Young Women Gain Firsthand Experience in Nonprofit Sector on the Girls Advisory Board
An eye-opening and sometimes eye-watering look at life in some unexpected corners of Chester County has a 12-year tradition of making lasting impressions on both the givers and receivers of the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls grants, and this year was no different.
“(The Girls Advisory Board) was an eye-opening, empowering and fun way to learn how to make a real difference in my community, even as young as I am,” said one of 20 high-schoolers who spent three months in hands-on learning about local needs, community service and philanthropy.
Throughout the program, the GAB participants prioritized their funding priorities, crafted a grant application, visited the sites of nonprofit applicants and finalized grant recommendations.
A special celebration at Biztract in Malvern this month will showcase the girls’ reflections on the program and their rationale behind awarding more than $20,000 to further educational opportunities and help mental health, drug abuse and human trafficking victims find safety, security and support for their recovery.
“The highlight of my GAB experience was recognizing that I — even as a teenage girl — can make a positive impact on my community,” another participant said. “GAB was such a great experience, and I’m so happy the fund invests in us.”
The award winners included the Crime Victims Center of Chester County, which received $5,000 for female teen and adult sexual assault support groups and its Human Trafficking Initiative; the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County Girls’ Club ($5,000); the Friends of Farmworkers for legal services to labor trafficking victims ($5,000); the Garage Community and Youth Center for its after-school girls program ($5,000); and the Kennett After-School Association’s After-the-Bell program ($2,500).
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