Charity Overview
Girls Inc. delivers life-changing programmes that inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold. The charity’s research-based curricula is delivered by trained professionals to equip girls to achieve academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money, navigate media messages and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Every year the network of local Girls Inc. non-profit organisations serves hundreds of thousands of girls aged 6-18 across 1,200 sites in 350 cities across the United States and Canada. Grounded in a belief in girls’ rights and abilities, the charity help recipients of its programmes to discover their inner strengths, talents and courage to navigate and overcome the challenges that threaten to derail their success. Girls Inc. focus on helping girls who are vulnerable and living in at-risk communities. Nearly 65% of the girls the charity supports live in households earning $30,000 or less a year; one in eight lives in a household with annual income of $10,000 or less and over 50% live in one-parent households.
Project Summary
ICAP New York supported Girls Inc. as part of Charity Day 2013. Funds raised from ICAP have financed the transformational Girls Inc. programme for over 140,000 girls across the U.S. and Canada in the last year.
ICAP’s donation helped to fund trained professionals who mentor and guide the girls selected for the programme in a safe, girls-only environment. The programme teaches girls about healthy living so they are able to make informed decisions, avoid risky behaviours, and take charge of their health. It also provides an academic enrichment so the girls can increase their love of learning, improve performance in school, and aspire to and plan for education beyond high school. Finally, it helps the girls build life skills to set and achieve goals and increase resilience in the face of obstacles to live productive and fulfilling lives. These life-changing experiences provide real solutions to the unique issues girls face giving them the right tools and support to succeed.
The donation has provided girls with the tools to manage wise decisions about eating, exercise and relationship questions, become educated and build a plan for an independent future and grow to be a competent and confidence adult.
As part of the programme Girls Inc. deliver, the girls were also able to explore employment routes via workshops and introductions to a diverse group of professional women from various sectors. This included introducing girls to role models and job opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), encouraging them to view these fields as career options. These workshops build leadership skills and encourage the girls to develop their own voices and learn to positively advocate for themselves and others. For recipients coming from at-risk communities the programme and the supportive environment Girls Inc. provide can be truly transformative.
On behalf of the 140,000 Girls Inc. girls, we extend our deepest gratitude to ICAP and Kate Upton for raising funds for Girls Inc. through the Charity Day initiative. Your support means more girls will grow up strong, smart and bold.Judy Vredenburgh, President & CEO, Girls Inc.
Desiree was nine years old when she joined Girls Inc. Moving to a new state and struggling with dyslexia, she felt isolated and lacked self-confidence. She also began a new school for children with learning disabilities where she was the only girl and only African American. At school she was bullied mercilessly. With careful guidance from Girls Inc. Desiree was empowered to use her voice and develop her self-worth. She was exposed to women role models who opened her eyes to new career paths. Girls Inc. instilled in her the confidence to dream big and aim high. Today, as a Girls Inc. National Scholar, Desiree is a freshman at Auburn University, Montgomery studying Pre-Med. With the generous support of ICAP Charity Day, more girls like Desiree can grow up to be strong, smart, and bold.
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