardens.

The community garden will be used to educate low-income families about nutrition, healthy cooking and budgeting. “We are teaching parents and kids about nutritional value, where food comes from, and how to make good choices for eating, even on a budget,” said Jessica Ickes, YWCA Salem’s Health Services Director.

The project enhances knowledge and gives parents and their children the opportunity to plant, nurture and cultivate their own food. What is grown in the garden will be used in the shelter’s kitchen and cooked by the families. Funding for the community garden project was provided in part by Oregon Food Bank Network Support Fund and the Marion-Polk Food Share.

Volunteers are invited to participate in the YWCA Salem Outreach Shelter’s “Dig Day.” Gardening tools and supplies are needed for the families (adult and kid-sized) to work the community garden and make it flourish throughout the season. These include a wheelbarrow, shovels, rakes and rain barrels. If you would like to donate time, tools or funding, please contact the YWCA.

Marion-Polk Food Share is the regional food bank serving Marion and Polk counties through a network of nearly 100 hunger-relief partners. Since 1987, MPFS has been “leading the fight to end hunger … because no one should be hungry.” As the second largest of 20 regional food banks in the Oregon Food Bank Network, MPFS collects and distributes nutritional foods to food pantries, meal sites, foster homes, low-income day care centers, shelters, and senior housing sites.

YWCA Salem works to ensure women, girls and families in Marion and Polk counties are healthy, empowered and supported. Upholding the YWCA USA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women, we focus on the specific needs of our community in three service areas:  Shelter, Health and Empowerment. For more information, visit www.ywcasalem.org or call 503-581-9922.

Media Contact:
Jessica Ickes, Health Services Director
503.581.9922 x304, jickes@ywcasalem.org

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Salem, Ore., March 28, 2013 – Lead the Way to National Walking Day will be held on Tuesday, April 2 to commemorate the third anniversary of Marion County’s  Health and Wellness Initiative, “I Love ME.”  Kicked off in 2010 by Senators Peter Courtney and Jackie Winters,  ”I Love ME” challenges all Oregonians to make healthy lifestyle choices and commit to the 5-2-1-0 in 30 challenge:  Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day; reduce leisure time in front of a TV or computer screen to two hours or less a day;  spend one hour a day moving actively; and have zero sweetened drinks in your diet.

Senator Winters said ” National Walking Day is tomorrow, April 3, 2012, but we want our Marion County communities thinking ahead by Moving it and Sharing our 5210 efforts.  Senator Courtney and I created ‘I Love ME – Marion County’ to raise awareness of the growing incidence of childhood obesity and diabetes in our community and state.  In Oregon, over 15% of children ages 2- 5 years are overweight and obese, leading to a lifetime of health, social, and financial struggles.”  With food nutrition, exercise and walking, we can reverse this trend.

The walk will begin on the capitol steps at noon with opening remarks by Senators Winters and Courtney.  Prior to the walk , Zumba dance and warmups  will be led by the YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties and the first 521 participants will receive free pedometers courtesy of Kaiser Permanente.  The walk will be a lively trek around the state capitol mall and conclude with a healthy snack provided by Subway.

National Walking Day Challenge to local schools

All schools in Marion County are encouraged to participate in their own way on National Walking Day for their chance to win one of five $250 cash prizes for their physical education departments provided by WalMart.

Schools should submit photographs and a brief description of their Walking Day event, including number of participants to the 5210 in 30 Challenge facebook page at facebook.com/5210Challenge

Submissions will be scored on number of participants, creativity and length of time or number of steps walked.

Winners will be notified prior to announcement on the page.

The tipping point for the I Love Me efforts was the adoption of the 5210 in 30 Challenge. Since its public launch in January of 2012, the 5210 in 30 Challenge has reached over 23,000 people in Marion & Polk Counties through a coordinated collaborative effort between multiple agencies and partners. Results from groups participating in the pre and post surveys as part of the 30 day Challenge have reported  increased fruit and vegetable intake, reduced screen time, increased activity, and reduced sweetened beverage intake.

5210 Challenge in 30 Update

Multiple worksites who have participated include Marion County, City of Salem, Hope Orthopedics, Oregon State Department of Legislative Services, Yamhill County, Polk County, Willamette Valley Health Authority, Woodburn Pediatric Clinic. Coming this spring are Maps Credit Union, DeSantis Landscape, and Silverton Health.

Shaney Starr, Executive Director of Marion Polk Medical Society reports, “The members of the Marion-Polk County Medical Society recognizes the importance that healthy lifestyle behaviors play in preventing chronic disease and improving a person’s quality of life.  Because of that, we are proud to be involved in a program that is have such a positive impact on our community.”

WVP’s Living Healthy program reports one participant who has lost 22lbs and is taking 1/2 the dose of insulin she had been taking in the past! She says she is sticking with the 5210 program and that has especially helped her with losing weight.

Schools and early childhood programs are also participating. The entire Perrydale School District K-12 just finished the 5-2-1-0- challenge!  Suzanne Carey, district spokesperson celebrates, “Our food service people found that the fruits and vegetables were chosen much more often and they had to replenish them much more than before.   There were teachers and kids walking and jogging on the track during lunch hours that did not exist before.  The response was positively received by the community and parents got on board.  The conversations that took place in the lunch rooms were frequently about screen time, the change from sodas to water and consumption of fruits and vegetables.  What a success that is!!

South Salem High School physical education program required freshmen to participate in the 30 day challenge.  Instructor Crystal Rodgers reports  that of the 167 students who participated those eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables jumped from 9% at baseline to 16% at 30-days and nearly tripled to 26% at 60-days. Students with 2 hrs or less of screen time/day was 37% at baseline and increased to 50% at 30 and 60-days. Exercise of 1 hour/day was high at baseline (53%) but increased slightly to 58% at 30 and 60-days. Finally, only 20% of students drank 0 sugar sweetened drinks/day at baseline. This increased to 34%.

Students were asked to reflect on the Challenge: 80% felt the experience was positive. The tracker was most cited as helpful in the 21% who gave reasons for the program’s success.