YWCA holds open house at residence for women in transition, kicks off women’s resource center
STEUBENVILLE — Although it’s been around for many, many decades, the residence for women in transition through the YWCA of Steubenville is probably an unknown to many area residents, agreed Sophie Spencer, the YWCA’s executive director.
Tuesday was hoped to change that a bit as a three-hour open house offered visitors an opportunity to see what it’s all about and understand who it helps and how.
The transitional housing is next door to the YWCA at 320 N. Fourth St. and can accommodate eight single women, age 18 and older.
“It is a residence for women in transition, and it could be from homelessness, it could be from rehab, it could be from any unusual circumstance which would cause them to need a residence,” Spencer explained.
“This residence has been open to single women for over a hundred years. It used to be, the history was that the women from the country, the girls, would come in to Steubenville to go to the business college and colleges, and they would stay at the Y residence, because it was safe, it was clean and affordable,” Spencer said.
“Subsequently over the years, it has been known as the residence for women, working women. We now have a 90-day transitional period where you’ll have 90 days from where you are to where you want to be,” she said of a condition under which women temporarily reside there.
“We have eight beautiful rooms,” she said, noting assessment to stay there is scaled to income.
The residency has been without occupants since June, according to Spencer, as the women who had lived there were ready to get their own apartments, their own housing. The timing was right, Spencer said, for some general cleaning and cosmetic attention.
“No one has been living there all summer, so we’re reopening officially Tuesday. It’s been cleaned, it’s been painted,” she said of the “sprucing up” that unfolded thanks to community and business support.
“We’re the only facility of this kind in Jefferson County, that takes single women,” Spencer said, “and it’s needed. The need is there. The need is very great, so we are really excited because there are women in transition out there looking for decent, clean housing, and we are very blessed to be able to offer that.”
In line with the reopening of the residence, the YWCA also kicked off the newly created women’s resource center.
“I am excited about the women’s resource center, because it’s going to be a one-stop shop for women who are seeking information about unemployment, perhaps health and mental health information, legal issues, housing issues and any community resource that they may need, this resource center will be able to provide it,” Spencer said.
The center is in an office area created in the residence for the women living there, but it also is available to the public. “I found out there are women who don’t know how to file for unemployment because everything is on line now, so we can help them do that,” she said. “We’ll be able to help with job applications on line, so it’s going to be a resource for women who are in need of this, and it’s a one-stop shop.”
“It’s a great day, and we’re excited,” Spencer said before the start of Tuesday’s open house. “We’re looking forward to getting our residence filled and for people to get a chance to look at it. Then we’ll start interviewing people to come in and take applications.”
For information, contact Spencer by phone at (740) 282-1261 or by e-mail at Steubenvilleywca@comcast.net.
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