ABOUT
Our Mission
Connecting, empowering, creating and transforming our world - one woman at a time.
At Womanspace, we believe that personal growth and community transformation are deeply connected. Through art, wellness, education, and meaningful gathering, we create environments that support awareness, creativity, healthy decision-making, and spiritual growth.
Rooted in the Rockford, IL area and serving northern IL and the stateline community, Womanspace offers opportunities for people to learn, reflect, lead, and contribute in ways that strengthen both individual lives and the broader community.
Our Vision
We envision a more human, connected, and spiritual society — one in which every person is valued, every voice matters, and communities are shaped by compassion, creativity, and collaboration.
We believe that when individuals grow in self-awareness and confidence, they enrich their families, workplaces, and communities. Strong individuals create strong communities.
Our Story
Womanspace was founded in 1975 in Rockford, Illinois, by Sisters Dorothy Bock and Elaine Hirschenberger of the School Sisters of St. Francis. Emerging during a time of significant cultural and social change, Womanspace was created as a center dedicated to supporting women in discovering their voice, strengthening their capacities, and deepening their understanding of themselves and their place in the world.
In 1977, Womanspace became a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. From the beginning, its programs, resources, and services were designed to affirm each woman’s search for self-knowledge — recognizing that inner awareness and outer contribution are inseparable.
What began with a small grant and a bold vision grew into a respected nonprofit serving the Rockford, IL area, northern IL, and the stateline community. Over five decades, Womanspace has responded to changing times with programming that invites reflection, builds practical skills, fosters creativity, and strengthens leadership — always rooted in relationship and community.
In its early years, Womanspace offered workshops designed to expand women’s skills, independence, and equality — addressing topics such as communication, financial planning, leadership development, spirituality, and the arts. Outreach extended beyond the campus as well. Beginning in 1981, staff and volunteers developed programs at the Dwight Correctional Center, offering classes and advocacy support for incarcerated and newly released women. These efforts reflected a commitment not only to personal growth, but to justice, dignity, and opportunity.
Womanspace has also collaborated with local organizations to address community concerns affecting women and families in the Rockford, IL area. Whether serving large audiences or small circles, the focus has remained consistent: creating space where individuals can grow in self-knowledge and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Womanspace spans generations and brings together people from a variety of religious affiliations and spiritual traditions. Participants represent a wide range of economic backgrounds and life experiences. While founded as a women’s center, Womanspace today welcomes women, men, and children into a community grounded in respect, openness, and shared growth.
Womanspace was founded on the belief that every woman is a spiritual being with inherent potential for creativity, wisdom, strength, and responsible care for others. By nurturing that potential, women enrich not only their own lives but also the lives of those around them.
Today, while honoring those roots, Womanspace welcomes women, men, and children into a community grounded in respect, openness, and shared growth.
We believe:
- Personal transformation and social transformation are connected.
- Inner growth and outer service belong together.
- Collaboration is stronger than competition.
- Each person’s voice and contribution matters.
We are committed to fostering environments where individuals are supported in developing confidence, integrity, compassion, and leadership — and where collective participation helps shape a more just and connected world.
Our Philosophy
Womanspace Today
Today, Womanspace continues to serve the Rockford, IL area, northern IL, and the broader stateline region through art classes, wellness programs, youth offerings, exhibitions, community gatherings, and collaborative partnerships.
While programs and formats have evolved over five decades, the heart of Womanspace remains the same: creating space for connection, creativity, reflection, and meaningful contribution.
