Over the years, Gerling Law, an injury law firm in Indiana, has dedicated itself to improving the community through outreach, education, and advocacy. One of the organizations that the firm has worked with the most is the YWCA in Evansville, Indiana. Through this partnership, YWCA has been able to put tremendous efforts towards the empowerment and safety of women and children served by their organization.
About the YWCA in Evansville
YWCA in Evansville started as a way to support young women working in mills and factories throughout the city. The YWCA not only provided housing but also set up a secured space for women and girls that included a lunchroom and recreation area. Following the construction of a new building in 1924, the YWCA expanded its services to women coming to work or attend school in Evansville from the suburbs and those who worked in defense factories during World War II.
Today, the YWCA occupies that same building completed in the 1920s, offering a variety of services, including a domestic violence shelter, emergency housing, residential recovery programs, and youth mentoring.
How Gerling Law Helps YWCA Evansville
Gayle Gerling Pettinga and the team at Gerling Law have helped YWCA with many events and initiatives over the years. Along with consistent in-kind donations, especially around the holidays, Gerling Law has also supported several fundraising efforts by purchasing tables and donating auction items. In 2014, the firm made a mass donation of hygiene products and toiletries to the organization for women using their services. Gerling Law also provided themed holiday gift bags for residents during the holidays, focusing on self-care and pampering.
Perhaps the biggest project that the firm has helped the YWCA with is their domestic violence shelter. Gerling Law paid out-of-pocket to remodel the family room in the YWCA Evansville domestic violence shelter so that residents have a calm, warm space during the most difficult days of their lives. This space serves not only women experiencing domestic violence, but also children, and provides them the opportunity to heal and rebuild.
Gayle and her team remain committed to helping YWCA Evansville eliminate racism and empower women. If you can, please consider donating to the organization here.
