The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls has awarded $217,000 in grants to 27 nonprofits serving the needs of women and girls throughout Chester County.

Nearly 100 community members, grantee partners, and CCFWG Board and committee members recently gathered at the General Warren Inne for the CCFWG’s 2019 Grants Celebration honoring the hard work and dedication of this year’s grantees.

Christine Zaccarelli, CEO of The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, shared stories of brave female survivors finally finding their voice in the aftermath of trauma. Jill Laufenberg, Executive Director at Wings for Success, shared a heartwarming story from a client who received free styling services and a renewed sense of confidence in preparation for a big job interview. Lisa Gall and Amy Perez of Mighty Writers spoke about how the Kennett Square community has embraced their efforts to establish new programming aimed at helping girls in need write with clarity and grow in confidence.

For the second year in a row, CCFWG awarded two-year sustained funding to three Chester County organizations: Mighty Writers, YoungMoms, and The Clinic. Additional funding was awarded through “Moving Her Forward” Impact Grants, a grantmaking program established last year to focus on swift responses to pressing needs in the community. This year’s Impact Grants were awarded to:

• The Bianca Nikol Merge with Mercy Foundation received $4,500 to launch a local grief support group for family members of victims lost to acts of violence.
• Black Women of Chester County in Action received $8,000 to support leadership development and recruitment, as well as to promote self-care through its already established AYA Health Project.
• Chester County OIC was awarded $5,000 to implement changes to its Nurse Aide Training Program to better set students up for career advancement in the field.
• The Chester County Women’s Commission received $2,500 to fund a survey on the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault in Chester County workplaces.

“Whether as a grantee, a volunteer, or a supporter, being engaged in CCFWG’s grantmaking experience takes bravery. Once you are part of this journey with us and become aware of the needs in our community, you can no longer stand on the sidelines. It takes bravery, boldness, and trust to move forward and be part of the solution,” Michelle Legaspi Sánchez, the CCFWG’s Executive Director, said of the event’s theme, “Be Brave.”

To date, CCFWG has directed more than $3.2 million to 72 nonprofits to strategically address persisting needs, including homelessness, domestic violence, and women’s health. Through its inclusive and community-driven process, CCFWG continues to lead and unite the community through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive.

Members of CCFWG’s Grants Allocation Committee include Karen Brindisi, Miguel Ceballos, Maxine Cuffe, Joanne Curley, Terri Ann DiJulio, Olivia Diming, Caryn Fallon, Connie Fogarty, Sara Hejazi, Bill Morrow, Angie Poulin, Deepak Rajpal, Glen Reyburn, Brittney Richardson, Kayleigh Streit, Yolanda Van de Krol, and Angel VanBennekom.

Click here to see a full list of the CCFWG’s grantees to date.

[uam_ad id=”80503″]

.

[uam_ad id=”80502″]