EmBe News Archives

EmBe CEO Column: April 2023

Melissa Carter2023-03-29T12:22:13-05:00

Transitioning into Spring Despite the piles of snow remaining, it’s official – Spring is here! After a long (and cold) winter, I'm sure everyone is just as eager to transition into a new season as I am. Spring has always been my favorite season. Perhaps it’s the budding energy, the awakening of the community after the hibernation of winter, and the freshness of growth everywhere you look. Or perhaps it’s that my birthday and EmBe anniversary is also in the same week of the beginning of Spring, regardless I love spring. One of my favorite things about living in this [...]

EmBe CEO Column: April 2023Melissa Carter2023-03-29T12:22:13-05:00

Staff Spotlight: Melissa Hiatt

Melissa Carter2023-03-20T15:13:38-05:00

“I want to help women tap into the life-giving, life-changing, life-empowering power for them, their families, their organizations, and their communities.” At EmBe, our mission is to empower women and help them discover their strengths, activate their vision, and help meet their personal and professional goals. Putting the pivotal mentors, leadership, and programs in place is what we are excited to bring more emphasis to within the community. We are ecstatic to announce the addition of Melissa Hiatt, Director of Women’s Programming, to the EmBe team! We are certain that Melissa’s experience and new ideas will grow Women’s Programming to [...]

Staff Spotlight: Melissa HiattMelissa Carter2023-03-20T15:13:38-05:00

EmBe CEO Column: November 2022

Melissa Carter2022-11-08T11:34:21-06:00

Get out and Vote In case you weren’t aware…. In case you haven’t noticed, there is an election happening. If you’re like me, you may be fatigued by the political advertisements, solicitations, and some of the ‘dirty politics’ that accompany each election. Perhaps that’s why the right to vote, suffrage, sounds so much like suffer. We “suffer” through the political season to finally get to lift our voices through the right to vote. The reality is, the word suffrage comes from Latin suffragium, which initially meant “a voting tablet” or a “ballot” or a “vote”… ultimately becoming, the right to [...]

EmBe CEO Column: November 2022Melissa Carter2022-11-08T11:34:21-06:00

Staff Spotlight: Sarah Meagher – Director of Curriculum and Licensing

Melissa Carter2022-10-20T13:20:45-05:00

“With an extremely talented and dedicated staff, the biggest challenge will be to learn what best practices already exist and where our programs can be elevated to the highest standard of childcare and early education in the community.” Sarah Meagher believes in the power of quality education to transform the lives of children. But the reality of maintaining EmBe’s high standards of learning requires constant effort from both teachers and administrators. As the new Director of Curriculum and Licensing at EmBe, Sarah has the passion and skills to rise to the challenge of delivering world-class education to the youth of [...]

Staff Spotlight: Sarah Meagher – Director of Curriculum and LicensingMelissa Carter2022-10-20T13:20:45-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: 100 Years of EmBe

Melissa Carter2022-09-25T11:04:58-05:00

For the final Sunday Story, we’re bringing you 100 fun facts about EmBe from our last 100 years! The 1920s YWCA founder, Mabel Crossman, owned the state’s largest chicken hatchery with her husband, even though she was terrified of chickens. The YWCA was one of the first organizations to offer Kittenball leagues for women. Kittenball is the original name for softball. The first Camp Tepeetonka was on Lake Madison. One of the original classes of the YWCA was a cheese-tasting class. The YWCA offered a special one-on-one English class for immigrants attempting to learn the language. President Calvin Coolidge visited [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: 100 Years of EmBeMelissa Carter2022-09-25T11:04:58-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: The Name Change

Melissa Carter2022-09-16T10:52:55-05:00

On April 16, 2013, the Sioux Falls branch of the YWCA cut ties with the national organization and announced the new agency as EmBe. There were many reasons for the change, but ultimately, the organization wanted to be more connected and support and provide resources in the best possible way to the Sioux Falls community. When the name changed, it didn’t mean that the services had changed. After the switch, EmBe still provided all the services they did before, including childcare services, aquatics, Girls on the Run, Tribute to Women, and all other programs. By cutting ties with [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: The Name ChangeMelissa Carter2022-09-16T10:52:55-05:00

EmBe CEO Column: September 2022

Melissa Carter2022-09-16T11:05:25-05:00

Celebrating the Undying Agents of Change Despite my fortunate upbringing in a mild-mannered, midwestern town, I frequently lack patience in the face of injustice. While polite discourse and temperance are values I’ve shared with countless friends, neighbors, and colleagues, we’ve collectively seen our patience wane in our individual pursuit of progress and impact. As the past two years further revealed our urgent need for systematic change and equitable solutions across all sectors of society and commerce, I notice my own persistence at my best, and impatience at my worst. Yet, there is no better time to allow the 100-year anniversary [...]

EmBe CEO Column: September 2022Melissa Carter2022-09-16T11:05:25-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: The Forgotten Heroes of 9/11

Melissa Carter2022-09-10T20:21:08-05:00

9/11 was a tragedy of the modern age that exposed the strength and resilience of the nation as a whole. Everyone came together to show their support, lend their hands, and offer their services. However, there is often a party that is overlooked in the portrayal of this event. At EmBe, we hope to highlight the women emergency responders of 9/11. In the wake of 9/11, many women expected to see news coverage and stories of how New York pulled together to help as many people as possible. However, what they saw were stories of male firefighters and police officers. During [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: The Forgotten Heroes of 9/11Melissa Carter2022-09-10T20:21:08-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: Working Women

Melissa Carter2022-09-04T13:38:15-05:00

As we honor Labor Day at EmBe, we’re reflecting on the women laborers. The YWCA has always been in support of working women. Since its beginning, the organization has been there to support industrial women, advocate for women’s rights, and declare equal pay. YWCAs worldwide helped with the representation of labor units and the empowerment of women entering the workforce. This story will help to illustrate some critical aspects of the history of the working woman and the YWCA. United War Work Campaign One of the first significant efforts the organization started to help the working woman was the United [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: Working WomenMelissa Carter2022-09-04T13:38:15-05:00

100-Year Sunday Story: Solo Parent’s Club

Melissa Carter2022-08-27T16:43:29-05:00

The solo parents club was founded in 1963 to help single parents find activities, resources, and friends for their children and themselves. The purpose, as listed in the original club constitution, was “to establish a means of enabling parents who are without a partner to meet together, discuss mutual problems about themselves and their children, cultivate common interests and knowledge through educational programs, and create greater opportunities for social contact between themselves and their families.” It was also stated that “membership in this club is open to any parent who is widowed, divorced, separated, or unwed regardless of race, creed, or color.” [...]

100-Year Sunday Story: Solo Parent’s ClubMelissa Carter2022-08-27T16:43:29-05:00