1891
YWCA Minneapolis is founded with quarters in a small second floor flat at 45 South Eighth Street. Its objective was to provide a place where working girls and women could eat lunch.
1892
YWCA moves to 4th Street South to a location on the second floor, above a store.
1894
YWCA relocates to 808 Nicollet Mall. The first floor contains a gymnasium and a dressing room. The women's vigorous exercise is halted when a burly Minneapolis policeman comes to the door to see what is shaking the building.
1898
YWCA moves to “splendid” new quarters at 512 First Avenue South which includes space for offices, restrooms, a library, a cafeteria, a classroom, dressing rooms and a gymnasium on the third floor.
1900
W.S. Benton secretly buys a plot of land on South 7th Street to donate to YWCA.
1903
YWCA opens its doors at 89 South Seventh Street – one of the first buildings to be owned and operated by women in the state of Minnesota.
1908
Emma Benton raises $10,000 to build a YWCA pool so girls have a place to swim year-round.
1913
First YWCA Minneapolis pool is completed.
1917
South Town YWCA branch opens at Bloomington Avenue and Lake Street.
1918
Mr. Fredrick W. Lyman donates his summer home on Lake Minnetonka, along with all the furniture in the house, to YWCA. The camp is named "Elizabeth Lyman Lodge" after Mr. Lyman's late wife.
1919
The YWCA Business and Professional Women’s Club is organized.
1927
June: The first capital funds drive raises more than a million dollars in 10 days for a new building. The theme of the campaign is “What’s a Girl Worth in Minneapolis?”
1929
YWCA’s new building is located at its current site of 1130 Nicollet Mall.
1942
Phebe Mae Givens is the first African American woman elected to YWCA Minneapolis’ board of directors.
1945
YWCA offers the first racially integrated swimming pool in the Twin Cities.
1946
Interracial Charter is adopted by the 17th YWCA National Convention; 35 recommendations of
the Interracial Study Commission are accepted, including the inclusion of African American women and girls in the mainstream of Association life.
1955
YWCA Camp Mekahga opens on Lake Pokegama near Grand Rapids, MN.
1970
YWCA begins providing pregnancy prevention programming for teens.
YWCA holds a three-day seminar at Lyman Lodge with the purpose of combating racism.
1973
Ruth Hawkins Center (at North Commons Park) opens in North Minneapolis through a gift of $100,000 from the estate of Ms. Ruth Hawkins who grew up on the north side. She was a devoted YWCA supporter.
1973
Meeting of Native American Women of YWCA is held in Minneapolis, MN.
1976
New YWCA Minneapolis building opens at 1130 Nicollet Mall. It is home to the organization’s administrative offices along with providing health and fitness facilities and the first Children’s Center.
1987
YWCA Uptown opens at 2808 Hennepin Avenue after being converted from the West High School gym.
1989
YWCA Minneapolis Phillips Children’s Center opens as the second child care center to meet the needs of families in the community.
1990
Lyman Lodge is sold.
1997
YWCA Minneapolis hosts first signature fundraising event, Circle of Women.
2000
YWCA Midtown and urban sports center opens upon the successful completion of the $21.4 million capital campaign chaired by Sue Bennett, Peggy Burnet and Kathy Farley. It is the largest YWCA health and fitness center in the country and includes YWCA’s third child care center.
2002
YWCA board of directors establishes the Racial Justice Department to actively work in the community on eliminating racism through public forums, community dialogues and unlearning racism workshops.
2003
YWCA holds the first annual community forum on race relations, It’s Time To Talk: Forums on Race™.
2006
YWCA Children’s Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital opens. This center includes multi-cultural
English language-based care, as well as Spanish and Somali language-based care.
2007
YWCA Minneapolis Girls Inc. is a new affiliate member of Girls Incorporated, the oldest girl-centered organization in the United States.
2007
Fifteen YWCA Channel Challenge swimmers cross the English Channel to raise awareness of racial disparities in swimming in Minnesota and raise money for YWCA Swim for Change programs.
The youth and adult relay teams are the first from Minnesota to swim from England to France.
2008
YWCA USA celebrates its sesquicentennial – 150 years of working to eliminate racism and empower women.
2008
First YWCA Women’s Triathlon celebrating the strength in all women is held. Five hundred
women and girls ages 14-71 swim 500 yards, bike 15 miles and run a 5K. Nearly half are first-time triathletes.
2008
YWCA Phillips Children’s Center closes; children and staff successfully transition into other three centers.
2010
YWCA Children’s Center at Downtown is recognized as an Engaging Diverse Families exemplary program by the National Association for the Education of Young Children — the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children. Our Early Childhood Education program is one of only 10 programs nationwide to receive this honor.
2011
YWCA Minneapolis is honored with the 2011 Nonprofit Excellence Award from MAP for Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits. YWCA is recognized for its effective leadership, quality governance, successful strategic initiatives and smart management. This is one of the highest awards a Minnesota nonprofit can achieve.
2013
The Early Childhood Education department adds more centers to serve 850+ children and families annually in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
2014
The Power to Soar™ comprehensive campaign chaired by Susan Denk, Rebecca Driscoll and Lana Slavitt successfully completed raising over $22.5 million for key building infrastructure work and renovations, expansion of programs for girls and youth, growth of racial justice consulting business and significant planned gifts to keep the mission and vision vital and strong into the future.
2015
YWCA Children’s Center at Saint Paul College discontinues operations due to decisions by the college. Children and staff successfully transition into the Hubbs Center and other YWCA centers.
2016
YWCA Minneapolis marks 125 years of being at the forefront of social justice change focused on
racial justice and empowering women.
2016
YWCA Downtown renovation completed with new entrance signage and renovation of early childhood classrooms, fitness locker rooms and administration space.
2017
YWCA Infant Center at General Mills discontinues operations.
2018
YWCA Minneapolis holds community conversations commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s assassination.
2018
YWCA Minneapolis presents the inaugural Woman of Power Award to Kim Nelson.
2020
Kate Berman, beloved Board Chair passes away on April 9.
2020
To accommodate families’ needs during the pandemic, our Early Childhood Education and Girls and Youth programs add part-time child care options and distance-learning support.
2020
Our Health and Wellness on-demand workout videos and YWCA Live! virtual fitness classes are launched and free to all.
2020
YWCA Minneapolis presents the Woman of Power Award to Shelley Carthen Watson.
2020
First cohort of Eureka! participants graduate from 5-year program.
2020
YWCA opens the Minneapolis Sports Center to distribute food and essential supplies to neighbors, serving 600 people a week in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.
2021
YWCA Minneapolis celebrates the 25th anniversary and sunsets its signature fundraising event Circle of Women.
2021
YWCA Minneapolis presents the Woman of Power award to Maria Gonzalez.
2021
In partnership with Children’s Minnesota, YWCA Minneapolis hosts a COVID-19 panel discussion and
vaccine clinic helping the community make informed decisions about the vaccine and get vaccinated.
2021
Shelley Carthen Watson is named as YWCA Minneapolis’ first African American president & chief executive officer.
2021
YWCA Minneapolis hosts Race Against Racism 5K. More than 450 racers attended this family-friendly, community event.
2022
YWCA Minneapolis presents the Woman of Power Award to Duchess Harris.
2022
YWCA Minneapolis presents the inaugural Kate Berman Leadership Award to Wenda Weekes Moore.
