Inspiring Conversations with Amy Turk of Downtown Women’s Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Turk.

Hi Amy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Watching my parents, who never waited to be asked before helping others, shaped my understanding of service from an early age. They simply saw needs in their community and did what they could to meet them. Their example inspired me to pursue a career dedicated to helping others.

A volunteer experience during my freshman year of college ultimately defined my professional path. I signed up to cook a meal at a local shelter, which later became the organization where I would spend the next 12 years of my career. That evening, I sat with one of the residents and was deeply moved by her story. After a successful career as a professor, she had found herself unable to afford housing as she aged. Looking around the shelter, I realized that every woman there had a unique story, yet many of their experiences were connected by systemic gaps and policy failures that had made their journeys far more difficult and traumatic than they needed to be. That realization ignited a commitment not only to supporting individuals in crisis, but also to addressing the broader systems that contribute to homelessness and inequality.

My career has always been rooted in a passion for supporting women and advancing social justice. I began working in homeless services in 2001 as a case manager, helping women navigate some of the most challenging periods of their lives. Over time, I became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and assumed increasingly senior leadership roles, including serving as Director of Daybreak, a project of The People Concern, where I spent seven years leading programs for women experiencing homelessness.

In 2013, I joined the Downtown Women’s Center as Chief Program Officer, overseeing housing, wellness, employment, and social enterprise programs. In 2018, I became Chief Innovation Officer, helping to expand partnerships and develop new initiatives that increased the organization’s impact across Los Angeles County. In 2020, I was honored to be appointed CEO of DWC. Since then, I have had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team dedicated to creating a future in which every woman and survivor of violence is safely housed and on a path toward personal stability and economic opportunity.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the course of my career, it’s that keeping our systems focused on solutions to homelessness is very challenging. We know what works, but every day, we confront challenges that sit at the intersection of housing affordability, healthcare, mental health, domestic violence, poverty, racism, and other deeply rooted systemic inequities. It can be frustrating to see people working incredibly hard to overcome obstacles while systems continue to make stability difficult to achieve.

One of the greatest challenges has been balancing the urgency of immediate human needs with the slower work of creating lasting systemic change. When someone needs a safe place to sleep tonight, you have to respond in that moment. At the same time, you have to keep pushing for the policy reforms, housing investments, and structural changes that can prevent homelessness in the first place. Leading in this space requires patience, persistence, and the willingness to keep moving forward even when progress feels incremental.

The COVID-19 pandemic tested our sector and our community in unprecedented ways. Almost overnight, we had to reimagine how to deliver services, protect residents and staff, and ensure that vulnerable women did not fall even further through the cracks. While the challenges were immense, the crisis also reinforced the importance of innovation, partnership, and adaptability in achieving our mission.

Through every challenge, I have drawn inspiration from the women we serve. I have witnessed extraordinary resilience in women who have survived trauma, loss, violence, and homelessness, yet continue to rebuild their lives with courage and determination. Their stories remind me why this work matters and why giving up is never an option. They have taught me that resilience is not just about enduring hardship, but about finding hope and possibility even in the most difficult circumstances.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
For nearly five decades, Downtown Women’s Center has worked to end homelessness for women through housing, wellness, employment, advocacy, and supportive services.

Our mission goes beyond providing shelter. We focus on creating pathways to long-term housing stability and personal empowerment. DWC offers permanent supportive housing, health and wellness services, workforce development opportunities, trauma-informed care, and advocacy programs designed specifically to meet the unique needs of women.

What sets us apart is our gender-responsive approach. Women experience homelessness differently than men, often facing additional challenges related to trauma, domestic violence, caregiving responsibilities, and economic inequality. Our programs are intentionally designed to address those realities.

One of the things I’m most proud of is our commitment to combining direct services with systems change. We don’t just help individual women find stability; we advocate for policies and partnerships that can reduce and ultimately end homelessness for women across Los Angeles. We authored legislation and advocated for system changes that have increased resources to end homelessness.

We are also housing developers! Next fall 97 individuals will move into their new units in a beautiful building we are calling Rosa’s Place, in honor of our first participant of DWC’s services in 1978. We are expanding our campus in Downtown LA to permanently end the cycle of homelessness at a greater scale.

Most importantly, we want people to know that homelessness is solvable. Every day we see lives transformed when women have access to safe housing, supportive services, and a community that believes in their potential.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that meaningful change happens through relationships.

Whether you’re working with clients, staff, community partners, funders, or policymakers, progress is built on trust, empathy, and collaboration. No individual or organization can solve homelessness alone.

I’ve also learned that listening is one of the most powerful leadership tools. The women we serve are experts in their own experiences, and when we center their voices, we create better programs, stronger communities, and more effective solutions.

Pricing:

• Make an individual donation to help women access housing, wellness, employment, and supportive services
• Become a corporate or community partner.
• Attend DWC fundraising and awareness events.
• Volunteer or advocate for policies that help end homelessness among women.
• Support MADE by DWC, our social enterprise that creates employment opportunities and job training for women who have experienced homelessness. MADE by DWC offers beautifully crafted products, including hand-poured candles, that directly support our mission and help provide economic opportunities for the women we serve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.downtownwomenscenter.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwcweb/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/DWCweb
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/downtown-womens-center/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DWCweb