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The YMCA is among several national groups asking Congress for $60 billion in emergency funding to nonprofit organizations nationwide. Above, a sign hangs on the door of the Schlessmann YMCA in Denver, Colo., on March 16, 2020.

David Zalubowski / AP

As members of Congress continue to struggle to agree on terms for an emergency aid package aimed at addressing the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, a coalition of national nonprofit groups is asking lawmakers to do more to help the nation's charities.

Nonprofit groups say the nation's charitable sector is especially hard-hit at this time. Several national groups – among them the United Way, the YMCA and YWCA, and the American Cancer Society – are asking Congress for $60 billion in emergency funding to nonprofit organizations nationwide. They also are requesting additional tax breaks and other incentives meant to encourage charitable contributions, and access to federal small business loans for nonprofits.

"Funding for charitable organizations is going to fall precipitously but the needs in our communities will not," Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said in a joint statement released by the coalition.

A spokesperson for the United Way said in an email to NPR that the organization is receiving an influx of calls for help as Americans cope with layoffs and other economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Officials with the YWCA said they're concerned about growing demand for space at domestic violence shelters, which is complicated by the need to respect social distancing guidelines designed to reduce the spread of the virus.

The YWCA surveyed more than 200 member organizations. Of those that responded, more than one third reported an increase in demand for domestic violence services of all kinds, including counseling, and more than half reported an increase in requests for housing and shelter, according to a spokesperson.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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R.Kelly's “The Love Jam” concert is scheduled at the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, May 11th. The artist has a history of alleged sexual misconduct. (Frank Franklin II/Associated Press)

R&B singer R. Kelly is scheduled to play a concert at the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, May 11. The event is mired in controversy, stemming from a host of sexual misconduct allegations against Kelly, many that stretch back decades.

An entire “Mute R. Kelly” movement has sprung up, in connection with the "Time's Up" and “Me Too” movements, to not only stop his concerts, but to have him dropped from record labels and streaming sites.

And to some degree, it’s working. Spotify just announced that it’s pulling the artist from all playlists. And a concert in Chicago, Kelly’s hometown, was recently canceled.

When contacted about the controversy, the Greensboro Coliseum said it had no comment.

Local activists will be demonstrating outside the performance. One of those planning to protest is Brandi Collins-Calhoun. She drafted a letter calling for the cancellation of R. Kelly’s show, with support from her employer, YWCA Greensboro.

Interview Highlights On holding venues accountable:

I think it's really important that we hold them highly accountable. Because when you continue to promote the person, it's pretty much saying that you're okay with what they're doing. When you continue to put money into their pockets, money that he's used to fund his sex cults, money that he uses as power to actually abuse these women, that's where the accountability lies. When you can say you need to bring in revenue and support this person, you're supporting their actions.

On the Greensboro Coliseum's lack of response compared to Chicago:

I think a big part of it is just the silence. This isn't the first time that the venue has been asked to be held accountable for hosting certain people and certain events. But I also think they really underestimated the power behind the letter and through the actual movement. I think they assumed that because in Chicago R. Kelly has more of a presence, that it was a stronger expectation.

I don't think they expected us to have people coming in town from Georgia, people coming down from Virginia, from Asheville, and Charlotte to come and support this action. I think they truly underestimated what was going to take place.

You know, to have R. Kelly come into a space is to say, ‘You know what's OK? Sexual abuse is OK. Sexual conditioning is OK. And it's OK when it's happening to young black and brown girls.’ Truthfully, if R. Kelly's victims were of a different race, would he be coming to the Greensboro Coliseum?

On the role of black women in the "Me Too" movement:

I think the space of black woman in the "Me Too" movement is similar to black women in any movement. We’ve led it, and we kind of got pushed to the back. But we're still here, we're still doing the groundwork, we're still doing the heavy lifting. So I think now is the same that it's always been. We're still demanding to be heard.

When white women came forward with the "Me Too" movement, it was tons of sympathy, and tons of demands, and tons of justice being rolled out. Whereas when black women are coming forward, it's nothing. It's silence. So we're looking for people to silence R. Kelly in the same way they've silenced black women and our abuse.

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r. kelly #metoo #muterkelly #timesup #greensboro #gso #greensboro coliseum #ywca #spotify #chicago

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In the wake of the "Me Too" movement, more victims of sexual harassment and assault continue to come forward.

Damian Dovarganes / AP

In Norfolk,Va. the YWCA South Hampton Roads's crisis counselors have been answering calls on a 24-hour hotline that serves the region in southeast Virginia. They help victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and related types of abuse find shelter, counseling, and other services.

"[We're hearing from] people who were recently sexually assaulted, people just wanting to process a harassment issue, or people who experienced it a long time ago and were maybe triggered from the recent social media stuff," says Nicole Nordan, the counseling program director.

Nordan says calls normally slow down around the holidays and in the colder months, but not this year.

As more victims of sexual harassment and assault continue to come forward in the wake of the "Me Too" movement, organizations like the YWCA and rape crisis groups that provide support to survivors are finding themselves unusually busy. They are feeling the ripple effects of the recent wave of allegations against high-profile men in media, entertainment, and other industries.

Multiple companies and organizations – including NPR – have fired or suspended high-profile powerful men accused of sexual harassment, and Nordan says many callers are reaching out after their own experiences of harassment, assault, and other abuse.

At the YWCA, the hallways are filled with the soft purr of white noise machines.

On the other side of the office walls, Development Director Laura Boone says counselors are meeting with people who've reached out for support. They work with victims to decide if they need help getting counseling, reporting an assault, finding a safe place to live, and other services.

"The noise machines are placed outside of each one of the counseling offices, and it's to give privacy to the client," Boone says. "The walls are thin in here; we're trying to pack everybody in here, to be able to service everyone."

She says the YWCA has had to lean more heavily on interns to help meet the demand.

The high-profile incidents, advocates say, are empowering others to report their own stories.

"People feel, 'Okay now I won't be ignored; people won't judge me; they won't say they won't believe me,' because others in the community are coming out and people are standing by them," Nordan says.

Not "too late" to ask for help

On the other side of the state, Bristol Crisis Center in largely rural southwestern Virginia is seeing a similar influx of hotline calls.

Emilee Lawson, who works with sexual assault victims, says she's also hearing from survivors dealing with buried trauma.

"And they'll ask me ... is it too late to get help or maybe get resources for counseling or something, and the answer to that is 'no,' " Lawson says.

Lawson says the "me too" movement that emerged on social media in the wake of the sexual harassment and assault allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has made many people feel empowered to come forward. But for some, she says the barrage of news about the subject triggers painful memories.

"That is a topic of conversation almost every week in our support group," Lawson says. "You can't go to the grocery store and buy an apple without seeing sexual assault plastered on the front page of a magazine."

Support workers need support, too

At Lutheran Community Services Northwest in Spokane, Wash., there's been no seasonal slowdown either, says Erin Williams Hueter, director of victim advocacy and education.

She says it's too early to fully quantify the effect of the movement, but crisis hotline workers are also needing support as they get busier.

"Because some of the areas they might have turned to for recovery or self-care now feel sort of tainted by sexual violence – like the entertainment industry or the music industry," Williams Hueter says. "And that's been really difficult, too, to lose heart in people that we looked up to or people that we relied on for a break."

Not slowing down

At the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, or RAINN, services provided to victims were up 25 percent in November compared to last year.

The demand has been so great, says President Scott Berkowitz, that RAINN has had to hire 40 new staffers for its national hotline in the past two months.

"We're hiring as quickly as we can. So as far as we can tell, this isn't slowing down anytime soon," he says.

Berkowitz says when sexual harassment and assault are in the news, the crisis hotline often sees a brief spike in calls. But he says the "me too" movement has opened the door to a flood of requests for help that could continue for much longer.

If you need support:

There are many resources available, both locally and nationally for victims of sexual abuse, harassment, assault, or domestic violence to seek help. Here a few:

• RAINN, or the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673)
• The YWCA's national Domestic Violence Crisis hotline: 877-718-1868
• Many local rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and women's organizations also offer a variety of services and support

Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Story does not include AP content

news #mental health #sexual assault #sexual harassment #abuse #domestic violence #ywca #national #harvey weinstein ##metoo #sexual assault allegations #scott berkowitz #rape crisis hotline #rainn #me too

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Hellary Rotten Clinton and Donna Tramp, locked in fierce competition. Credit: Jerry Wolford and Scott Muthersbaugh of Perfecta Visuals

It’s 15 minutes til showtime, and the basement level theatre of Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema is teeming with pre-bout excitement. The temporary green room is filled with costumed characters making last minute touches, taking photos, and preparing for battle. Tonight is truly a bipartisan event, where both sides of the aisle are ripe for roasting.

The politically and comedically charged competition comes courtesy of The Greensboro Ladies' Arm Wrestling League, or GRAWL for short. Tonight's event, Grawl Brawl 3, is one part sports, one part theatre, and one part fundraiser. The audience is encouraged to buy “Grawl Bucks” in support of their chosen competitor, which they can then use to bribe judges. The proceeds will support the YWCA of Greensboro Family Shelter.

GRAWL takes a page out of the professional wrestling playbook when it comes to characters. Every arm wrestler has an outlandish costume, entrance music, and a tendency to talk trash to the audience and their opponents. They also have back stories.

The first match of the night is Polly Purebred The Politician vs Annie Archy.

Polly is played by Kim Diop.

"Polly is a throwback to the 50’s housewife. She has a petulant son named Norman, and she's got a husband who’s publicly supportive of her political life, but privately is a philanderer. She wants to bring good manners back to politics.”

Annie Archy is a punk-inspired hellion, played by Lacy Sharpe, who has a history with another niche sport.

“Yeah, I used to skate roller derby; it’s a little too invasive on my body as I get a little older. But honestly, it's like lower impact roller derby in some ways. I don’t have to fall down as much, that’s for sure.”

But tonight’s most hotly anticipated match is a comedic take on the presidential candidates themselves: Donna Tramp and Hellary Rotten Clinton.

Donna Tramp makes her way through the crowd. Credit: Jerry Wolford and Scott Muthersbaugh of Perfecta Visuals

As they approach the arm wrestling table, they have a few choice words for the audience. First, GRAWL co-founder Rachel Scott as Donna Tramp, riffing on a familiar line from the Trump campaign:

“...all you losers out there, I’m building a wall and Mexico’s gonna pay for it.” And a thirsty Hellary Rotten Clinton, who tries to order a PBR beer from the stage and is told she has to go wait in line: "Oh, that’s fine, I have my own private server.” All kidding aside, only one of these competing caricatures can be victorious. The women throw down their elbows, lock arms and eyes, and await their countdown. The crowd roars as the over the top face-off begins. The combatants both give their all, and after three rounds, Donna Tramp is determined to be the winner.

Hellary Rotten Clinton with Secret Service detail. Credit: Jerry Wolford and Scott Muthersbaugh of Perfecta Visuals

Though Hellary Rotten Clinton lost, the woman who played her, Kitty Lowrance, says she was not defeated.

“Well, ya know, it’s a disappointing loss, but at the end of the night we’re all raising money for charity, and so it was still fun and still a great opportunity.”

This is the last event of 2016, but GRAWL will be back next year, with new characters in tow. Co-founder Amanda Killian says the women’s dedication to the organization took her by surprise.

“You know, one of the great things about GRAWL, and something that we didn’t - I didn’t anticipate, was just how creative the women would be. And they came with theses amazing costumes, and recruited friends to help them, and made all this crazy merchandise. And it is just amazing, this sisterhood, this family that we’ve created with this organization.” As for the real world, we’ll have to wait for the election results to see who comes out victorious. But in the world of GRAWL, the whole event was a victory as they raised over $8,000 for The YWCA of Greensboro Family Shelter.

grawl #election 2016 #gso #arm wrestling #politics #sports #comedy #theatre #ywca #trump #clinton #nc #geeksboro #greensboro #feminism #women #fundraiser

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Bill Benton stands in space that was once part of the auditorium of the former YWCA building on Glade Street in Winston-Salem. The space is a living area in one of seven condos that Benton and his company have developed in the building.

WFDD photo by Paul Garber

In his youth, Bill Benton was a regular visitor to the YWCA on Glade Street in Winston-Salem’s West End, whether it was to swim in the pool or to get a piece of his favorite, chicken pie.

“My mother especially liked the cafeteria, which was on the first floor," he says. "We came every Sunday.”

Now Benton is a co-owner of the building and the land surrounding it. The new neighborhood is called The Glade at West End. The original building now houses seven condos.

Benton’s company bought the property in 2012 for $1.5 million dollars. He says he could see the possibilities in the architecture; interior elements such as the original herring-bone parquet floors, and brickwork by noted local brick maker George Black.

“All the brickwork including all the decorative brickwork , none of that was detailed in the plans, it was worked out on the site," Benton says. "It’s one of those they literally don’t make ‘em like that no more.”

The YWCA closed the Glade Street location four years ago. Since then, a pool and gym built in the 1950s were torn down, as was a heated pool and an old steam station with its distinctive smokestacks. The land is graded to make way for as many as 14 single-family homes. Construction on them should begin by the end of the year.

ywca #downtown winston-salem #bill benton #west end

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