Serving Women, Girls, and Families in the Lehigh Valley Since 1898

Since our founding, YWCA services have focused on ensuring access to opportunities and providing assistance for women throughout their life span. YWCA public policy advocacy and issue education have helped to ensure support for women and girls in their work and at home. Today for every woman and girl, no matter where she comes from or where she is going, the YWCA is at her service– as a touchstone, stepping stone, or cornerstone.

The YWCA was founded 1855 and is one of the oldest and largest multicultural women’s organizations in the world. A YWCA association has been active in Allentown since 1898. YWCA has always served as a life-long positive force among women and girls and as a catalyst for social change designed to achieve equity and equality.

Annually, 25 million women and their families meet, learn, and grow at YWCAs in 120 countries.

In the United States, YWCA efforts are focused on eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. To these ends, through a broad base of social services and advocacy, the YWCA dismantles common and discriminatory barriers faced by women and girls as they develop and sustain their lives. YWCA services are designed for our community, with an emphasis on serving those most in need.

The YWCA USA generally and the YWCA Allentown, specifically, have a long, proud history of responding to and meeting real and immediate needs in the community in real time. When women moved from rural areas to the cities to assist in the efforts of WWI and WWII or find work in factories, they needed support and safe housing. The YWCA built dormitories. Opened canteens. Organized job training.

Through our roots and location in downtown Allentown, we work to identify areas of need and to find solutions. We find a need. We meet it.