With support from our generous donors, Open Your Heart provided YWCA Cass Clay with funding to purchase a refrigerator needed to hold donations of perishable food. YWCA Cass Clay serves Cass County and a vast region of western Minnesota. While located on the North Dakota side of the Fargo-Moorhead city, a third of the 1,283 served in 2020 were from Minnesota. YWCA Emergency Shelter is where women escaping domestic violence and homelessness find safety, warm meals, clothing and
childcare. Next comes help to find jobs, education and reliable transportation. While 86% YWCA served in 2020
were fleeing abuse upon arrival, another 14% were homeless due to poverty. With understanding of trauma and
its effects, YWCA empowers women and children to recover physically, emotionally and economically. The
organization operates a strong housing program for women on a journey to gain living-wage income, many of
them single moms who would otherwise lack affordable options. With planned 2022 expansion, YWCA
apartments will mean safe homes for more than 70 women and their children. YWCA Cass Clay also provides a
community food pantry so people need not choose between food and paying rent. Last year, YWCA food pantry
distributed 97,590 pounds of food, and a second pantry site under construction is set to open in Fall 2021!
Frequently in the summer and fall, a bounty of apples, sweet corn, fruit by the case, meat and garden vegetables
arrive at YWCA Cass Clay Emergency Shelter. These food donations had to compete for storage space needed for
the hot meal program for those living at the shelter. The new holding refrigerator means YWCA front-line staff
can immediately accept and store these generous and nutritious donations until they can be inspected and
incorporated into menus. Thank you YWCA for everything you do!