The Late 1800s and Turn of the Century
1894
The YWCA's roots can be traced to 1894 when Mrs. Rees P. Daniels moved to Seattle. Mrs. Daniels had been active in the Washington D.C. YWCA and saw the need for such an institution in Seattle. In the 1890s, girls sometimes as young as 12 came to the city alone, seeking work to help their families back home.

1900
One of the first YWCA programs in Seattle was a noon rest hour for young women that offered 10-cent lunches, a safe haven and the opportunity to meet other women in the community. In 1900, the women of the Seattle YWCA created the "Traveler's Aid" program in response to the large numbers of young women arriving alone at the city's docks and railroad stations.

1906
The YWCA has a long legacy of adapting its services and facilities to meet emerging community priorities. In 1906, the YWCA took an active role in providing food, shelter and clothing to more than 2,000 refugees from the San Francisco earthquake.

1914-1918
During World War I, the YWCA was a focal point for war workers, their families, service men and women, adolescents and other members of the community experiencing difficulties and seeking assistance.

1916
After several physical moves around the downtown area (including the current site of the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel), the YWCA created a permanent home at 5th and Seneca, which formally opened in 1916. Part of the $400,000 capital for the new building was raised through concession of a restaurant, rest room, information bureau and emergency rooms at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon Exposition. Another project involved the sale of bricks for $1 per brick.

1919
The YWCA has been a forerunner in providing assistance and services to all women and their families, regardless of age, faith or race. In 1919, the YWCA Culture Club provided one of the few public meeting places for the Seattle Black community at its 24th and Howell site. In 1947, this branch became the Phyllis Wheatley Branch (later named the East Cherry Branch), one of the first interracial YWCA branches in the country.

Depression Era
During the depression, in spite of a drastically reduced budget, the YWCA offered free typing and business classes for "untrained girls" and shelter for homeless young women.

Mid-Century Expansions
1941-1945
During World War II, the YWCA created a 24-hour-a-day schedule in response to community needs. War effort activities as well as classes, clubs and recreational activities were offered around the clock.

1950s
The YWCA expanded its educational services to women and their families by developing a comprehensive series of child-birth and family life education classes. During this decade, the YWCA also expanded many of its recreational facilities and camp programs.

1960s
The YWCA co-sponsored forums on equal rights for women, civil liberties, housing and health programs for low-income groups. In 1965, the YWCA opened the "East Valley Branch" in the City of Renton.

1970s
The YWCA sponsored public forums and educational meetings to eliminate racism and raise awareness in the community about oppressed groups.

Services Evolve to Meet Changing Community Needs
1980s
By the 1980s, the YWCA had expanded to four branches in addition to the main building at 5th and Seneca. In the early part of this decade, the YWCA successfully completed a $3.3 million capital campaign for the renovation of its main 5th and Seneca facility. The renovation was completed in 1988.

1987
The YWCA opened Angeline's Day Center for Homeless Women, a day refuge in downtown Seattle that provides safety, support and vital services to homeless women.

1988
The YWCA acquired the Lexington-Concord, a 58-unit apartment building in the Denny Regrade area for permanent low-cost housing. The YWCA extended its emergency and transitional housing services as far south as Auburn with the opening of 10 additional emergency and transitional housing units.

1991
The YWCA undertook the development of two significant new projects: the YWCA Family Village, serving families in East King County; and Anita Vista, a South King County Transitional Shelter for victims of Domestic Violence. The Family Village, in Redmond, opened in March 1993, and Anita Vista opened in October 1993.

1995
The YWCA merged with Pathways For Women, an agency headquartered in Lynnwood, WA. To reflect this geographical expansion of services, the YWCA of Seattle-King County became the YWCA of Seattle-King County-Snohomish County. The YWCA also began serving teen parents through the operation of the YWCA Family Support Center at the Garfield Community Center.

1996
The YWCA Young Women's Leadership Institute was founded to help low-income high school girls develop their potential as future leaders. This same year, the YWCA acquired Girls Inc. Girls Inc. was established 20 years ago to provide services to teen and pre-teen girls to help them develop the skills necessary to grow into productive adults.

1997
The YWCA became a partner in the Seattle Jobs Initiative and established the YWCA Preparatory Employment Program to provide effective welfare-to-work training opportunities.

1998
The YWCA partnered with King County and three other employment agencies in the King County Jobs Initiative (KCJI) to serve unemployed and underemployed residents of Tukwila, Burien and SeaTac. The YWCA also collaborated with King County Housing Authority to provide employment services at the innovative new employment-based public housing development known as Youngs Lake in South King County.

1999
The YWCA merged with Operation Improvement, offering a full range of employment-related services for homeless and low-income people in Snohomish County.

Moving into the 21st Century
The YWCA welcomed the new century with continued expansion. In the early 2000s, the YWCA opened regional service centers in both Renton and Everett. A new multiple services facility, Opportunity Place, was completed in 2003. Also in the 2000s, there was an expansion of youth programs, a $4 million increase in the YWCA endowment fund and the successful completion of a $43 million capital campaign.

2000
The YWCA opened a new Regional Service Center in Renton, combining youth employment, emergency and transitional housing and family support services in one location. Also in 2000, the YWCA partnered with Seattle's Youth Opportunity! Movement and the Seattle Public School Distric to develop youth services in Seattle's Enterprise Community and at Dunlap Elementary School. Additionally, the YWCA expanded employment services at the Park Lake Career Development Center in collaboration with the King County Housing Authority.

2001
The YWCA opened the new Snohomish County Center for Women & Families in Everett.

2002
The YWCA began construction on its Belltown location, Opportunity Place.

2003
The YWCA opened Opportunity Place, providing a new Angeline's Center for Homeless Women with expanded services, a job center and 145 low-income apartments.

2004
In October 2004, the YWCA merged with Seattle Emergency Housing Services.