Five questions for newly-installed YWCA executive director Sherri Bennett
On Sept. 23, Sherri Bennett will officially take over from longtime staffer Kathy Kniep to become executive director of YWCA Clark County – one of the oldest philanthropic organizations in the region.
Fresh off the success of its Annual Luncheon on Sept. 2, with a near-record $125,762 raised for programs helping women and families from Vancouver to Battle Ground, Bennett spoke with the VBJ about YWCA's unique challenges during tough economic times.
Q: YWCA Clark County saw impressive growth in its programs and events over the past decade. How do you plan to build on this success?
A: It's about continuing the great work that we've been doing and building on our social change work. The branding that's attached to our organization is eliminating racism and empowering women. It's about ensuring that our strategic plans and our social change work continue to focus on those areas. We are doing such strong work already with our services to sexual assault victims and survivors, domestic violence victims and survivors, as well as abused and neglected children.
Q: All nonprofits have encountered a difficult economic environment in terms of both corporate and individual giving. In your view, what's the key to fundraising in tough times?
A: It's about relationships. It's having people be connected to the organizations that they are giving to. Connecting with donors who truly believe in the mission of the organization and then also helping people feel connected is important. Even if people aren't able to make large contributions, if we're tapping more donors who may be able to give a little bit less, we're still increasing our donor base and people who are helping us live our mission and values.
Q: In an age some people have described as either "post-feminist" or "post-racial," what is the role of organizations seeking to empower women and racial minorities?
A: For us, we're both a social service and a social change organization, so we feel it's our responsibility to change one individual at a time. So with our work it's about helping people change their attitudes, behaviors and beliefs when it comes to discrimination and oppression. That's what we are trying to do through all of our services at the YWCA. It's interesting that we have really been pioneers with all of our services. We were the first in the county to have a domestic violence shelter and the first to provide services to victims and survivors of sexual assault. We've been doing social change work since our inception in 1916 as a lunch counter for women. Even though times have changed, we still feel it's our role to continue our social change work.
Q: Money is tight for many members of Southwest Washington's business community. What are other ways people can help organizations like yours, besides giving money?
A: Volunteering. Our CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Program today has over 200 active volunteers – and we can always use more. We put a dollar amount to our volunteers last year, and it reached almost the $1 million mark … that's the time commitment that our volunteers have given back to our organization over the course of one year. Also, if people aren't able to give their time or money, they might be able to give "in-kind" donations. We operate a 24-hour domestic violence shelter so we're always in need of food and toiletries, those sorts of things. Also, during the holidays we provide meals and new clothing and new toys to the children and families in need.
Q: Where do you see YWCA Clark County in five years? 10?
A: With our strategic plan in place, ideally we would be able to increase the capacity of services at our community office. We're looking towards doing a capital campaign in the future to help fund a remodel of our building, among other projects. Also, we're committed to expanding our services to east Clark County. We're currently providing services in North County, specifically Battle Ground, but we would like to go even further north – ensuring that we are truly serving the entire county and not just focusing our services on the west side of Vancouver.