CFMV Fund for Women & Girls Awards 3 Grants

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Donors and supporters of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley’s Fund for Women & Girls awarded three grants totaling $3,500 to local nonprofits working with young women in the Valley.

As a community-led fund, each shareholder in the Fund for Women & Girls has a say in how grants are awarded. After hearing presentations from three finalists at Tuesday’s Microfunding Event at YWCA Mahoning Valley, the approximately 30 attendees cast their vote and selected Promise Community Hub as the winner of the $2,000 grand prize.

Promise Community Hub was selected for its Youngstown Summer Experience youth summer camp, which brings in children from across the city for daily activities and learning experiences, including certifications for teens such as Safe Sitter childcare training, CPR training and ServSafe food safety training.

My Melanin Speaks received the $1,000 prize for its Santa Baby holiday event, a daylong event that gives young women the chance to take part in activities building on themes of creativity and empowerment. 

The McGuffey Centre received the $500 prize for its Step-by-Step Steppers program, which will teach girls several dance styles, as well as self-encouragement and empowerment.

“These three organizations are doing incredible work that isn’t just telling young women what they have to do but giving them the skills, support and encouragement to chart their own path of success,” said Josh Medore, the CFMV staff liaison to the fund. “All of our Fund for Women & Girls shareholders were impressed, and we saw a lot of great conversations happening after the presentations so they could learn more about the finalists.”

The fund’s Guiding Circle selected finalists from all the applications it received. Then at the Microfunding Event, finalists gave brief presentations and answered audience questions about the programs for which they were seeking funding.

For more information about the Fund for Women & Girls or to make a donation, click HERE.

Pictured at top: From left are Sonja Fields and Laquita Clark from The McGuffey Centre; Anika Jacobs from Promise Community Hub; and TeiAsha Simms and Katrina Simms from My Melanin Speaks.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.