The past year has placed extraordinary pressure on nonprofits across the country. Federal funding cuts and political attacks have strained both our finances and the principles that guide our work. At YWCA Northern New Jersey, we feel that pressure every day but still continue to show up for the women and families who depend on us.
As CEO of the YWCA Northern New Jersey, I have spent the past year navigating a shifting federal climate that targets our core mission, from women’s empowerment to racial justice. Federal funding we once relied on has been decimated, and programs that were standard for years — including job training, youth services, and support for vulnerable women — now face legal and political scrutiny. As a result, even trusted partners are cautious about publicly aligning with this work, despite growing demand for services across our region.
The backlash against DEI has driven much of this, with racial justice and female-centered programming in the spotlight. But some of the attacks pre-date the present federal efforts. The overturning of Roe v Wade was a seismic shift in women’s rights in this country. The Epstein cover-up rumbles on and is yet another example of how women and girls are viewed as second-class citizens. Just last month, the Department of Defense threatened to cut ties with Scouting America because it admitted girls. The Trump Administration also has suggested women lack the physical strength to serve in the military.
The implications of this rhetoric are being felt here in New Jersey. Partnering with other organizations on racial justice initiatives has become increasingly challenging, as institutions move forward with heightened caution. Our annual Racial Justice Awards, a signature event that aligns closely with our mission, has not yet received the attention it deserves this year. While we are grateful to have one committed partner to date, we continue to seek additional support to fully realize the event’s impact.
In the past year alone, YWCA Northern New Jersey lost $1 million in funding. Our workforce development program, which serves veterans, women returning from incarceration, trauma survivors, and others seeking economic stability, has been kept on life support. Staffing in our Veterans Department was reduced as well.
Consider the woman who walks through our doors after surviving violence, unemployed and unsure of her next steps. She connects with our healing SPACE program for counseling and support. She then enrolls in workforce training through our Women of the Workforce initiative. Months later, she meets a recruiter at our Career Expo and secures a job that allows her to support her children independently. That arc — from crisis to confidence — is what is at stake when funding for this work becomes uncertain.
Many have advised us to “play the game” and get in line with the new political realities and rules to preserve funding by quietly scaling back or eliminating programs that might provoke the ire of critics. But doing so would betray our civil rights legacy and the values that define us as an organization. Instead, we have chosen to stay true to our mission and press forward.
Our staff embody that resolve and guide what we do. Even as our transgender staff face hostility and our immigrant employees worry about their safety, they continue to show up for the communities we serve. In moments of darkness, our community depends on us. And in turn, their trust and resilience sustain us.
This year, we launched the state’s first racial trauma center, a critical resource for individuals and families navigating the mental health impacts of discrimination. We also hosted our annual women’s empowerment conference focused on workforce development and entrepreneurship. Through Operation Sisterhood, we have continued to support women veterans and begun a new partnership designed to inspire and empower young women through education, wellness, and career exploration. On March 11, we will again host our annual women’s conference, a reminder that even in uncertain times, women continue to lead, build, and move forward.
There are reasons for hope beyond our walls. Our new governor, Mikie Sherrill, brings experience as a veteran, legislator, and working mother, along with an understanding of the challenges women face at work and at home. New Jersey has a critical role in stabilizing essential services as federal support recedes. We look forward to working with her to ensure women and families are not left behind.
We will adapt as circumstances change. But we will not retreat from our values. Our mission requires courage, and we will face this moment with clarity and conviction.
Helen Archontou is the CEO of YWCA Northern New Jersey.
