A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
Balancing goals for exceptional impact with financial pragmatism
Healing from trauma and violence...a strong family...a stable home for every child.
What are these worth to you personally?
I imagine you are saying, “A lot.”
I begin 2025 deeply grateful to you for saying, with your continued support, that empowering vulnerable women and children is a high priority.
In late 2024, we navigated significant challenges to create this year’s organizational budget that balances delivery of high-quality services, impactful programs, and a safe, welcoming space for women and children, with realistic income projections.
Developing the 2025 budget was the toughest in my 16 years at YWCA.
We’re experiencing the same higher costs felt by families, plus heightened insurance premiums and other escalating costs to run a sound organization and safe home for those we serve.
In budgeting, we always look carefully at cost containment and conservatively at funding sources, which can be unpredictable for nonprofits. With much calculating and re-calculating, and year-end generosity from caring people and businesses, we arrived at a plan for 2025.
You add momentum to our work in 2025 when you give, and also when you share your passion for our work among neighbors, your faith community, your business network, and with elected officials.
All are needed to bring women and children who’ve experienced violence and homelessness to safety and brighter days ahead.
Wishing you a wonderful 2025,
Erin Prochnow CEO, YWCA Cass
Clay
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MISSION MOMENT
Empowering women to move from fear to freedom creates a lasting impact, shaping lives and memories for decades to come.
Pictured is a recent note of gratitude from a past shelter participant reflecting on her time spent with us in the 1990s.
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You change lives. Join us in celebrating your role in YWCA’s mission at our Champions of Empowerment Luncheon!
Thursday, February 13 • 11:30AM−1:00PM Holiday Inn, 3803 13th Ave S, Fargo
At the event, we will share progress on strategies to help families break the cycles of poverty and violence, hear the inspiring story of a woman supported in her journey by YWCA, and recognize exceptional supporters with YWCA Friend Awards.
Please RSVP at ywcacassclay.org/champions or call (701) 478-2243 if you’d like to attend!
I remain so very grateful for the help and support provided by the shelter staff. You helped me move from an abusive marriage to a much healthier and happier life. Always know that you make an enormous and positive difference in the lives of so many women and children.
YWCA: On
WARM & SAFE, ANNA KNEW THE COMPASSION OF YWCA SUPPORTERS.
If the image of a child’s joy on Christmas morning makes you smile, you’re probably thinking about a girl like Anna.
With her mom, she temporarily calls YWCA Emergency Shelter home since their arrival days before the holiday, thankful for safety in their flight from violence.
To escape her abusive husband, Anna’s mom drove to Fargo from a neighboring North Dakota city. They arrived near midnight only to discover they were short the money to pay the full cost of a hotel room. Given the hour and circumstances, a compassionate desk clerk offered the lobby furniture for sleeping until daylight.
As Anna slept, her mom called YWCA Emergency Shelter. Overnight YWCA staff answered her phone call, and helped plan for the next day.
“Despite all they’ve been through, many moms who come
in the week or days before the holiday have Christmas gifts for children among their biggest concerns,” says YWCA Shelter Advocate Emily. “It shows just how much every parent wants their children to feel special and have the joy of opening a gift. There is so much relief when we tell moms we can help.”
Families who’ve been at the shelter for longer are matched anonymously with community donors who fill wish list gifts through our Adopt A Family program.
In urgent situations like Anna’s, we use toys in our reserve from drop-offs and holiday drives, such as Stuff the Bus.
Her anxious mom told our team all about Anna, including special toys she left behind. With this direction, our staff picked out gifts.
Anna beamed at her new plush bear with a ribbon in her favorite blue, a set of miniature horses, and magnetic building tiles that she happily uses to build stables.
“Near the holidays, children can feel like they’ve lost everything and aren’t going to get a Christmas. It’s amazing to see their faces light up when we’re able to provide them gifts!”
While names and images have been changed to protect confidentiality, this story is true. If you provided toys or a yearend financial gift, you brought Anna and her mother safety and meaningful holiday joy. Thank you on behalf of all the moms and children we serve.
APRIL 28, 2025
APRIL 28, 2025
NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN!
Advocating for Equality
Arts, Culture, & Community
Business Leadership
Education
Health, Wellness, & Spirituality
Lifetime Achievement
Science, Technology, & Innovation
Volunteer Service
Young Woman of Today & Tomorrow
Youth Advocacy
WHO INSPIRES YOU?
Nominate them for YWCA Women of the Year 2025!
YWCA’s 52nd annual Women of the Year event will be held Monday, April 28, 2025. Nominations are sought in ten categories for women whose passion, service, and achievements shape the Fargo-Moorhead community.
Learn more and start your nomination at ywcacassclay.org/womenoftheyear 5 2nd annual
You gave joy & hope
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
Thank you to all who adopted a family, hosted a drive, dropped off gifts, or volunteered— you brought joy to YWCA this season!
16th Annual Stuff the Bus
Thank you to KFGO, Y94, FROGGY 99.9, JACK 101.9, MATBUS, and our generous community for joining together to Stuff the Bus for families calling YWCA home again this holiday season.
After two days of stops around the community and KFGO Studios,
Adopt a Family
Each December, generous individuals, families, businesses, and organizations “Adopt a Family” for the holidays; ensuring that every individual, parent, and child served by YWCA has a gift to open at the holidays.
In the shelter, staff had the joy of playing Santa—delivering gifts for everyone to open on Christmas.
the bus packed with gifts was unloaded at YWCA Emergency Shelter and distributed to those staying with us over the holidays. Donated items were also shared with Red River Children’s Advocacy Center to distribute to those they serve.
Special thanks to the local businesses that hosted the bus this year: Advanced Business Methods, Beyond Realty, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Choice Bank, Gate City Bank, Sanford Health, and Vitalant-Blood Donation Center.
For most moms calling YWCA home, purchasing gifts for their children simply isn’t an option due to other critical financial priorities like food, utilities, and paying down debt.
Every woman and family in YWCA’s Emergency Shelter and Supportive Housing Program had the chance to make a list of something they need, something
they want, and something they wish for.
We continue to be awe of the thoughtful, considerate, and abundant gift giving shown by everyone who adopted a family!
Fill a Home with Hope
Once again, our community showed its generosity in providing household items to individuals and families in YWCA’s Supportive Housing units across the community!
Your gifts have truly made houses into homes, providing a safe and comforting place for individuals and families to start anew this year.
Special thank you to Lutheran Church of the Cross
Special thanks to Lutheran Church of the Cross for hosting a giving tree for families at Grace Garden. Your shopping, gift wrapping, and deliveries made the holidays bright for your neighbors!
Thank you
FOR YOUR CARING CATALOG GENEROSITY!
You gave life-saving shelter with your gifts through the FM Area Foundation Caring Catalog.
YWCA empowers lives by giving women and children in abusive homes or experiencing homelessness a safe place to temporarily call “home.” At a time when many of us think about gifts, delicious meals, and time with family, all that some women and children dream of is safety for the holiday.
Your generosity gave the gift of safety to those who needed it most this season.
Your support to YWCA through the 2024 FM Area Foundation Caring Catalog means safe shelter continues to be there when women and children leave an abusive home.
Thank you for helping ensure YWCA continues to be a safe place for those escaping domestic violence and homelessness.
LYNGSTADS SHAPED A LEGACY 35 YEARS AGO, HELPING YWCA LAUNCH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
A unique gift 35 years ago from R.G. (Bob) and Lorry Lyngstad opened doors for YWCA Cass Clay to build a program that’s proven transformative for women and children.
In 1989, the couple was deeply touched by a sermon at First Lutheran Church. Talking during the drive home, they decided to purchase and give YWCA a four-plex in north Fargo.
YWCA gained four homes for women leaving emergency shelter to heal and grow economic stability, even when they had no rental history and low incomes that were barriers to traditional landlords.
Answering a critical need, the Lyngstad gift gave YWCA’s Supportive Housing program a springboard to the life-changing service that it is today.
“While women can make a great deal of progress in a 45-day shelter stay, far more time is needed to heal and grow stability. Domestic violence leaves many women as single parents and sole family wage-earners,” says YWCA CEO Erin Prochnow.
YWCA recently sold the building due to its distance from our evolving South University campus.
With the addition of Lantern Light and renovation of Cove Lane, YWCA has strategically grown its Supportive Housing program to 97 units today.
“Bob and Lorry were true believers in an early vision to keep roofs overhead for moms and children,” says Prochnow. “The Lyngstads were amazingly generous to provide four homes used for 35 years to help survivors stay free from abuse and rise from poverty.”
YWCA was deeply saddened by Bob’s passing in 2007 and Lorry’s death at age 90 in 2017.
Their legacy is a YWCA Supportive Housing Program applauded nationally.
Our program involves partnerships with private landlords, collaborative sites like Sierra Townhomes in West Fargo, and YWCA-owned residences Grace Garden, Lantern Light, and Cove Lane.
Beyond bricks and mortar, a YWCA Supportive Housing participant has a personally assigned housing advocate who’s an ally in connecting survivors with community resources – also helping troubleshoot inevitable life challenges.
Our Deepest Gratitude
A sincere thank you to those who have honored someone they care about with a gift to YWCA.
Anonymous in memory of Cheim and Eng Ung
Anonymous in honor of Sadie Norberg
Tammi Jo and Randy Barta in memory of Marlys (Chris) Haugen
Steven Bensen in memory of Dennis McIntyre
Rebecca Benson in honor of Kathy Benson
Catherine Bradley in memory of Sue Hansmann
Carol and JR Buzalsky in memory of Mildred Olson
Richard Dahl in honor of Susan Hansmann
Janet and Jay Drechsel in honor of Carolyn Wright
Merle Egeberg in honor of Christie Danielson
Nancy Evert in memory of Harriet Evert
Judith Feist in honor of Lois Marsh
Leah Fujimoto and Mark Jensen in memory of Elizabeth and George Fujimoto
Cheryl Hackey in honor of Betty King
Cheryl Hackey in memory of Joan Carlson
Jakelle and Nathan Hoffmann in honor of YWCA Staff
Dan Hopkins in memory of Susan Hansmann
Tara Kramer in honor of Patricia Kramer
Vanessa and Paul Kummer in memory of Joan Carlson
Jace Manning in memory of Susan Hansmann
Anne and Tim McLarnan in memory of Jack and Harriet Evert
Andrew Myers in honor of Gracia Fulwiler
Margaret and Roger Nelson in memory of Rebecca Burns
Margaret and Roger Nelson in memory of Carol Wambheim
Jane Nissen in memory of Ione Priebe
Paula and Patrick Olsen in memory of Linda Olson
Paula and Patrick Olsen in memory of Steve Stark
Judith Ozbun in memory of Susan Hansmann
Nancy and Ron Saeger in memory of Sue Hansmann
Kristen Schneeberger in honor of Sarah West
Candace and David Shultz in memory of Jim Lorenz
Sherry and Daniel Stoa in memory of Ted & Phyllis & Marge Stoa
David Talley in honor of Megan and Taylor Glasow
Marilyn Wahlgren in honor of Adele Wilson, Bunny Workin, Donna Wicklund, Margie Eckre, and Marlys Oak
Diane and David Wanner in memory of Mary Beth Puetz
Sue Wick in honor of past members of her Red Hat Club
A NEW WAY TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT YWCA!
YWCA is so grateful for the community’s continued generosity in donating goods in support of women and children escaping violence and homelessness! With the launch of our new in-kind donation approach, we now accept donation items in three categories:
TOP NEEDS: These are our most urgently-needed new or gently-used items for YWCA and the families currently in programming. These needs will be shared quarterly in our newsletter (look right!) and updated regularly on our website.
NEW OR GENTLY USED: These are items women and children at YWCA are always in need of and may be found around your home. Seasonal items will be added to this portion of the list as needed.
Created by krisna arga muria from the Noun Project
NEW AND UNOPENED: This includes hygiene items, cleaning and household supplies, and other necessities that families served by YWCA regularly need and use.
These items are great to collect and donate through a donation drive or giving tree and can easily be shopped for and shipped from YWCA’s Amazon Wish List found at ywcacassclay.org/amazonwishlist
Cleaning out your closets? YWCA will host seasonal donation drives each spring and fall to accept gently-used clothing. Dates for these drives will be announced on our website.
Have furniture to donate? YWCA partners with Furniture Mission to help furnish new apartments and homes for families moving into supportive housing. Learn more at furnituremissionrrv.org.
You support YWCA when you drop off your donations of items not on our Needs List at Savers Community Donation Center™, 1623 38th St SW in Fargo. Through this approach, YWCA’s team is able to focus on our mission of providing safety, support, and hope to families while receiving critical financial support from Savers for the items you donate there. Thank you!
TOP NEEDS
You can donate the things women need on their journeys to independence.
Families at YWCA currently need:
Winter Gear (all sizes: women’s & children’s coats, boots, hats, gloves, and snow pants)
Women’s Underwear (new, sizes 5-8)
Cleaning Supplies
(Disinfectant wipes; all-purpose, glass, and toilet bowl cleaners)
Please drop donations off at YWCA Emergency Shelter M-F, 8AM-5PM, or ship to 3000 University Dr. S Fargo, ND 58103. Learn more at ywcacassclay.org/needs
YWCA: On A Mission | Winter 2025 | Page