In The News

After a year of distance learning and homeschooling for many children in our community including families at the shelter, Empower Yolo’s shelter staff and After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) staff are preparing the kids for a successful, new school...

Housing insecurity and homelessness continue to be a challenge for many individuals and families in Yolo County with the pandemic further exacerbating the problem.  It can be particularly challenging as an individual or family transitions from an emergency shelter to...

As summer quickly approaches, many parents are picking out the perfect camps and planning out summer schedules for their children. For many of the families that Empower Yolo serves, children lack resources and opportunities during the summer, this can mean fewer...

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”- Dr. Maya Angelou Like Maya Angelou, we believe the human spirit can overcome extreme obstacles and still shine within. As an organization, Empower Yolo’s mission is to promote safe, healthy, and resilient...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. A year has passed since COVID-19 forced Yolo County and most of the nation into quarantine. Throughout that time, Empower Yolo continued to support survivors of sexual assault amidst the...

(Yolo County, CA) - On March 15, 2021 the state launched California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program where income-eligible residents and landlords in Yolo County who need financial assistance for past or future rent and utilities will be able to apply for financial help...

Co-written with Evan Schmidt, CEO Valley Vision, and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, Empower Yolo The pandemic has impacted every facet of life over the last year. With people increasingly at home and more isolated, domestic violence and substance use, as well as...

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM), a national effort to help raise awareness about teen dating violence. Throughout the month, Empower Yolo and other organizations nationwide are coming together to highlight the need to educate young people...

January marks the welcoming of a new year; it’s also Human Trafficking Awareness Month - a month to raise awareness about human trafficking issues and support survivors. After drug trafficking, human trafficking is the world’s second most profitable criminal...

In a year where we seem surrounded with divisiveness on so many fronts, and the pandemic has left so many with loss, none of us will be sad to bid farewell to 2020. This month I asked our fearless leader, Lynnette Irlmeier, Empower Yolo’s executive director to reflect...