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We believe
in developing a world where women who work hard are afforded
opportunities for success. The YW does
this by investing in the lives of women through three-pronged
approach that focuses on:
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Free
access to breast health care services for uninsured and
underinsured women
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Financial
literacy education and incentives to asset building for
families
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Parenting
education for high-risk families, including first-time
mothers and teen parents
Find
out how the YW helps
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Women's Health Issues
With
early detection, the survival rate for breast cancer is
nearly 100 percent, yet thousands of women die
needlessly because a lack of insurance prevents them
from receiving an early diagnosis. This is particularly
critical in North Central Texas where more than
one-quarter of Dallas women are going uninsured for some
period each year – one of the highest rates in the
nation. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer
deaths among women ages
40 - 59, and yet, in Texas only 28
percent of uninsured women over the age of 40 received a
mammogram in the past year.
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Financial Literacy Issues
Women account for the
majority of major spending decisions, yet often lack
basic financial skills and a sound understanding of
financial infrastructure. Many of these families are
living just one financial emergency away from poverty.
In fact, 1 in 4 Dallas County families are considered
“asset poor.” If their current income was suspended,
they would lack the resources to live at the poverty
line for three months.
Resources, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, exist
to help these families, yet these funds are often left on the
table because of a lack of public awareness.
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Parenting Education Issues
Approximately 40 percent of births in Dallas are to
first-time mothers, including thousands to teens. The
cost to our community is great, with increased risks of
late or no prenatal care, health complications, and
diminished opportunities for their future. Texas
continues to have the highest teen birth rate in the
nation, with one in four to teens who already have
children. Parenthood is a leading cause of high school
dropout among girls, and poverty is the single greatest
factor of the risk for teen pregnancy.
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