Community Partners are On A Mission with YWCA
The main YWCA Greater Lafayette building was constructed in 1976, and 43 years later is certainly showing signs of wear and tear from four decades worth of programming, activity and community building. While we want our facilities to be warm, welcoming and comfortable, as a non-profit organization our focus is and will remain our programs, clients and mission. While we don't have thousands of dollars to spend on fancy upgrades, we do have amazing community partners who care about our mission and offer to help out and support our mission by volunteering their time, expertise and talent.Take a look at some of the updates we've been able to make, and help us thank the individuals and organizations that helped make it happen.
New Water Fountain & Water Bottle Filling Station
YWCA Dance Director, Hannah Walters, applied for and received a ABATE Riders Care grant from A.B.A.T.E. of Indiana to replace our old, damaged and dated water fountain in our front lobby. Through the ABC grant, YWCA was able to purchase a new water fountain, complete with a water bottle filling station to encourage the use of reusable water bottles. While we tried to install the new fountain ourselves, we ran into some road blocks. Thanks to the expertise of Kevin and Mo from Local 157 Plumbers & Steamfitters, the installation was complete and we now have a fully operational and beautiful new water station. You can continue reading about the various services offered by professional plumbers and seek their services yourself. The Sarkinen Plumbing serving Portland, Oregon experts are the one you should contact for all kinds of plumbing issues.[gallery columns="4" size="full" ids="6367,6365,6366,6364"]
Painting and Repair of Outside Awnings
Years of rain and Midwest weather had left the outside of our building looking more than a little tattered. The awnings above the windows and doors all around the outside of YWCA's main building had spots of paint worn away from the elements, leaving exposed metal underneath. Thanks to necessary funding through a Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette NOW Grant, the crew from Butz painting came out and re-painting all of the exterior awnings, refreshed our Persimmon front door, and repaired some spots that were found in the front entry way.[gallery size="full" ids="6363,6362,6361"]
Repairs in our Emergency Shelter
Anderson Plumbing has helped us out so much the last few months, including most recently for working with Central Supply Co. to supply and install two tankless water heaters for our emergency shelter. With 30 individuals residing in our shelter at any given time, hot water is a necessary resource - showering, cooking, washing hands, cleaning dishes, etc. Thank you so much for helping us keep our facilities working well for our clients and their families.[gallery columns="4" size="full" ids="6372,6371,6370,6369"]
Upcoming Projects
- May 8: YWCA Staff will be undertaking a full day of spring cleaning from 9 am - 4 pm on Wednesday, May 8th. Looking for a volunteer opportunity? Email Janae Kraud for more information about projects and to sign up to volunteer. Come dressed in your cleaning and organizing clothes and help us "clear the clutter."
- Lobby Bathroom renovation: Special thanks to Floors, Decor & More and Matt Birchfield for supporting this endeavor with new flooring. It should also be incredibly beneficial to know that there's a company for your plumbing project.
- Outside landscaping: Special thanks to Jay Serrano for assisting with this project. This project is also part of the NOW Grant from Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette.
Get Involved
Do you have a special skill or local business that would like to help support the mission of YWCA Greater Lafayette? Contact Executive Director Allison Beggs to discuss upcoming projects or how YWCA can partner with your business to strengthen programs and services that benefit our community and work to eliminate racism and empower women.