YWCA Cass Clay

YWCA believes housing is the solution to homelessness. Our goal is to help women and families with children in crisis gain safety, stability, and a pathway to permanent housing. Safe shelter is the starting point on the journey to housing and ending homelessness for women and families.

For more than 40 years, YWCA has provided safe shelter and supportive services to individuals and families to help them gain independence and housing. While our services have evolved, the core needs of people fleeing homelessness and violence remain the same – safety, shelter, childcare, employment assistance and transportation. Until there is no more violence against women, or homelessness in our community, there will be a need for YWCA Emergency Shelter.

Our strategy is to provide the most critical element of empowering families to secure housing – the human element. Trained, compassionate YWCA staff are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our strategy is help women and families avert homelessness through homeless prevention; and by providing Advocates and critical supportive services to those on a journey to housing at YWCA Emergency Shelter.

YWCA is the largest shelter serving women and children in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The shelter is a safe, secure facility with a capacity of 67 (up to 80 if individuals are in imminent danger) that is staffed by trained professionals 24 hours a days, 365 days a year.

In 2019, we provided 21,648 nights of shelter to 1,362 individuals. 93% of those served had been victims of abuse.

Beyond safe shelter, YWCA meets basic needs by providing food, clothing, personal hygiene items, work necessities, diapers, school supplies, and transportation. Once individuals have their basic needs met, we turn to empowerment.

We offer women support to find peace and recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually from the damaging effects of poverty and violence. YWCA’s experienced Advocates walk alongside participants as they strive to overcome barriers to housing.

Supportive services are critical to ensuring individuals are able to access housing faster and are able to maintain housing long-term. YWCA provides supportive services including an Education & Employment Program (E&E), childcare, Study Buddies after school program, and a Sanford Registered Nurse.

YWCA Cass Clay has been in Fargo-Moorhead for 114 years and has been providing emergency shelter for the last 42. As one of the longest standing nonprofits in our community, we strive to address crisis head on by operating the largest emergency shelter for women and children in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Our mission to offer - without judgment - safe shelter, food, clothing, childcare, education and employment services, health counseling and transportation assistance began over 40 years ago and is continuously evolving.

YWCA provides safety, comfort, and resources to rebuild for women and families at all hours, 365 days a year. While they come to us as an immediate escape from crisis, our goal is to provide long-term healing and growth emotionally, physically and spiritually. Most come seeking safe shelter and supportive services due to domestic violence, followed by economic devastation.

More than just a roof overhead — YWCA provides support and guidance for women to find peace and hope on their new journey. Through YWCA, women receive essential items like food and clothing, and grow from education and employment skill-building and other resources to help them navigate toward independence. Women will work to overcome obstacles of fear, low self-esteem, unemployment, poor credit history, lack of affordable housing, costly child care, and limited options for transportation to and from work. All of this is done with a caring advocate walking alongside them providing encouragement and strength, access to resources, and helping to break down any barriers they may encounter.

Once out of crisis, some women will move into our supportive or transitional housing where they continue to receive access to our supportive programs as they rebuild their lives. Our team is ready to connect them to many community solutions that will further support them, ranging from vocational training to healthy places for kids to go after school. In 2015, YWCA had a goal to double our supportive housing program from 19 to 40 homes; with the opening of Grace Garden: A YWCA Supported Residence in Fall 2019, we are proud to now provide homes to 70 families throughout all of our housing programs.

YWCA also plays a role in preventing homelessness in our community altogether. We do this through our food pantry, operated weekdays, and through our rental assistance program and affordable supportive housing. Our unique empowerment approach and wide-ranging programs make YWCA the only resource of its kind in the region.