YWCA of the Upper Lowland, Inc

YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Since 1967, the YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, Inc. (YWCA UL) provides direct services to victims of intimate partner/domestic violence/sexual assault and family violence. Our services are geared towards safety planning for domestic/family violence prevention/education and other human service resource management services. Our catchment areas are Clarendon, Lee, and Sumter counties, yet we serve individuals from all over the world. The types of direct services to victims and prevention/education services the YWCA provides include: victim advocacy, volunteer services, information and referrals to community agencies, victim support groups, parenting classes, children/youth advocacy, domestic violence awareness classes, sexual assault education, bilingual advocacy, emergency housing, case management services (with respect to developing an action plan), assistance in securing permanent housing, assistance with legal issues, batterers intervention classes, individual and group counseling, aid and support in the Emergency Room for victims and their families; domestic violence and sexual assault training workshops, public awareness and education campaigns, a 24-hour domestic violence crisis hotline, a 24-hour sexual assault crisis hotline, and Empowerment Workshops (job readiness and self-sufficiency).

Testimonials

Though our efforts, the YWCA UL's advocacy and other direct services have supported individuals throughout the Midlands by maintaining outreach activities educating and networking resources/ funds to assist individuals fleeing from their domestically abusive circumstances. We were fortunate to assist and provide over $1200 dollars' worth of emergency hotel services, keeping them from returning to their abusers. The YWCA UL was able to coordinate housing services such as deposits and first month rent .
Recently, a Client came to YWCA UL indicating her current experiences of intimate partner violence and was in need of emergency shelter. She had several children and shared how she was "unsafe in her home due to a recent instance of abuse." This lady went on self report "a couple of the children had chronic health problems . After our YWCA Advocate conducted a safety plan and surveyed other needs, the Client and YWCA UL Advocate was able to get the family emergency housing, food and other items that she specified were her needs. Several weeks went by and the Client returned for additional non-residential services from YWCA UL Advocate to aid with moving her and her family into permanent housing to begin their healing process and regain self-sufficiency to progress their desired quality of life.