As a foundation we have the opportunity to seek out and discover organizations across the world that are enhancing the lives of youth. By supporting these organizations with grants, we are able to increase our impact tenfold. While many of our grant recipients provide programs for both young men and women, in honor of Women’s History Month, we’d like to highlight Girls Inc. of New York City.
GIRLS INC. OF NEW YORK CITY
Girls Inc. of New York City offers a variety of programs and opportunities to under-served girls ages 6-18 from all of New York City. The programs boast research-based curricula and touch on all aspects of young women’s lives — media literacy, financial understanding, sexual health, athletics and physical health, safety, education, and more. By collaborating with other community organizations, Girls Inc. is able to serve over 2,500 young women from New York City each year. They maintain a presence in 22 neighborhoods with over 30 sites. The New York City organization is an affiliate of the national Girls Inc. organization. Together, with hundreds of other affiliates, Girls Inc. of New York City inspires girls to be STRONG, SMART, and BOLD.
GIRLS INC. PROGRAMS
The programs offered by Girls Inc. really set this organization apart from others. They include:
- Economic Literacy – This program teaches girls about “money and the economy, including how to manage, invest, and save money and how to help others through philanthropy.”
- Friendly PEERsuasion® – Here young woman learn to resist the pressure from peers to use illegal or harmful substances, such as drugs and alcohol.
- Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy – By building self-esteem and teaching skills and information about sexual health, Girls Inc. empowers young women to make healthy choices regarding their sexuality and reproductive well-being.
- Operation SMART® – This community-based program encourages girls to develop skills in the fields of mathematics, science, technology, and engineering.
- Media Literacy – Everyday young women are exposed to hundreds of messages from mass media. This program challenges young women to think critically about what these messages are telling them.
- Leadership and Community Action – This program is designed for girls to celebrate their heritage while also building leadership skills and working to create lasting social change.
- Project BOLD® – Focused on safety, “Girls learn skills and strategies to lead safer lives in their homes, in relationships, in their communities, and online. They learn skills and resources to safeguard their physical autonomy from street, domestic and school violence.”
- Sporting Chance® – With this program, girls are offered the chance to try new athletic endeavors they may otherwise never have attempted.
