The YWCA Orange County, founded in Newburgh in 1888, has provided leadership opportunities for women for over a century. The YWCA national mission of "eliminating racism and empowering women" is fulfilled locally through programs addressing economic empowerment, racial justice, women's health, violence against women, family support, childcare and community building. The YWCA of Orange County serves over 5,000 people annually through programs extending throughout Orange County.

Most recently, YWCA activities have included sexual harassment trainings for young women and community groups, personal safety workshops for women, racial equity trainings to local non-profits, and numerous community awareness and advocacy initiatives addressing discrimination/bias, women and girls' leadership development and violence against women.

The YWCA plays a major role in the crusade to fight breast cancer as a coordinating member of the Orange County Healthy Women Partnership. YWCA volunteers and staff recruit medically underserved women for free breast and cervical cancer screenings.

In 1995, the YWCA opened the first drop-in child care center for the Orange County Family Court. This center continues to provide care for over 1,500 children per year whose families are involved in court proceedings.

Through the support of the United Way, the YWCA is the only non-profit agency in Orange County (other than Social Services) to provide Supervised Visitation services to non-custodial parents when so ordered by Family Court.

The YWCA serves as a Co-Chair for the Orange County Domestic Violence Coalition and leads the Orange County Human Rights Commission. In addition, the YWCA is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Minority and Women Owned Business Committee, the Orange County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Committee, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee, the Sex Offender Management Task Force, and the advisory committee of the Family Treatment Court in Orange County, among others.

The YWCA Orange County is focusing all its resources toward breaking down the structural elements of sexism and racism that lead to unequal distribution of power and access in our communities.