Chesco Grant Network Garners Funding For County Women

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Non-profit organizations helping women and girls in Chester County are about to receive thousands in grant funds obtained by a Chesco grantmaking organization.

The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls (CCFWG) awarded $227,500 in grants to 31 non-profits working locally to improve the lives of women and girls in Chester County.

Additionally, two large grants particularly focus on needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

CCFWG committed $23,000 in Impact Grants aimed particularly at addressing emerging needs related to COVID-19 and focused on the needs of women and girls. Gender-based violence is one area the funds aim their response, CCFWG said.

The organization also said it has received $35,000 from the Women's Funding Network's Response, Recovery, and Resilience Collaborative Fund. The money will help CCFWG continue supporting staff, grantee partners, and the community as they grapple with both immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19. The Response, Recovery, and Resilience Collaborative Fund is a $5 million initiative that deploys resources to stabilize women’s funds and foundations.

As the long-term impacts of the pandemic unfold, CCFWG will continue to analyze data measuring the impact of COVID-19 by gender, age, and race to uncover targeted solutions for members of the community. The organization creates a Blueprint Report of this research information.

In the past 22 years, the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls has awarded $3.5 million in grants to 80 organizations addressing the needs of women and girls in Chester County. CCFWG grants go to non-profit organizations that specifically address the health and well being of women and girls, as well as aid women and girls in achieving economic freedom, security, and self-sufficiency.

In 2020, CCFWG awarded $227,500 to these 31 non-profit organizations serving Chester County:

• Alianzas de Phoenixville $5,000 from our Girls Advisory Board (GAB) to support the Mariposas Women’s Program that includes clinical trauma counseling, a women’s support and sewing group, and an English tutoring program for immigrant women and girls in the larger Phoenixville community.
• Barclay Friends $3,000 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward to support their COVID Emergency Fund for residents of the Senior Living Facility in West Chester. A majority of its residents and direct care staff are female.
• Brandywine River Museum of Art $2,500 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward to support the museum’s Speaker Series and activities surrounding the Centennial anniversary of women’s right to vote.
• ChesPenn Health Services $10,000 to support the Women’s Reproductive Health Program, including providing bilingual family planning, prenatal care and health education to uninsured or underinsured women and girls.
• Chester County Economic Development Foundation $7,500 to support the expansion of Career Connections Academy, an innovative model that combines STEM career training with life skills to break the norm and offer upward mobility and economic security for young women.
• Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) $500 at the Girls in Action Summit to continue providing care packages to women in the community in the face of COVID-19.
• Community Volunteers in Medicine $10,000 to provide free medical, dental and behavioral health services to uninsured women and girls.
• Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. $7,500 to continue providing advocacy, accompaniment and counseling services for women and girls who are victims of crime and sexual assault/abuse. An additional grant of $3,500 from GAB will support professional, personal and effective advocacy for clients.
• Domestic Violence Center of Chester County $10,000 for direct counseling, legal and other services to help victims of domestic violence become safe and self-reliant. An additional grant from GAB of $5,000 will support safe housing and relocation for human trafficking victims.
• Family Promise of Southern Chester County $5,000 to serve core needs of more families and strengthen governance, organizational and corporate infrastructure.
• Friends Association for the Care and Protection of Children $7,500 for staff and board training to better equip them to address the needs of women and girls. Funding will also be used for short-term financial assistance for single mother families including: rent, utilities, childcare, and car repairs.
• The Garage Community and Youth Center $5,000 to support the Girls After School Program that helps girls continue their education and development in the community outside of school house.
• Gateway Horseworks $2,500 from GAB to support the Stable Pathways program which offers equine-assisted therapy to women in pre-release from prison.
• Good Samaritan Services $10,000 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward to support services for single mothers unemployed due to COVID-19.
• Health Care Access $5,000 to help cover the direct cost for vision and dental services programs for uninsured and under-insured women in the greater Phoenixville area.
• HIAS PA $3,000 from GAB to support legal services for low income immigrant victims of domestic violence living in Chester County.
• La Comunidad Hispana $7,500 to support the Women’s Health Services Program, including family planning and health and cancer screenings for immigrant and low-income women. An additional $1,500 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward will support outreach by staff to patients who come into the centers to share information about how to fill out the census, why it is important, and dispel any misconceptions their patients may have.
• Legal Aid of Southeastern PA $7,500 to support its record expungement program that increases awareness among low-income women about options to clear criminal records and provides legal representation to eligible women seeking to clear records.
• Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation $5,000 to provide yearly mammograms and diagostic testing to women without access to healthcare.
• Maternal and Child Health Consortium $7,500 to develop its programs and services to continue meeting the needs of women, girls, and families. An additional $1,500 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward will support printed materials shared at home visits and in other community hubs, and an open house for community members to be able to access computers in order to complete the census form.
• Mighty Writers $12,500 (year two of multi-year funding) to support Mighty Writers Kennett Square’s writing workshops specifically for girls, with a goal of serving approximately 150 girls.
• Mom’s House $9,000 to continue offering free daycare in a certified preschool for low-income mothers.
• North Star of Chester County $10,000 to continue providing case management and financial assistance to single-parent families with children to help them avoid homelessness.
• Orion Communities $7,500 to support integrated services for individuals and families to help under-resourced community members move toward a brighter and more sustainable future.
• Parkesburg Point $9,000 for its Girls Program: Steps to Success that provides a free and safe environment for girls experiencing homelessness, hunger and academic challenges.
• Unite for HER $7,000 to support its Wellness Day, transportation, and enhanced food sustainability for underserved women diagnosed with breast cancer who may not otherwise have access to whole food nutrition.
• Valley Youth House $7,500 to support general operating costs and wellness activities for female-identifying young adults aged 16-21 living at the Reservoir Road Supervised Independent Living Site and apartments in West Chester.
• Volunteer English Program $1,500 in Impact Grants: Moving Her Forward to support printed materials, social media, online outreach and private events to educate participants about the census and help facilitate their participation.
• Wings for Success $5,000 to equip the growing number of Hispanic women and girls in southern Chester County utilizing its apparel, advice and advocacy services for gaining employment.