giving a historic jewel back to dayton, ohio
West Side "Y"The Early Visions Purpose Center will provide a security blanket by sowing and connecting ideas, dreams, and talents of women and girls as they ‘stitch’ together their personal growth and purpose from within. The Early Visions Purpose Center will serve as a vessel to enable their discovery of purpose.

GIVING A HISTORIC JEWEL BACK TO DAYTON, OHIO
West Side “Y”
The Early Visions Purpose Center will provide a security blanket by sowing and connecting ideas, dreams, and talents of women and girls as they ‘stitch’ together their personal growth and purpose from within. The Early Visions Purpose Center will serve as a vessel to enable their discovery of purpose.
What Drives Us
Our Mission & Legacy
“The Early Visions Purpose Center will serve to expose women’s history while providing responsive programs dedicated to the skills of community resident girls and young women. The historical roles, contributions, and legacy of West Dayton’s African American women will be highlighted. This is the perfect opportunity for other organizations to provide community support within West Dayton.” says Early Visions President and CEO, Ms. Elizabeth Early-Gainous.
Summit Street Y History Video
Join Us – Membership
Become a Member of Early Visions to Engage, Motivate, and Forge Heightened Community Awareness & Involvement.Preserve the PROUD and AWESOME history of the “West Side Y”, whose members started the First Branch for Black women in the United States.
Get Involved
Support us by volunteering your time and expertise. As we continue the journey to rebuild our ‘new development home’ we are going to need lots of helping hands and spirits. With your help, we can bring this gem back to supporting the Dayton Community.
Latest News
Event – Summer 2020 – Community Cleanup
Over the last few weeks the Dayton community has come together to help us clean up the Early Visions grounds. The back hill looks better than ever...
Fall 2020 – Video Production
While work has begun on the Early Visions property local filmmakers, HBC Films and Once Occupied, have been busy working on a video tour of the...
Press Release – May 2020 – NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AWARDS $500,000 TO ‘HISTORIC JEWEL’ IN WEST DAYTON
Awards to preserve the Historic Summit Street Young Women's Christian Association (aka 'West Side Y') at 236 Paul Laurence Dunbar St. in West Dayton...
Upcoming Events
2020- EVENTS COMING SOON
Stay tuned for cleanup, paint, tours, and planning events. We will post them here!