Support Our Work
The best way to for our allies to support us is by making a donation to YWEP through with either time or money.
We know that not everyone has excess cash to fork over to us.. but here are somethings that people have done in the past:
-Throw a party and charge your friends an entry fee
-Promote one of our events listed on the side through your email networks
-Drop off your old clothes or snacks to us
-Join our suscription news feed service- you won't be dissapointed!
Below find some other ways of supporting us
Donate
Financial Contributions
We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization! Your donation is fully tax-deductible under the law. Send your check made out to Young Women's Empowerment Project to:
YWEP
2334 W. Lawrence, Suite 209
Chicago, IL 60625
We accept donations from your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card through the PayPal website. Just click the button below!
In-kind Donations
We accept in-kind donations too. Check out this list of helpful items that will make our work more possible.
- CTA one-ride and weekly bus passes for girls to get around town locally
- Cool pens, glitter, big poster paper, CD-RW discs
- Art supplies (acrylic, watercolor and tempura paint, markers, sketchbooks…)
- Backpacks, new underwear, new socks
- Books - especially poetry, self-help and stuff by women of color
- Snacks for teens - candy, flaming hot cheetos, etc.
- Small sizes of soap, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc.
- Clothes for teens of all sizes Gift certificates to Chicago area or online stores for clothes, jewelry, books, food, entertainment, stuff for children, household goods, office supplies
Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
We arent currently seeking volunteers- but if you or someone you know fits the following categories feel free to drop us an email!
Criminal lawyer
We are always seeking pro bono lawyer representation to assist young women charged with prostitution offenses. This position requires criminal law experience and a dedication to actively fighting prostitution cases.
Events Support Team
Assist our board with fundraising events. Plan, develop, promote and assist the day of the event. You will get to work as part of a team of our supporters and contribute your time, connections, and skills to make our events successful.
Graphic Arts Designer
Can you help us translate our ideas into Photoshop, Illustrator or Quark files for color postcards, posters and high impact media? We are looking for people with experience in high impact media through school, work or personal experience. We have a series of postcards we would like to do for girls in the sex trade but lack the skills to use the software we have. Please send samples of your work in Photoshop or Illustrator files. Get some great exposure as we will include your name on every reproduction!
Interns
Internship level possibilities in our peer education and outreach, leadership development and social justice organizing and popular education workshops are open only to girls and young women 12-23 years old with life experience in the sex trade.
Non-profit Lawyer
We need lawyers who can help us review contracts, answer employment questions and share their legal expertise with us as we grow as a non-profit organization. This position requires non-profit law experience.
Promotions Team
Can you help us distribute our information to places that work with youth, staff info tables at conferences and get the word out at your school about our project and work? This position is great for people who need to work on their own schedule or have limited hours to contribute. You must be willing to learn about the project and speak clearly about what we do.
Your Donations Count
The Young Women's Empowerment Project relies on the support of individuals to create a safe and non-judgmental space for girls and yougn women involved in the sex trade and street economy, develop the leadership skills of girls in our project, and organize for social justice. Your dollars help us in the following ways:
$25 makes it possible for one of our outreach workers (who are all young women with life experience in the sex trade) to work with another young woman in the sex trade on issues of reproductive health (like access to condoms/safer sex, STD testing, pregnancy issues), legal rights, harm reduction with drugs, responding to violence and reducing harm/increasing safety in the sex trade.
$50 makes it possible for two of our members to conduct a workshop with young people throughout the city of Chicago about the realities of the sex trade, who benefits from the sex trade, and what young people can do to support young women in the sex trade.
$150 makes it possible for us to develop our research and social justice work, which is designed and implemented by young women in our project, to evaluate and target the systems and structures that impact young women who trade sex for money in Chicago.
$250 makes it possible for our outreach workers to offer safer injection supplies and piercing kits as part of our needle exchange efforts.
$500 makes it possible for us to promote our social justice work and build our movement through the development of our web-based activism.
$1000 makes it possible for us to maintain a free-of-judgment space for girls and young women to pursue their dreams and obtain harm reduction information and resources.
$5000 makes it possible for young women to be leaders, supporting youth in leading and implementing all of our areas of programming.
Donations of more than $5000 make it possible to develop the overall capacity of YWEP to continue moving forward with our mission.