Who We Are

YWCA of the Sauk Valley Staff Photo, Justice and Freedom, YWCA Sauk Valley
Human Trafficking Hotline Tear Sheet
A flyer for the YWCA of the Sauk Valley featuring their 24/7 hotline numbers, with slogans about safety, helping others, and empowering women. The flyer has an orange, black, and white color scheme, including a silhouette of a woman's profile and the YWCA logo.
Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault Hotline Tear Sheet Download
Flyer for YWCA Sauk Valley promoting free and confidential counseling for victims of sexual or domestic violence, with crisis hotline numbers and location details.

YWCA of the Sauk Valley is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

Vision

YWCA Sauk Valley strives to empower all people to embrace their authentic selves, unite against violence, and work toward equality. We achieve this by confronting systems of racial and gender oppression through community conversations, activism, and support of both individual and community needs.

Our Commitment to Racial Justice

The YWCA of the Sauk Valley is committed to eliminating racism and seeks to operate as an inclusive and multi-cultural organization. We constantly strive to reflect this commitment in our programs, policies, and practices, as well as in the conduct of our staff, board members, and volunteers.

We actively work to create and maintain an organizational culture that values inclusion. Our commitment is reflected in our policies and procedures, including the areas of recruitment, retention, succession planning, professional development, program development, and vendor relations.

We welcome suggestions that will assist us in our work towards creating racial justice, equality, and harmony.

Our Values

Migrant Worker Day, Justice and Freedom, YWCA Sauk Valley

A Compassionate Community

healthy balanced lifestyle, Justice and Freedom, YWCA Sauk Valley

A Health, Balanced Lifestyle

collaboration group, Justice and Freedom, YWCA Sauk Valley

Collaboration

A flyer from YWCA promoting the Giving Tree for winter gear donation. The flyer has a light blue, snowflake-patterned background, a centered tree image without leaves, and text encouraging donations of winter clothing to keep the Giving Tree stocked. Contact information and a call to donate winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and snow pants are included at the bottom.

YWCA’s Giving Tree is now accepting donations of new and gently used winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves/mittens, snow pants, and snow boots in order to help support those in need during the cold winter months. All donations are given to those in need free of charge. Please bring all donations to YWCA of the Sauk Valley at 412 1st Ave., Sterling, IL 61081 during regular business hours. Monday- Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is a diverse group of women leaders using their passion, insights, and connections in the community to create real impact for Sauk Valley.

2024– 2025 Officers

Karla Belzer
President

Meridith Layne
Vice President

Tegan Poitras
Treasurer

Lupita Serrano
Secretary

Directors

Sandi Cavazos

Emma Miller

Lesley Garcia

Brittany Devereueawax

Amanda Dowd

Jennifer Lang

Meridith Layne

Stephanie Jacobs

Courtney Ligtenberg

Tegan Poitras

Mary Martin

Nyla Winchell

Terri Monin

Vanessa Wahl

Sami Wiggins

Key Dates in YWCA History

  • 1858

    The first association in the U.S., Ladies Christian Association, formed in New York City

  • 1946

    Interracial Charter adopted, starting the process of desegregation

  • 1960s

    Membership and leadership positions opened to non-Christians

  • 1963

    Direct Action Program begun to ensure full desegregation in community YWCAs

  • 1970

    The One Imperative (“To thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism, wherever it exists, by any means necessary.”) adopted

  • 2015

    Corporate name changed from “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” to “YWCA USA, Inc.”