The Rochester Women’s Giving Circle recently awarded $175,300 in grants to 10 local nonprofit organizations.
The awards, which ranged from $6,000 to $25,000, were presented at the Giving Circle’s annual breakfast on June 21, according to a press release. Now in its 10th year, the organization has grown from five founders to 161 active members and distributed more than $1.1 million to nonprofit groups in Monroe County that help women and girls reach economic independence.
This year’s grant recipients included the following:
* Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester’s The Little Sisters — Big Futures! program received $10,000. The program recruits, screens and trains mentors to help at-risk girls stay in school, avoid risky behaviors and develop positive attitudes about their futures through one-on-one mentoring relationships.
* Cameron Community Ministries’ Respect & Responsibility for Girls afterschool support group received $15,000. The program helps girls ages 10 to 15 by fostering self-esteem, financial literacy, knowledge of career opportunities and improved academic performance.
* Judicial Process Commission: The Women’s Legal Action Project & Support Services received $25,000. The program helps women who are ex-offenders overcome barriers to employment by offering legal services and support to correct Record of Arrests and Prosecutions (RAP) sheets and achieve Certificates of Relief. Assistance in searching and applying for jobs and learning interview skills also is offered.
* The Job Skills Class at Mary’s Place Refugee Outreach Center received $17,800. The program prepares refugees for the workforce by teaching American cultural norms, English-language skills for the workplace and computer literacy, and assisting with resume writing, mock interviews, job searches and transportation to interviews.
