YWCA Shelter Grilles

safety. healing. empowerment.

(YWCA mission)

The YWCA of Tacoma asked Jennifer early in 2010 if she could gather some artists to design and fabricate the grilles that would be required on the outside of the windows of their new shelter, to keep the ‘bad guys out’.  Jennifer decided to design them herself, and Alliance Steel and Ziegler Welding fabricated and installed the parts.  The concept was to use a “grassy” background to accommodate the 4″ rule (a code compliance issue that affects railings.)  Then the top layer of “vines” and lotus pods speaks to the aspect of the interweaving and strengthening of families that the shelter represents.  Jennifer was very proud to have been a part of this project’s success.

Miriam Barnett, the executive director, said, of the importance of this project, “Beauty is important.”  This has become Jennifer’s mantra.