Downtown Women'S Center

“The audit committee reviews and approves the form 990. Upon approval by the committee, a copy is provided to the board of directors before it is filed with the internal revenue service.”

“The conflict of interest policy specifies procedures to determine if a conflict of interest exists and procedures to eliminate the conflict. Certain key employees and committee members and all board members receive the written policy and acknowledge their receipt on an annual basis; their understanding of and agreement with the policy is documented by signing a conflict of interest certificate. Upon identification of a potential conflict of interest, all details relating to the conflict of interest must be disclosed and will be reviewed by the board. The board will vote on a decision in the best interest of the organization and to best address any conflict of interest.”

“The board of directors and appointed committees to review compensation for key employees including the top management and top financial officials. Compensation is evaluated annually by the executive committee of the board of directors. The evaluation includes performance reviews and an analysis of comparable compensation for like positions in similar non-profit organizations in the same region. Ongoing compensation analyses for all staff occur as well.”

“The determination letter, governing documents, and conflict of interest policy are available upon request at the organization's headquarters. The latest audited financial statements and form 990 are posted on the organization's website.”

“The downtown women's center (dwc) ends homelessness by providing safe housing and supportive services centered on wellness, employment, and advocacy.”

“Housing: dwc operates 159 units of permanent supportive housing for women, survivors of gender-based violence, and families across our three residences in los angeles. Permanent supportive housing is comfortable, safe, and affordable housing paired with on-site individualized support and services not just to end the struggle with homelessness, but also to thrive in permanent housing and work toward achieving goals. In 2024, dwc permanently housed 451 people. Community-based housing: dwc's community-based housing program connects unaccompanied women and families to permanent housing and supportive services throughout los angeles county. Dwc offers rapid re-housing assistance, particularly for women escaping domestic violence, and connects them with safe, permanent housing as quickly as possible. Dwc also supports women veterans through housing vouchers, move-in assistance, trauma recovery resources, and help navigating the complex process of applying for veteran benefits.”

“Health and wellness: we recognize homelessness as a public health crisis. Understanding the compounding challenges of homelessness and poor health, we take a holistic approach to wellness. Women's health center: dwc operates skid row's only women's medical and mental health center. Our health center is an on-site clinic jointly run with local partner jwch, through which we provide basic medical care, physical and mental health assessments, and referrals for specialty care. Our exceptionally trained staff focuses on preventive care to reduce diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and other chronic diseases. We supplement our clinic offerings with psychiatric sessions, mental health counseling, and group therapy, as well as self-care and health education workshops, fitness classes, and enrichment activities. In 2024, dwc provided more than 906 people with mental health or physical health services and facilitated 1,635 mental health sessions. Trauma recovery center: our los angeles trauma recovery center was created in partnership with peace over violence, and offers survivors of violent crime emotional support, information, compassion, accompaniment, referrals, and advocacy services. With a combined 75 years of experience, dwc and peace over violence provide assistance applying for victim compensation, referrals for food, shelter, and housing services, medication support services and access to therapy, community trainings, and more. The trauma recovery center is supported by the california victim compensation board (calvcb) and is the only one of its kind in downtown los angeles. Day center: dwc's day center is the entry point for our services and the hub of our healthy community. It provides a safe space for women in the heart of the skid row neighborhood in downtown los angeles. Women who come through our doors have access to 3 nutritious meals daily, clean bathrooms and showers and changes of clothes. Day center case managers can also link women to healthcare, housing, legal aid, transportation, job training and educational services, as well as work placements and other resources. In 2024, the following milestones were achieved: downtown women's center - provided over 113,639 nutritious meals to those in need. We're open monday-friday from 6am-4pm, and saturday-sunday from 7am-3pm. - created a safe space for 4,831 women. - provided physical or mental health care services to 906 women. - provided 17,358 showers to support wellness and hygiene. - 1,750 volunteers joined us in serving our community”

“Education & job readiness: women living in skid row face many barriers to employment. Dwc's education and job readiness resources aim to break the cycles of unemployment and homelessness. Employment and education: more than 200 women accessed dwc's workforce development program last year, inlcuding computer skills, literacy and math, academic and vocational counseling sessions, job readiness preparation, and employment placement services. Our signature line of gifts is made by formerly homeless women, and 100% of the proceeds support dwc's programs and services. Enrichment: through our volunteer-led workshops, women rebuild self-confidence and learn skills like sewing, photography, creative writing, acting, and more. Participants also collaborate with staff and community artists to design made by dwc's signature product line handmade. Enterprise: made by dwc is our social enterprise, created to break the cycles of chronic unemployment and homelessness. Made by dwc consists of the handmade product line created by the women of dwc, and two store fronts in downtown la. By empowering women to discover talents and develop skills through paid job training, made by dwc generates economic and social capital to support our programs. In 2024, 52 women gained paid transitional employment at made by dwc.”