About Us

Pictures of Women and Children, Community Education, YWCA La Crosse

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

Adopted by YWCA USA General Assembly in 2009.

Our Herstory:

Teacher With Her Students, Childcare, YWCA La Crosse
Teacher With Her Students, Childcare, YWCA La Crosse
Two Women in the Kitchen, Childcare, YWCA La Crosse

In 1903, before the nation saw women as equals, community members in the La Crosse area united to improve the lives of women and girls in the Coulee Region. They voted to found YWCA La Crosse. For decades, YWCA La Crosse provided programs to inspire girls to grow into leaders of tomorrow, advocate for women, and empower women to work toward self-sufficiency. Over time, YWCA La Crosse's mission expanded to include a focus on racial injustice. In 2009, YWCA La Crosse adopted its current mission: eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For 120 years, our programming has evolved to meet the needs of our community and ensure that women and girls, especially women and girls of color, have the support they need to succeed. Today, we accomplish our mission through four main programmatic areas: child care, supportive housing, restorative practices and community education.

Key Dates in YWCA History