Women Count! / Women in Dialogue

Crossroads Women’s Center

The Crossroads Women’s Center is run by Women in Dialogue, a 501c3 non-profit founded in 1985 by a multiracial network of women to “bring communities together by bringing women together on our common concerns.”

We are a multiracial community-based center for collective self-help support and advocacy against poverty, sexism, racism, disability, and other discriminations, and for financial recognition for unpaid caregiving, overwhelmingly the work of women – women and children are 70% of poor people in Philadelphia. The Center’s mission: “End Women’s Poverty!”

Women and men who work out of the Center know from personal experience how tough it is to win recognition and resources for the work we do, especially if we are Black, Brown, or LGBTQ+, and to get what we need and are entitled to in order to tackle injustices in the benefits, legal, criminal, and child welfare systems. We build on each other’s skills and experiences to improve our situations and make change.

Groups and Initiatives Based at the Center

• CAFÉS: Caregiving Advocacy for Food and Economic Security
• Care Income Now!
• Crossroads Women’s Wellness
• Every Mother is a Working Mother Network
• Global Women’s Strike and Women of Color GWS
• Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Wives Fighting for Our Loved Ones’ Lives
• Payday Men’s Network
• Women’s Fitness Club

Issues We Address

• Access to Benefits (Welfare, SNAP, Healthcare, Other)
• Caregivers’ Supports
• Childcare
• Child Welfare
• Criminal Justice
• Discrimination
• Domestic Violence
• Elder Care
• Guardianship
• Health
• Healthy Food Access
• Housing
• Legal Help That Is Accountable
• Pay Equity
• Poverty
• Tax Credits

How We Work Together

• Peer Support: Each person is centrally involved in their own case while working with others on the basis of collective self-help. People are empowered and we are more likely to gain our rights.
• Collaboration: We work with a range of community groups, refer to supportive organizations, and follow up to ensure follow-through.
• Health and Wellness: We provide a healthy lunch for those using the Center, along with meditation classes and a community garden plot. With our partners, we provide tax/legal benefits clinics.

We are based in Germantown. For 25 years we were at 33 Maplewood Mall. In 2022, we moved to 5011 Wayne Avenue. All are welcome! Volunteers, rummage items, and donations are greatly appreciated. Call us at 215-848-1120 or email us at philly@allwomencount.net.

Thank you to the following for their support:

• William Penn Foundation for support of our healthy food initiative
• Mellon Foundation for support of Wages for Housework Campaign archives
• Philadelphia Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity for support of our Child Tax Credit work
• Women’s Way for general operating support
• Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services for helping launch Crossroads Women’s Wellness
• Weavers Way Coop for food subsidies and partnership
• Philadelphia Activities Fund and City Councilwoman Cindy Bass for support of the Women’s Fitness Club
• Germantown Community Alliance for a planter
• Commerce Department and PIDC for support of our building renovation

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