In 2011, Twenty-one (22) organizations received a total of $222,500 through our Community Women's Fund grant program. Since its inception in 2006, the Community Women's Fund has awarded 155 grants to 75 organizations, for a total of over $1.6 million invested in the Philadelphia area.
Fall 2011 Grantees
Career Wardrobe - $7,500
The Career Wardrobe's mission is to empower women in transition by providing programs which inspire the confidence necessary to achieve self-sufficiency and pursue a productive career. We do this by providing professional work attire, educational programs and networking tools and opportunities. Career Wardrobe will use its grant to integrate social media into its outreach and education of clients.
Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly - $10,000
CARIE fulfills its core mission to improve the well being, rights and autonomy of older persons through advocacy, education, and action through a "case to cause" model of advocacy that serves to promote equal access to justice and addresses problems and issues on both the individual and the systemic levels. CARIE received this grant to continue serving older female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Endow-A-Home - $6,500
Endow-A-Home moves head-of-household women from homelessness to home ownership. Endow-A-Home targets women who are motivated to lead successful, independent lives, and provides affordable housing and case management services to help them achieve self-sufficiency. This grant will support case management and life skills education for women and also mentoring of female teens.
Gearing Up - $9,000
Gearing Up is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide women in transition from drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, and/or homelessness with the skills, equipment, and guidance to safely ride a bicycle for exercise, transportation, and personal growth. Gearing Up will use its grant for general operating support.
HIAS Pennsylvania - $12,500
HIAS Pennsylvania resettles, reunites and represents migrants who are of limited means residing in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. The agency seeks the fair treatment and full integration into american society of migrants from all backgrounds. HIAS PA will use this grant to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate immigration services to immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence.
La Comunidad Hispana - $9,000
Providing integrated health care, social and adult educational services designed to help immigrant and low income residents stay healthy, build strong families and lead productive, fulfilling lives. This grant will support family planning services, primary and prenatal health care, reproductive health services to low-income Latina and other underserved women in Kennett Square.
Maternal and Child Health Consortium - $9,000
Since 1991, MCHC has addresses the disparities in birth outcomes that exist between women of different races, ethnicities and incomes in Chester County. MCHC’s Health Start program is dedicated to overcoming the serious barriers that many low-income women in Chester County face in obtaining health coverage, medical care, and health education in critical prenatal and postpartum periods. This grant will support MCHC’s Healthy Start program for low-income and new mothers.
Pathways PA - $10,000
PathWays PA was founded in 1978 as the Women’s Association for Women’s Alternatives. It served as one of Pennsylvania’s first residential programs to keep low-income, vulnerable women together with their children and has grown to become one of the Greater Philadelphia Region’s foremost providers of residential and community-based services for women, children and families. Each year over 6,000 women, children and families benefit from our full complement of social services; job training and employment assistance; as well as outreach and residential programs as they move along the path to self-sufficiency. This grant will support a youth development specialist position to help teen moms overcome past trauma.
Support Center for Child Advocates - $15,000
The Support Center for Child Advocates provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia County. Since its founding in 1977, Child Advocates has trained more than 3,500 attorneys who contribute pro bono services valued at more than $3.5 million annually. Grant funds will support its LGBTQ Youth Project.
Wings for Success - $9,000
Wings For Success is a community of compassionate women who volunteer their time, skills and love to bring lasting confidence to women facing the challenge of securing sustainable income. Wings provides work appropriate clothing through a fun and nurturing experience that not only prepares each woman for her interview and workplace but also gives her hope and confidence in her future. Wings’ clients are referred by more than 50 social service agencies throughout Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Funds will be used to implement a new customer relationship management tool and to migrate Wings’ website to a new user-friendly format.
Women’s Resource Center - $4,500
For over 35 years, the Women's Resource Center (WRC) has been committed to supporting women, strengthening families and building communities through referral, counseling, legal, and educational services. WRC empowers women to make informed decisions and achieve personal growth during life transitions. Grant funds will be used to provide free and low cost legal services for low-income women at various community sites.
Spring 2011 Grantees
Alice Paul Institute - $7,500
The Alice Paul Institute (API) works to educate the public about the life and work of Alice Stokes Paul (1885-1977), New Jersey’s most famous suffragist, author of the Equal Rights Amendment, founder of the National Women’s Party and a lifelong activist for women’s equality. API also honors Alice’s legacy by preserving historicPaulsdale, birthplace of Alice Paul; developing future leaders; and achieving women’s equality. API will use this grant to support their leadership programs for girls that include: Girlblazers summer leadership camp for 5th grade girls and the Lead-A-Wayworkshop series for middle school girls.
Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County - $6,000
The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County (DAP) seeks to prevent domestic violence and is committed to providing services that meet the needs of victims. Free, confidential services include: 24-hour hotline, options counseling, advocacy, assistance in gaining protection from abuse orders, legal representation, court accompaniment, emergency shelter, transitional housing, support groups and community education. DAP received this grant to install security upgrades at their emergency shelter to enhance the safety of clients and staff.
Girls Rock Philly - $6,000
Girls Rock Philly is an independently operating branch of a rapidly expanding effort to bring rock n’ roll camps for girls all over the United States, Canada and the world! Their mission is to provide girls from the greater Philadelphia region with a positive all-female musical environment. Their overall goals include: musical development, self-esteem enhancement, friendship and community building, and nurturing individual talents within a cooperative atmosphere. The signature week-long, girls-only camp is in its 3rd year, serving campers aged 10-18 years. Girls receive musical instruction, form bands and end their week with a finale concert open to the public.
New Directions for Women - $12,000
Located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, New Directions for Women provides residential services as an alternative to incarceration for female offenders from Philadelphia County prisons who are eligible for early release. Giving residents a home-like atmosphere, this 25-bed licensed facility’s programs promote self-sufficiency, empowerment, and a crime-free lifestyle. Intensive case management, self-esteem building courses, adult basic education and GED assistance, job search training, housing assistance, parenting skills, and aftercare assistance are just some of the services clients receive.
Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania - $10,000
Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania (PPSP) believes that every child should be a wanted child. Then women and men can achieve the self-determination that makes families and societies strong. Therefore, it is PPSP’s mission to protect and enhance reproductive freedom, to increase access to reproductive health services and information, and promote sexual health. PPSP will use this grant to supportLatinas Unidas, a unique program that teaches teen girls and their mothers in the Kennett Square area about sexuality in a way that is effective and respectful of their Latina culture.
SeniorLAW Center - $15,000
The SeniorLAW Center provides a wide range of services to protect the legal rights and interests of the elderly including information and referral, direct legal services and representation, community-based neighborhood legal services, professional training, advocacy for long-term systemic solutions, and community outreach and education. A diverse staff of lawyers and advocates provide outreach and services to the entire state of Pennsylvania, which has the third highest percentage of people over 60 in the United States and the fifth largest population of older Americans. This grant will support advocacy and services for older female homeowners facing foreclosure and other related issues that threaten their independence.
Why Not Prosper - $8,500
Why Not Prosper’s mission is to help female ex-offenders discover their own strength by providing them with the support and resources that will empower them to become responsible, economically self-sufficiency and contributing members of the community. Why Not Prosper accomplishes its mission by helping women to upgrade their job skills and find employment, obtain decent housing, stay away from alcohol and illegal drugs, reunite with their children and avoid domestic abuse. Staff of Why Not Prosper advocate for women in the penal system and work to decrease recidivism and improve the quality of life for women ex-offenders and their children though pre-release mentoring and post-release services, including transitional housing and comprehensive case management.
Women’s Law Project - $15,000
The Women’s Law Project (WLP) is a public interest law center that has fought for legal and economic equality for women and their families since 1974. WLP has challenged sex discrimination in employment, education, athletics and insurance; advanced the rights of lesbian and gay parents; advocated on behalf of impoverished women; worked for fair and accessible procedures in child custody, child support and protection from abuse actions and championed the rights of sexual assault survivors. Women’s Law Project takes pride in being both a unique resource for Pennsylvania women and a national leader in the field of women’s rights.
Women’s Medical Fund - $20,000
The Women's Medical Fund (WMF) provides direct financial assistance and other support to low-income women and girls in Southeastern Pennsylvania who wish to terminate an unwanted pregnancy but cannot afford a safe legal abortion. Additionally, WMF educates health care professionals about the use of Medicaid to fund abortion, and raises public awareness of the devastating impact of denying access to safe, legal abortions. As WMF states on their homepage: “Without access to safe, legal abortion, ‘choice’ is meaningless.”
Women’s Opportunities Resource Center - $12,000
Since 1993, Women's Opportunities Resource Center (WORC) has promoted social and economic self-sufficiency for economically disadvantaged women and their families by providing self-employment training, support services, savings programs, and access to business and financial resources. WORC will use this grant to support their Family Savings Account (FSA) Program to help 100 women each year become self-sufficient. The FSA Program is an innovative statewide matched savings program for low-income individuals to encourage self-sufficiency through savings, financial management education and asset accumulation. Funds can be used to purchase a home, home improvement, fund a business or to pay for higher education for the participant or child.
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