Dear Friends and Community Partners,

This year, YWCA Rochester and Monroe County will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Empowering Women Luncheon, a milestone that gives us both reason to celebrate and reason to call on our community with renewed urgency.

For two decades, this event has brought people together around a shared belief: that when women and families are supported, entire communities grow stronger. It has become a meaningful tradition in Rochester, one that motivates, lifts up stories of resilience, and generates critical support for the work of the YWCA.

This year, that support matters more than ever.

Across our community, nonprofits are facing one of the most challenging environments in recent memory. Ongoing uncertainty around public funding, including cuts that affect housing insecurity and other essential social services, is putting enormous strain on organizations that serve those most in need. At the YWCA, we see the impact of these challenges every day in the lives of women and families who are seekingstability, safety, and opportunity.

At a time like this, sponsorship is more than event support. It is an investment in the strength of our community. It helps ensure that women and families facing crisis are not left behind. It allows us to continue providing housing, support services, and programs that create pathways forward. It sends a powerful message that Rochester stands with those working every day to build hope, dignity, and possibility.

I invite you to stand with YWCA Rochester and Monroe County as a partner of this year’s Empowering Women Luncheon. Your partnership will help us celebrate 20 years of impact while meeting this moment with courage, compassion, and commitment.

Thank you for your belief in this work and for the role you play in helping women and families in our community thrive.

With gratitude,

Dr. Myra Henry

President & CEO, YWCA Rochester and Monroe County