Volunteer and Donate

You can get involved with the YWCA by donating your time, items or money. We encourage you to take some time to look at our available volunteer and internship opportunities, our donations wish list or complete our online monetary donation form.

Recent Grants

The Allstate Foundation has awarded the YWCA a $25,000 grant for program support of the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. The Weaver Center is the largest domestic violence shelter in the state. So far this year, the Center has provided 14,415 bednights of safety to 216 women and 168 children. "This gift from Allstate Foundation is a wonderful reminder of their nationwide commitment to help women and children fleeing violent homes," noted YWCA CEO, Pat Shea. "This gift helps us provide the critical shelter and supportive services that women and their children need when they flee abusive situations. We look forward to our partnership this year as we implement The Allstate Foundation Moving Ahead through Financial Management curriculum to further equip women in shelter to be financially self-sufficient," concluded Shea.

United Way of Metropolitan Nashville has announced six grant awards for the YWCA totaling $244,489. United Way's funding will help support services during fiscal year 2011. The grants include $129,560.30 for Domestic Violence Services, $38,754 for Girls Inc.^® at the YWCA and $76,175 for GED^® Preparation Services. "We are very grateful for this support from United Way and realize that the dollars represent a broad base of support from our community," noted Pat Shea, President & CEO of the YWCA. "These grants will help us continue to help solve critical community problems - one person (or youth) at a time," Shea continued.

Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded a $300,000 grant to the YWCA program which helps adults earn their GED^® credentials and increase their literacy/numeracy levels in order to build greater self-sufficiency.

“We are very grateful to Dollar General, we could not offer our GED^® services in this way, without their support. There are 120,000 adults in Davidson County who do not have a high school diploma,” explained Pat Shea. “Our free, quality, adult education classes enable an increased number of vulnerable adults earn a GED^® credential and/or increase their literacy and numeracy levels. These improved skills provide them with better career opportunities and more sustainable incomes, a positive sense of self-worth, improved ability to help their children succeed in school and increased community participation,” she concluded.

We are so fantastically happy to tell you that we received notice of a $50,000 grant contribution from The Memorial Foundation for the Weaver Domestic Violence Center operations," exclaimed YWCA CEO, Pat Shea on Monday, April 12, 2010. "With funding so perilous and undependable these days, it is truly exciting when we have such a wonderful gift. This grant will help provide safety and healing to women and children fleeing domestic violence," she concluded.

	HCA has announced a $25,000 gift to the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. "The day we received the wonderful news from HCA, our shelter was at capacity, serving 53 women and children," noted YWCA CEO, Pat Shea. "These dollars will help us provide security, food, transportation, staffing, counseling and necessities for daily living. We are very grateful to HCA," she concluded.
	Bank of America has announced a $10,000 gift to the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. "The Center provides safety and space for healing to women and children who have left violent homes," noted YWCA CEO, Pat Shea. "This generous gift from Bank of America provides very important funding for these vital services," she continued.

Recent Volunteers

Cute & Comfy Shoes Helps Survivors Heal

        Darcy Bomer, owner of Cute & Comfy Shoes, located in Green Hills, donated 150 pairs of comfortable shoes to the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. Bomer wanted the women in the shelter to have comfortable shoes while they are healing from domestic violence.
"Many do not have cars and therefore walk a lot. The shoes make their steps much easier," said Tami Walker, director of the Weaver Domestic Violence Center.
        Bomer's gift will make a difference in many women's lives.
    "We are very grateful for the generous gift of comfortable shoes for the women we serve," said Walker.

Jamie Bradley from Emma Email Marketing volunteered her time to collect feminine products for the YWCA's Weaver Domestic Violence Center at the Nashville Rollergirls bout on March 6th. Thank you to Jamie, everyone who donated and of course the Nashville Rollergirls for their continued support!

On February 11, the YWCA Junior Board brought the spa to our ladies at the shelter! With the help of Volunteers from A Circle of Friends Mindful Meditation, On the Spot Massage, Empire Beauty School, The Body Shop at Green Hills and Andrea Kirby Aesthetics, the residents of the Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter were treated to hair styling, massages, facials, makeovers, manicures and a relaxing meditation session! While the women relaxed, members of the YWCA Junior Board entertained the children with Valentine's crafts. Food was provided by The Copper Kettle, Pie in the Sky and Dominos Pizza. Thank you Junior Board and a special thanks to Ryann Schneider for chairing the event! View more photos.

In August of 2009, Mary Wester challenged Cable Members and the community with an offer to match their gifts to the YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter, up to $10,000. Mary Wester donated more than $11,000 to the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee from the Mary Wester Foundation.

Additionally, The Mary Wester Foundation announced today (April 14, 2010) an $11,000 Challenge Gift to us for fiscal year 2010-11. Please consider a gift to this challenge after July 1 so we may gain the full depth of the foundation's giving to us. For more information contact Martha Nelson at the YWCA, 615-983-5149.

(L to R) John Tighe (standing), Emily Spencer, Thomas Brandt

Genesco staff members hosted a Halloween Party for children of all ages at the YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter. The party included new shoes (chucks) and "Punk Your Chucks" for the kids and Moms to decorate the shoes. New shoes are a real treat! Thanks to Genesco for the creative fun and generous donation!

Mission Discovery sent a group from Calvary Church in Holland, MI to the Weaver Domestic Violence Center for an entire week this June! They did everything from giving the donations shed a make over to painting our picnic area. At the end of the week they held THE BACKYARD OLYMPICS where the kids of the shelter competed for some great prizes! Thanks to everyone at Mission Discovery and Holland Calvary Church for their hard work!!

View more pictures of the Calvary Church volunteers hard at work.

We are so overwhelmed with the generosity of the Women of Waller. I could not believe the amount of donations raised at the Unmentionables Party. Providing basics such as a clean pair of underwear to the women in our domestic violence shelter gives them back a little piece of the dignity that is so important to their healing process. ~ Abby Sasser, YWCA Volunteer and Donations Coordinator


(L to R) Sneha Channabasappa, Lesli Love (Committee Chairwoman), Miranda Kelley, Pat Shea and Abby Sasser	Items donated by the Women of Waller.

The YWCA is very grateful to A+ Storage for donating free storage to the Transitional Housing Program. Their generous donation makes it possible for us to accept and store household donations for families who come in to the Transitional Housing Program.

Early in the Spring, the Women of Waller completely renovated the teen room at the Weaver Domestic Violence Center. We greatly appreciate their work! The Women of Waller are from Waller, Lansden, Dortch & Davis, LLP. To view more pictures from their project, please click here.

AXO "Spring Festival"
view more pictures and info

Nashville Au Pairs from 6 countries (Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, France, Ukraine and Sweden) outfitted bears for children at the YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter. The Au Pairs are pictured here with their bears. To learn more about their company, Au Pair Care, please visit their Web site at www.aupaircare.com.

Volunteers from Dell were at the shelter Friday, October 3rd, to give our donations shed a much needed weather treatment.

Nineteen HCA staff members did 7 hours of transforming work at the YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter. They built a picnic pavilion, painted and furnished the new family therapy and meditation rooms. We are very, very grateful.

Volunteers from the Department of Operations at Dell worked to give the Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter a little T.L.C. this week including cleaning the kitchens, sorting donations and repairing cabinets. They were amazing!"

Another group from Mission Discovery came to help out at the shelter. They drove all the way from Cornerstone Church in Crystal, MN, to work with us. They completed several projects including painting our family side hallways, organizing the basement and fixing up all the broken bicycles so the kids could use them again. They also did a day of fun on Friday afternoon with the kids, which included volleyball on the brand new net they bought and built for us! We want to thank Cornerstone Church for all their hard work and Mission Discovery for sending us two FANTASTIC groups of volunteers!