Ywca Allentown

What Ywca Allentown does

YWCA Allentown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1898 and based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, operating as a local affiliate of YWCA USA and the broader World YWCA movement. It serves women and families across the Lehigh Valley through a portfolio of programs spanning workforce development, economic empowerment, advocacy, wellness, and basic-needs support. The organization reports having served more than 13,000 women cumulatively across its programs.

The organization's core program set includes Perfect Fit (a 25-year-old professional attire and workforce-readiness initiative), New Choices (a personal development program), WE360 (a women-focused entrepreneurship and economic-mobility program), YW Tech Lab (digital skills training with Google Certification pathways), Computer Basics (digital literacy), Personal Care Pantry (basic-needs distribution), Rowing (wellness/athletic program), advocacy programming aligned with the national YWCA Stand Against Racism campaign, and a Resale Boutique in its eighth year of operation. Programming is delivered through direct staff engagement and in partnership with local institutions including Moravian University and Turning Point. The Resale Boutique serves a dual role as a community retail location and an unrestricted revenue channel.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, planned giving, corporate partnerships, event-based fundraising, and earned income from the Resale Boutique. Programs are delivered free or low-cost to participants, consistent with a community-service nonprofit model. The organization operates with 1-10 reported employees under the leadership of Executive Director Sarah E. Barrett.

Name

Ywca Allentown

Legal name

YWCA Allentown

Website

https://ywcaallentown.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YWCA Allentown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1898 serving women and families in the Lehigh Valley through workforce development, entrepreneurship support, advocacy, wellness, and basic-needs programs, funded by donations, partnerships, and a resale boutique.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Social Services and Economic Empowerment

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Internships, Externships & Work-Based Learning Placement (EDAMAKAB)

Keywords

• Women's economic empowerment
• Workforce development training
• Professional clothing assistance
• Digital skills certification
• Community advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Allentown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monetary donations from individual supporters. Donors can make gifts online, set up monthly pledges, or give in honor/memory of someone. The organization also accepts stock donations, cryptocurrency, and real estate.
2. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through wills, trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partner packages offering brand marketing value and meaningful community impact, including sponsorship of programs and events.
4. Resale Boutique Sales: The Perfect Fit Resale Boutique sells donated women's clothing, shoes, and accessories. Proceeds support the Perfect Fit program providing professional attire and career development services to women.
5. Event Fundraising: Signature fundraising events such as 'Outfit to Empower' annual luncheon that raises critical funds for the Perfect Fit for Working Women program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

YWCA Allentown provides free direct-service programs for women and families in the Lehigh Valley, including professional attire distribution (The Perfect Fit), career development courses (New Choices), a 10-week entrepreneurship program (WE360°), Google Professional Certification training (YW Tech Lab), digital skills training (Computer Basics), a personal hygiene pantry, wellness and community rowing programs, and advocacy initiatives on democracy, economic security, and reproductive justice. Programs are funded by donations, corporate partnerships, planned giving, event fundraising, and proceeds from the Perfect Fit Resale Boutique.

Product overview

YWCA Allentown operates as a multi-program social services organization offering economic empowerment, health and wellness, and racial justice programming. The core economic empowerment suite includes The Perfect Fit (professional attire), New Choices (career development), WE360° (entrepreneurship), YW Tech Lab (tech certification), and Computer Basics (digital skills). Supporting services include a Personal Care Pantry, Resale Boutique, Career Counseling, and community rowing. Advocacy programs cover Accessible Democracy, Women's Economic Security, Reproductive Justice, and the Racial Justice Challenge. The organization redistributes over 25,000 articles of clothing annually and has served more than 13,000 women through economic empowerment programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Perfect Fit Professional attire program providing career clothing, hygiene products, and confidence-building support to women re-entering the workforce; has served nearly 14,000 women.
• New Choices Career development course providing skills, resources, and one-to-one support to help job seekers find meaningful employment.
• WE360° 10-week entrepreneurship program combining online learning with weekly facilitated sessions to help women, particularly women of color, build skills, tools, and networks needed to start and grow a small business.
• YW Tech Lab Program enabling participants to earn a Google Professional Certification in 3 months with support services to ensure success; 75% of graduates see positive career impact within 6 months.
• Computer Basics Digital skills training program building essential technology competencies to support confidence, independence, and opportunity in daily life and work.
• Personal Care Pantry Pantry providing personal hygiene items including shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, pads, tampons, toilet paper, body wash, soap, and lotion to support women in the community.
• The Perfect Fit Resale Boutique Resale boutique selling donated women's clothing, shoes, and accessories, with proceeds supporting the Perfect Fit program and career development services.
• Lehigh Valley Community Rowing Rowing program building community connection and fostering personal growth through the sport of rowing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of economic empowerment program graduates report increased confidence, preparedness, and job search engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Laurie Riley '82 Center for Career Success at Moravian UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoravian University's career center partners with YWCA Allentown's WE360 entrepreneurship program, presenting networking events for program participants and supporting the Week 6 curriculum focused on customer journey mapping.
• Turning Point of Lehigh ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurning Point of Lehigh Valley provides individual and group support services for those experiencing domestic and intimate partner abuse, offered through YWCA Allentown's health and wellness programs.
• YWCA National (Until Justice Just Is Campaign)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA Allentown participates in the national YWCA 'Until Justice Just Is' campaign and the 2024 YWCA Racial Justice Challenge, a four-week program designed to build effective social justice habits around race, power, and privilege.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: Nonprofit providing free tech training and career support to underserved adults, with strong employer partnerships for placement. Comparable to the YW Tech Lab's tech-certification-plus-career-support model, though broader in IT scope.
• Year Up: Workforce development organization offering training, mentorship, and corporate placement to young adults from underrepresented communities. Comparable career-pathway outcomes focus, though more structured and longer-duration than YWCA Allentown's programs.
• Junior Achievement of Eastern PA: Workforce readiness and financial literacy nonprofit serving youth in Eastern PA. Comparable mission in career pathways/entrepreneurship education and similar geographic footprint, though primarily youth-focused versus YWCA Allentown's adult-women focus.

Direct peers

• Turning Point of Lehigh Valley: Local partner organization providing domestic violence services through YWCA Allentown. Comparable in mission and geography; partnered rather than competing, but provides overlapping health/welfare services.
• Dress for Success Worldwide: Global nonprofit providing professional attire, career tools, and post-hire support to women re-entering the workforce. Nearly identical mission to YWCA Allentown's Perfect Fit program, with overlapping services (career counseling, interview prep) and the same donor-clothing supply chain.
• YWCA Greater Los Angeles: Sister YWCA chapter operating economic empowerment, advocacy, and racial justice programming under the same national YWCA umbrella. Most directly comparable organization by model, governance structure, and mission.
• CareerSource (Lehigh Valley workforce board): Regional workforce development board offering career counseling, training referrals, and job placement funded by public dollars. Direct overlap with New Choices and YW Tech Lab career services in the same Lehigh Valley market.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Federated nonprofit operating workforce development, job training, and resale retail across thousands of locations. Comparable in mission (workforce readiness + resale revenue model) but far larger and broader in scope; Lehigh Valley Goodwill is the immediate local overlap.

Others

• SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): Free small-business mentorship and education nonprofit. Comparable to YWCA Allentown's WE360 entrepreneurship program in providing mentorship and business education, though not women-specific.

Regional players

• United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley: Local community-services nonprofit in the same geography, funding and convening a network of social services including workforce and family programs. Comparable donor base and regional footprint, with potential for partnership or competition for grant dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YWCAAllentown
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ywca-allentown

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ywca Allentown