Our Future

Women of Vision, YWCA Greater Green Bay

The mission of the YWCA is more important than ever.

For 165 years, YWCA’s across the nation have been dedicated to improving the lives of women, girls and communities of all backgrounds.

In our community and across the nation, this is a profoundly challenging time for the people we serve so advancing our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women is more important now than ever.

YWCA Greater Green Bay is on a mission.

We’re proudly leaning into our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.

In the past year, we’ve responded to pressing needs of our community, contributed to growing the local economy and meaningfully improved the quality of life for women and girls across the region.

For instance, by;

Addressing the local childcare crisis and related labor shortage.

Last spring, we converted former office space into a new state-licensed infant childcare classroom. In partnership with United Way and Family Childhood Resources of N.E.W., we have provided 8 more childcare slots for families working to balance demands of work and family life and added 2 workforce positions.

This year, we opened a culturally centered classroom for children and families. Led and staffed by Somali teachers, this program provides a welcoming space where children can learn and grow through culturally relevant care and curriculum. Somali educators received early childhood education classes, training, workforce development and mentorship in teaching strategies and center operations.

By providing quality and affordable childcare, parents can work which advances the economic development of our region.

Serving as a new business incubator.

This past year we served as an incubator for two nonprofits, Counting Stars, an agency committed to fostering inclusion to children and families with disabilities, and the Nkauj Zaj Dance Academy and Maiv Passion, which provide Hmong youth with programs in arts and culture, not only granting these organizations physical space, yet working together on opportunities and mentorship for these female executive directors, Jennifer Bourget and Mai Nu Vang.

This incubation effort has accelerated growth for these organizations, positioning them to be economic contributors to the region and foster greater belonging for the populations they serve.

Supporting S.T.E.A.M. skill-building opportunities for girls.

Since 2022, our TechGYRLS® Summer Experience program has provided young girls in grades 3-8 hands on opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math, to encourage them to pursue careers in these fields.

We've implemented this in partnership with many local businesses and with sponsorships from lead community employers such as Schneider, Humana and Ahlstrom.

Our work building the TechGYRLS® program has been recognized as a best practice by the national YWCA and we've been asked to assist with scaling the program to other YWCA's across the country.

Partnering on workforce development

In August 2024, we launched a Worker Connection Program in partnership with Wisconsin Literacy and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to support women with career navigation. This partnership has enhanced our capacity to support women's economic advancement with trauma-informed approach that considers the unique needs and barriers to employment.

Weekly partnerships with Limitless Possibilities and local schools help students become workplace ready and gain real-life job skills.

Launching more culturally centered programs for underrepresented populations.

This year Comunidades Program was launched as an extension of Salud Para Todos. Weekly fitness classes and social programs are now offered in Spanish for the Latino and Hispanic populations.

The Nkauj Zaj Dance Academy partnership has connected Hmong girls to their culture through dance and Hmong families to YWCA.

We've partnered with COMSA to offer women's empowerment swim classes to local refugee women.

The collaborative early childhood initiative will bring culturally aligned childcare and workforce development support to Somali families.

The YWCA has a deeply committed leader with a compelling vision for the future and a plan to create more positive change for the women in our community.

“As we look to the future, we see an opportunity to lean deeper into our mission of uplifting women and communities of all backgrounds by positioning the YWCA as the go-to resource and empowerment center for women and their families.

We'll do this through expanded programs and services for women in the areas of resource provision, skills development, safe spaces, advocacy and awareness, and community building with an empowerment focus that spans all facets of wellness — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, social and financial.

In response to current needs, we'll dedicate more resources to our Women's Empowerment Center and the Early Childhood Education and Care programs and initiatives, specifically.”

- Amy Schaeuble YWCA Executive Director & CEO

In support of our vision, we are realigning our resources by right sizing our pool operations.

We currently operate and maintain two pool spaces in our limited footprint: an exercise pool, and a lap and lesson pool. The pools are currently underutilized and costly to maintain. Given that the lap and lesson pool is dated and will require additional costly updates, we plan to close that pool and repurpose that section of the building.

While the YWCA Greater Green Bay has come to be known for its aquatic lesson programs (and our beloved aquatics director Teri), we have a unique opportunity to reallocate our budget and repurpose that section of the building to allow for expansion of our mission centered work for our Women’s Empowerment Center and Early Childhood Care center. This is a defining moment for the YWCA Greater Green Bay — our strategy aligns with both mission and stability.

We invite you to join in our optimism for the future —

one where local women and communities thrive.

This is a defining moment for the YWCA Greater Green Bay — our strategy aligns with both mission and sustainability, and data that supports it.

We invite you to join us as we journey to make a greater impact in our region, whether by sharing your thoughts, attending our programs and events, seeking support through our Women’s Empowerment Center, joining in on women’s wellness or volunteering.

Together, we’ll ensure that all women and girls from all backgrounds are Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.

FAQs

  • We’ve spent the past year listening, learning and evaluating how we can best fulfill our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. What emerged is clear: the greatest opportunities for impact – and some of the greatest needs in our community – are in early childhood care and support for women. This shift allows us to focus and grow in the areas where we are most needed and most effective. 

  • We’re right-sizing from two pools to one. In December this year, our lap and lesson pool space currently used for group lessons and lap swim will close. That section of the building will be repurposed to better serve growing community needs. The exercise pool will be retained to support and grow group exercise classes, parent/tot lessons, childcare swim, private swim lessons and rentals. 

  • The decision to retain the exercise pool versus the lap and lesson pool was made based on the age and condition of the facilities. The exercise pool was constructed in 2005 and is in good shape. The lap and lesson pool, constructed in the 1960s, will require costly investments resulting from deferred maintenance. 

  • The lap and lesson pool will remain available through early December. We’ll keep members and users up to date as we progress through the year. After that date, members are invited to use the exercise pool. 

  • Group swimming lessons will continue through an extended Fall session ending in early December. We suggest families consider our private swimming lessons that will take place in the exercise pool, or seek group lessons through community aquatics partners: Kroc Center, YMCA , Park and Rec or new Swim Academy. 

  • We will continue to offer open swim in our exercise pool, as well as group exercise classes, parent/tot lessons, childcare swim, private swim lessons and pool rentals and groups.