YWCA Hosted First Lady Jill Biden During Friday’s Help is Here Tour Stop in Alabama
 
BIRMINGHAM, AL — (April 9, 2021) — YWCA Central Alabama enjoyed First Lady Dr. Jill Biden’s visit April 9, 2021, to its nationally accredited Child Development Center as part of the Help is Here tour. Dr. Biden stopped in Alabama to amplify how the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 addresses childhood poverty.
“What an amazing 118th birthday present for YWCA Central Alabama to be in the national spotlight for our work to address the needs of women and their families,” YWCA Central Alabama CEO Dr. LaRhonda Magras said. “Since March 24, 1903, we have spent a great deal of our energy at the intersection of race and gender equity. In 1984, as the need for affordable child care increased, the YW didn’t hesitate to offer career women access to quality, early learning programs for their children.”
Magras gave the First Lady a tour of YWCA Central Alabama’s Child Development Center and shared with her that it is among a small percentage of early learning centers in the 

nation to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Magras said the YW’s “teachers and staff work to make sure students are prepared for academic, social and emotional success.”
Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined Magras and Biden.
YWCA Central Alabama’s Child Development Center not only meets rigorous accreditation standards, but each year more than 100 children in homeless, low-income, and working poor families receive a developmentally appropriate education in a healthy and secure learning environment.
“In addition to early education, we provide affordable community housing for seniors, people with disabilities, families and individuals,” Magras said. “We work hard to keep families experiencing homelessness together during their time of crisis. We help domestic violence victims escape abusive relationships and gain the strength to become survivors. We answer thousands of calls 24 hours a day on our Crisis Line, 205-322-4878 (HURT). Dr. Biden’s visit is another opportunity for us to tell our story and live our mission to eliminate racism and empower women.”
###
About the YWCA
YWCA Central Alabama is a social justice and United Way organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. To learn more, visit www.ywcabham.org.