Downtown Womens Center

About the Downtown Women’s Center

The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is the only organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to serving and empowering women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless individuals. Since our founding in 1978, DWC has been a vital place of safety, healing, and community for some of the most marginalized members of our city.

Our mission is simple yet powerful: to end homelessness for women and gender-diverse individuals through housing, wellness, employment, and advocacy. We know that housing is healthcare, and that true healing requires trauma-informed, gender-specific care. DWC operates with a Housing First model—meaning we believe everyone deserves stable housing before anything else. Once housed, we walk alongside our participants as they access wraparound services that support their long-term wellness and success.

Each year, DWC serves thousands of people through:

• Permanent Supportive Housing: Over 150 units of housing onsite and across the community

• Health & Wellness Programs: Mental and physical health services, trauma recovery, therapy, and support groups

• Employment Readiness: Job training, career development, and support through our social enterprise, MADE by DWC

• Day Center & Outreach: Meals, showers, case management, mail services, and street outreach to individuals in Skid Row and across L.A.

In Los Angeles, women and gender-diverse individuals face unique barriers when experiencing homelessness. Many are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, or other forms of gender-based harm. DWC is committed to honoring their experiences and meeting their needs with compassion and care.

This work is deeply personal. It’s about building a community where people feel seen, valued, and supported—not just housed. Your support helps make that possible. Every dollar raised goes directly toward critical housing and supportive services that change lives.

Together, we can create a Los Angeles where everyone has the opportunity to thrive—where no one is left behind.

Learn more at: downtownwomenscenter.org