YWCA Greenwich: Building Our Future
For over 100 years, YWCA Greenwich has served as an indelible force for a more equitable, inclusive, healthy, and safe community in Greenwich. Through our rich and varied programming that includes childhood education and youth programs, health and wellness offerings, gender and racial equity programs, and domestic and sexual violence services, everyone has a place here. As we look to the future, we are committed to improving the lives of our community members, celebrating their good days and walking with them during their most vulnerable moments.
Despite expanding and diversifying our programs and services, we have remained in the same physical space since 1969, when the building was constructed. Today, we have outgrown our current spaces and consistently maximize every inch. This has generated internal flow and adjacency challenges that limit us from reaching our full potential for impact.
To strengthen and sustain our organization, it is critical that we modernize and expand our campus and create a more dignified, welcoming space for our community with a 15,000 square foot, two-story and basement building addition at the front of our property.
By redesigning and relocating the Harmony Project to our third floor, we will unlock additional opportunities to align the rest of our spaces—consolidating all the Preschool classrooms onto the same floor, right sizing the pool deck and Dolphins team space, updating the Fitness Center, and investing in key physical infrastructure.
To realize our vision, we are embarking on a $20 million campaign grounded in two key priorities – Address Domestic and Sexual Violence Program Space at the Harmony Project and Reimagine Community Spaces and Programs
Address Domestic and Sexual Violence Program Space at the Harmony Project $10 Million
The Need
- The Harmony Project has grown substantially to meet the community’s rising needs, yet our space has not.
- Stagnant space prevents a dignified experience for our clients during their most vulnerable times.
- Certain services are scattered in non-adjacent spaces, impacting the operation and client experience.
The Harmony Project’s relocation serves as the key first step in reimagining the YWCA as a contemporary, vibrant hub
Our Plans
- Maximize the personal privacy, safety, and humanity of clients by relocating the Harmony Project to the top-floor of a new, warm, and light-filled space with 5,000 additional square feet.
- Features include larger, private counseling offices and service delivery spaces, 24-hour accessibility to services, and added security.
- Consolidation of all services and staff in one space will improve service delivery and client experience.
Reimagine Community Spaces and Programs $10 Million
The Need
- Outgrown current spaces, maximizing every inch
- Internal flow and adjacency challenges
- Critical infrastructure updates (stormwater drainage, technical building systems)
Our Plans
- Merge the entire Preschool Center onto the same floor to unify the experience for families, children, and staff.
- Right-size the Aquatics space for a larger pool deck, increase Dolphins' space and storage
- Modernize the basement space as an open multi-use space
- Augment the Fitness Center
- Invest in vital updates to storage, stormwater drainage and technical building systems
PHILANTHROPIC IMPACT
- Deepen our impact on every person who comes to the YWCA—starting at the front door
- Strengthen our comprehensive approach to ending domestic and sexual violence in Greenwich
- Ensure that the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Preschool Center, aquatics, and fitness spaces reflect the vibrancy of our programs and community members
- Guarantee the future vitality of YWCA Greenwich
Shaping the
Future of
Now more than ever, our neighbors—young and mature, strong and vulnerable—need vibrant community institutions like the YWCA Greenwich.
We will forge a bold future for our community that eliminates racism, empowers women, and promotes peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Join us and together we will shape the future of YWCA Greenwich.