Women’s Fund awards nearly $157,000 in grants
During the organization’s annual luncheon last week at the Benton Convention Center, The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem awarded $156,861 in grants to 12 organizations and programs who aim to address economic security for women and girls in Forsyth County.
Since its inception in 2005, The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem has worked diligently to improve the lives of women and girls by ensuring they have the opportunity, skills, and resources to be independent and self sufficient. Based on the values of philanthropy, inclusion, community, empowerment, and social justice, members of the Women’s Fund identify needs in our community then vote to support programs that meet those needs.
This year the nonprofit organization, which has awarded more than $1.4 million in grant funds and impacted the lives of more than 400 women and girls in the area, overruled the voting process and decided to help every organization who applied for funding.
“Our collective giving model fits nicely with this year’s theme: working together as one,” said Allison Ashe-Card, chairwoman of The Women’s Fund. “Women of the Fund come together to help organizations in our community change the lives of local women and girls.
“… There is so much work for us to do and we have made our greatest strides together as one.”
Local organizations Bee Geek Inc., Children’s Home Society of NC, Crosby Scholars,
Experiment in Self Reliance, Honorable Youth Inc., NC Justice Center, Smart Start Forsyth and Youth Achieving Moral Maturity (YAMM), all received $15,000 during the annual luncheon last week.
Lead Girls of NC received $14,700 and the Center for Smart Financial Choices received 10,000. Read WS was awarded $7,730 and Horizons Residential Care Center received $4,431.
While the highlight of the luncheon was the announcement of the 2017 grant recipients, keynote speaker attorney Nicole Little added even more excitement and inspiration to the event when she spoke to the more than 600 women in attendance. Little, a graduate of Carver High School, discussed her journey to becoming a lawyer and her determination to reach her goals, despite facing many obstacles along the way.
She also encouraged those in attendance to lend a helping hand to young women in the community who may need guidance. As she stood before the crowd of influential women, Little, who is also a past participant and advocate for Authoring Action, a local nonprofit devoted to building young authors, said if it wasn’t for the relationships she made with people in the community, she wouldn’t be the person she is today.
“As we continue to take strides individually, how do we engage in the shared commitment to build economic security for young women and girls here in Forsyth County? We must reach back and pull the next generation women forward,” Little said.
