The Mercury (Pottstown, PA)

$19K awarded to local non-profits serving women and girls

- MediaNews Group

WEST CHESTER » Members of Chester County Fund for Women and Girls’ Girls Advisory Board program awarded $19,000 in grant funding to five local non-profit agencies serving women and girls.

A nationally recognized girls’ grantmakin­g program, the advisory board provides local high school girls entering 10th or 11th grade with an opportunit­y to learn firsthand about the deep and varied needs in their communitie­s and equip themselves with the skills needed to address them.

Over the past 16 years, the board has awarded over $240,000 to agencies that target the needs of women and girls through innovative services to tackle issues like poverty, illiteracy, violence, homelessne­ss, mental illness, teen pregnancy and substance abuse.

This year’s advisory board class accepted grant applicatio­ns in the areas of substance abuse and addiction, mental health and sexual assault, domestic violence and human traffickin­g.

Last week, all board members, their families, CCFWG board and committee members, supporters, and this year’s grantees gathered at the Chester County Historical Society to hear the girls reflect on their experience­s from the year at the GAB Wrap-Up Celebratio­n.

“GAB was one of the best, eye-opening, learning experience­s of my life. I got to meet amazing people and help my local community and learn about grants and then apply that knowledge in an amazing place. I learned so many clever people skills and networking through GAB and will carry this knowledge for the rest of my life,” noted one participan­t.

The 2019-20 GAB grant recipients are:

Alianzas de Phoenixvil­le

$5,000 to support its Mariposas Women’s Program that provides clinical trauma counseling, a women’s support and sewing group, and an English tutoring program for immigrant women and girls living in Phoenixvil­le.

The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County

$3,500 to provide direct services – such as effective profession­al and personal advocacy – to their clients, more than half of whom have experience­d sexual violence

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County

$5,000 to provide safe housing and relocation for human traffickin­g victims, among other services, to help prevent and reduce domestic violence

$2,500 to support the Stable Pathways program that offers equine-assisted therapy to women in pre-release from prison

$3,000 to support domestic violence legal services for low-income immigrant victims of domestic violence living in Chester County

 ?? SUBMITTED PHOTO ?? First-year girls catch up with State Representa­tive and longtime GAB supporter Carolyn Comitta (center). The group is joined by CCFWG Executive Director Michelle Legaspi Sanchez (second from right) and GAB intern Kim Cowley (far right).
SUBMITTED PHOTO First-year girls catch up with State Representa­tive and longtime GAB supporter Carolyn Comitta (center). The group is joined by CCFWG Executive Director Michelle Legaspi Sanchez (second from right) and GAB intern Kim Cowley (far right).
 ?? SUBMITTED PHOTO ?? Second-year GAB girls Amber and Sophia reflect on their GAB experience.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Second-year GAB girls Amber and Sophia reflect on their GAB experience.

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