It is a famous and unique organization in Los Angeles dedicated solely to serving homeless women of all ages. The Downtown Women’s Center became the leader in many areas. losangeleska will tell you more about it.
About the founder
The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) was founded in 1979 by worker Jill Halverson. She was inspired by a woman named Rose, who was homeless at the time. Their friendship and warm relationships prompted Jill to create a community to help women who were left with nothing.
Jill Halverson, a former Peace Corps volunteer, was an outreach worker in Skid Row at the time (in the 1970s). Rose became homeless due to a mental illness that had worsened her state of health over the years. After being discharged from a psychiatric hospital, Rosa ended up in Skid Row. This is how the two women met each other and founded DWC, a space for restoring personal stability and improving the lives of homeless women.
Since then, the program has reached thousands of women and changed their lives for the better. DWC owns over 119 units of permanent housing in Los Angeles. In two residences, over 5700 women are served each year. Homeless women, including women veterans and their families and women with serious physical and mental health problems, come to the center. The organization also provides help to women who have experienced domestic violence.
At the Day Center, women are provided with basic needs and resources such as three meals daily, showers and toilets, mail services, laundry rooms and phones.
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) also contribute to the provision of housing services.
Mission of the center
The primary mission of the center is to help women of all ages who are experiencing homelessness. This assistance includes providing safe shelter, food, healthcare, counseling, job placement assistance, etc. The Downtown Women’s Center became a pioneer in the following directions:
- A regular housing provider for women in the USA. This is a solution to the vital problem of homelessness among women. They receive protection and a chance for gradual rehabilitation of housing.
- It is also a provider of critical time interventions in Western America. This assistance includes food, clothing, shelter and other necessary services for homeless women.
- A health facility is exclusively for women living in Skid Row. Thanks to this, women got access to medical care, including mental health services. The facility provides individual and group counseling, preventive examinations, services of Trauma Recovery Center and more.
- The Day Center, which serves homeless women in Los Angeles, offers them a safe space to rest and eat, as well as counseling on how to improve their lives.
Most common questions
DWC is not a shelter but an organization that helps roofless women with accommodation, handles cases and provides emergency services at the Day Center, which is open from Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Many ask about assistance for men and children. DWC is a facility that delivers on-site services only to single adult women. Families can get housing outside the area through the Community Based Housing program (CBH). Center managers will refer families to local organizations nearby, if they need immediate help or a place to stay.
Education and job training
In the first place, homeless women need to satisfy their basic needs (food, water, rest, healthcare) before moving on to education and job training for future employment. This is a crucial step in overcoming obstacles and an opportunity to gain independence and improve their lives.
Education and further preparation for a job are important for roofless women in several ways:
- A large number of such women lack the necessary skills and education to find work. That is why DWC provides free training that helps acquire or improve various skills. As a result, women become more competitive in the labor market.
- Gaining new knowledge and skills helps boost self-confidence. Women begin to believe in themselves, which is an important step towards overcoming homelessness and building a new and better life.
- Having attainments and education gives shelterless women more chances, such as access to higher-paying jobs.
- Through communication and new connections, such women feel part of society again.
Research shows that homeless women who have received training and job preparation from charitable organizations are less likely to return to their previous lives.
Made by DWC
DWC offers transitional employment at MADE by DWC (in partnership with LA:RISE). This program was launched in 2011 and helps women to earn money while gaining work skills and experience. Women are employed within social enterprises. They regularly attend professional development seminars and receive additional supporting services.
This is a really innovative approach that helps women break the cycle of homelessness.
MADE by DWC encompasses three enterprises:
- Home collection, resale
- Coffee shop
- Gift boutique.
Homeless women in Los Angeles gain experience in production, inventory, retail business and customer service. They work in a positive environment that helps to expand their capabilities.
Another possibility is training in advocacy for women’s empowerment. They can be an advocate for themselves and others and participate in press interviews, meetings, press conferences, fundraising events, etc.
Volunteering
Roofless women who turned to DWC have the opportunity to become part of a volunteer program that annually attracts more than 5000 people. Women who choose this program feel the purpose and meaning because they see their contribution to society. All of this is an important step.
Volunteering is also important for self-development, which involves gaining new skills and experience. This will be beneficial for women’s personal and professional growth in the future.
The DWC volunteer program creates a safe and comfortable environment where homeless women can talk to each other, listen to others’ stories, understand their problems and empathize.
The problem of homelessness
DWC is an organization that provides essential services to women in need. Their work is an example to follow. Thanks to the center’s efforts, homeless women become stronger and more resilient because they know that they are not alone with their problems. DWC helps these women improve their lives. The center is located at 442 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, the helpline number is (213) 680-0600.
