WOMENS EMPLOYMENT NETWORK
4328 Madison Ave, Kansas City, MO 64111 www.kcwen.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: Our Mission is to help women raise their self-esteem and achieve economic independence through sustained employment. Our Vision is to advance positive change in the lives of women, their families and the community, one woman at a time.

To help women raise their self-esteem and achieve economic independence through sustained employment.

In 1986, two Kansas City philanthropists and visionaries, Beth K. Smith and Marjorie Powell Allen, had a profound idea of how to "help women help themselves" and they worked to form the Women's Employment Network (WEN). With the involvement and support of hundreds of volunteers, donors, and dedicated staff, WEN has grown from a single classroom at Pioneer College to a 10,000 square foot facility in the heart of downtown Kansas City. Over the last three decades, WEN has continued to work toward the mission and vision of its founders and has played an important role in the professional growth of women in Kansas City. At no cost to the women served, WEN has graduated hundreds of women from its programs while assisting thousands more through support services and community referrals. In the 2018-2019 program year, WEN served: 746 total clients, 453 new clients, and served 123 clients per month. Women with a wide variety of backgrounds turn to WEN. Due to the ever-changing nature of economic forces, more and more women walk through our doors with significant work experience and who have achieved higher levels of education. As the demographics of our clients shift, our experienced program staff make the necessary adjustments to meet their needs. However, the primary focus of WEN's programming continues to be un- and under- employed women who are experiencing poverty. WEN receives referrals from area domestic violence shelters, therapists and counselors, community service and referral partners, and word-of-mouth recommendations. WEN has also recently experienced an increase in women who find out about WEN through social media and internet searches. Our Clients: 78% of clients are single or divorced, 21% of clients do not have stable housing, 66% of clients reside in Jackson County, 78% of clients are below the Federal Poverty Level, 48% of clients report an annual household income of under $10,000. In 2018-2019 WEN had the following program outcomes: 175 self-reported jobs, 346 employer partners, 737 workshop attendees, 1697 hours in job search lab, $12.81 average hourly full-time wage reported. In 2018-2019 WEN had the following financial coaching outcomes: 189 financial clients, 23 coaching clients each month, 67 coaching clients completed a budget, 47 coaching clients improved credit score, 17 coaching clients decreased their outstanding collections and 40 coaching clients increased monthly net income.

WEN on the Road:This year was a positive and eventful one that saw huge growth in the number of women we were able to serve in the community, thanks in part to the launching of our new WEN on the Road initiative. WEN's continued growth and impact in Kansas City is a testament to the commitment and compassion of our community partners, our financial supporters, our volunteers, and our staff who have all contributed to WEN throughout the years. The support of the community is paramount to our success in supporting our clients as they navigate significant obstacles to financial self-sufficiency and personal discovery to become more than they thought they could be. We are excited as we look ahead to the upcoming year and beyond as we continue to make a difference in Kansas City - one woman at a time. WEN has come to understand the need for sharing our expertise beyond traditional parameters. In addition to our programming offered on-site at WEN's office, WEN made the strategic decision to offer workshops in collaboration with community partner organizations who are interested in introducing these topics to their clients. We have revamped our community offerings and launched WEN on the Road in October 2017, in an effort to reach communities of clients by meeting them where they physically reside. As we assess the needs of our clients and our community partners, we will create workshops to fit. Additionally, WEN on the Road will increase efficiencies among our nonprofit partners by helping to train and inform partner agency staff, and better achieve a common goal: empowering clients to achieve long-term financial stability. We look forward to this new venture and increasing our outreach in the community to advance positive change in the lives of women, their families, and the community. Through WEN on the Road, WEN offers 11 different workshop offerings covering financial and workforce related topics. 2018-2019 WEN on the Road Outcomes: 145 attendees, and 17 community partners.

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