By Juli Metzger—
MUNCIE, IN—YWCA Central Indiana raised $93,000 at its 2024 Walk In Her HEELS event last month.
More than 350 people turned out for the annual fundraiser at the Horizon Convention Center in downtown Muncie.
“We are thrilled,” said CEO WaTasha Barnes Griffin. “We returned to this annual event last year, following a hiatus due to COVID. This year, proved we’re back 110 percent.”
YWCA Central Indiana gave shelter to 687 women and 143 children in 2023, Barnes Griffin reported. It is the only YWCA in the area that also accepts boys up to age 18.
“Youth homelessness is at an all-time high,” Barnes Griffin said. “Statistics show that 1 in 4 youth – ages 14-24 – have no place to live. They are aging out of foster care, being kicked out of the home because of family conflict, guardians’ inability to provide care, and for their sexual orientation.”
New this year at YWCA is a Youth Empowerment Council, designed to get young people talking to each other about how to cope with trauma in their lives. “It is one way we can get girls talking to girls about issues they face at home, at school and in their communities. They’re strengthening communication skills and changing negative behaviors.”
A leading community collaborator, YWCA works with a number of other agencies to address homelessness in a six-county area, including the HUB housing consortium, the Muncie Mission, Christian Ministries, A Better Way, Meridian Health Services, Open Door Health Services, Center Township Trustee, the city’s Office of Community Development, and IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.
Presenting sponsors for this year’s event were American Electric Power Foundation, Heeter Family Fund, Old National Bank Foundation and Star Financial. Other sponsors were Prime Trust Federal Credit Union, Community Hospital Anderson, First Presbyterian Church, and Madison County Community Foundation. Open Door Health Services, Minnetrista Museum and Gardens, First Merchants Bank, Swift and Associates, The JMetzger Group, Boyce Systems, NAACP Muncie branch unit, IU Health Foundation, Meridian Health Services, Ivy Tech Anderson and Ivy Tech Muncie.
YWCA Central Indiana is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, dignity and freedom for all.
