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TO: YWCA Local Association Leaders

FROM: Dara Richardson-Heron, M.D., CEO

DATE: December 17, 2015

SUBJECT: YWCA Name Change Announcement

Dear YWCA Leaders,

Thank you for your thoughtful approach to the name change amendments and consent process earlier this year. I am writing to share with you the results of that vote.

As of December 5, 2015, 175 out of 225, or 78%, of our local association members executed the consent vote affirming their agreement to change our organizational name. Given that we exceeded the 2/3-vote requirement, our attorneys submitted the paperwork required for an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation.

I am very happy to report that New York State has accepted the Certificate of Amendment for filing, which means that as of December 15, 2015, the official corporate name of the national organization is YWCA USA, Inc. In addition, as provided in the local association consents, the YWCA USA Bylaws are also considered amended, as of December 15, 2015, to change all references in the Bylaws from “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” to “YWCA USA, Inc.”

I am so very grateful for the time each of you took to review the amendments, consider the implications, and cast your votes. Please know that the name “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” will always be a part of our iconic history as an organization that for more than 150 years has been at the forefront of critical social movements — from civil rights, to affordable housing and pay equity, to violence prevention and health care reform.
Our new corporate name, YWCA USA, Inc., however will be more reflective of our inclusive nature, it will match and support our exciting brand awareness campaign, and it will provide us with the opportunity to engage many more individuals in the important and inspiring work of our organization.

We recognize and respect this was not an easy decision for some to make. However, as mentioned in memos that I sent to our local association leadership, as discussed at our June 2015 annual conference, and also as discussed during our YWire branding discussions over the past year, for many reasons, the name change is the right decision for our national organization at this time.

Some of you have reached out to me to ask what steps you can take in the event that you and your board make a decision to change your corporate name. According to legal counsel, the manner in which each local association changes its formal name is governed by the particulars of the applicable state law and the local association’s own governance documents (e.g., bylaws), and this matter should be discussed with your respective legal counsel as appropriate. However, an organizational name change will generally involve amending the local association’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and obtaining appropriate governance approvals (e.g., by the board of directors and/or voting members, depending on how the local association is structured).

Again, I thank each and every one of you for the time spent on this most important issue, and I look forward to continuing our important work together.

Sincerely,

Dara Richardson-Heron, M.D.
YWCA USA CEO