YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish

YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish is a multi-issue social service nonprofit operating in King and Snohomish counties, Washington, with its origins in Seattle. Founded in 1894 by a group of women led by Rees Daniels as the Seattle Young Women's Christian Association, it began by offering a lounge and cafeteria serving 10-cent lunches to working women. It is now the largest and oldest nonprofit focused on the needs of women in the region, and reports more than 130 years of continuous service.

The organisation's stated mission is to eliminate racism and empower women, and to promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. It delivers nearly 40 programmes across more than 25 locations, serving over 7,000 women, men and children each year. Its work spans affordable housing, homelessness services, domestic violence advocacy, workforce development and health services, and it advocates at city, county, state and federal levels on racial and gender equity.

Housing provision is a substantial part of its operations. It runs emergency shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness and transitional supportive housing to help them secure stable accommodation, and it owns and operates more than 1,000 units of permanent affordable housing across King and Snohomish counties. Beyond housing, the organisation offers job training programmes and career centres, financial education for women and families, health services for women, men and children, and advocacy and counselling for survivors of domestic violence.