Media Release
November 23, 2015 4:00 p.m.
At its Annual Meeting today, the Women’s Giving Alliance (WGA) announced $395,000 in grants to five Northeast Florida organizations providing mental health services to women and girls in the region. The grants are part of WGA’s five-year, research-based focus on funding mental health services for women and girls in Northeast Florida, a recognition that community mental health support can create a foundation for women and girls to flourish.
“Today, we’re continuing our commitment to make major investments toward WGA’s vision of transforming the way that Northeast Florida addresses the needs of its women and girls,” said Paula Liang, Women’s Giving Alliance president. “This year’s grantees span five counties, and include agencies with which we have long-standing relationships, as well as a young grassroots effort, all embodying the mission of improving mental health of women and girls in Northeast Florida.”
The 2015 grantees, whose funding will span two years and include consultation and impact assessment opportunities with WGA, include: Barnabas Center, for its Women’s Health Initiative in Nassau County; Gateway Community Services, for its Gender Responsive, Trauma-Informed Professional Development program; Mental Health America in Northeast Florida, for its Women and Girls Training Institute; Rethreaded, for its Survivor Advocate Program; and the I.M. Sulzbacher Center, for its Trauma-Informed Therapy for Homeless Females program.
WGA also introduced the young professional women who have been chosen as the 2016 class of the Dolores Barr Weaver Fellows Program. The program, made possible by generous funding from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund and other sponsors, offers a group of young women from Northeast Florida the opportunity to become full WGA members through a shared financial arrangement for four
years, with the Fellows continuing the membership on their own in year five and beyond.
WGA is pleased to welcome the 2016 class of the Dolores Barr Weaver Fellows program:
Jill Auld
Shamika Baker
Spring Behrouz, PhD
Annie Bryan
Heather Corey
Diana Donovan
Chanley Dudley, MD
Barbara Finke
Robyn Lawrence
Andrea Mason
Marie Gilmour O’Keefe
Melinda Patterson
Madeline Warren
Courtney Weatherby-Hunter
Kara Williams
Each woman in the 2016 class will be partnered with a seasoned WGA member as a mentor, and is invited to attend WGA’s many educational and engagement events to learn more about the issues facing women and girls in Northeast Florida. The 2016 class joins the inaugural 2015 class, now in the second year of their four-year shared agreement, as the next generation of leaders of WGA.
For more information about the WGA Fellows program, contact Joanne Cohen at [email protected] or
(904) 356-4483.
About Women’s Giving Alliance
The Women’s Giving Alliance, an initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, is a dynamic group of diverse women who pool their philanthropic giving to make a lasting impact on the lives of women and girls in Northeast Florida. Since 2001, hundreds of women in Northeast Florida have become WGA members, making an annual contribution of $1,500 each. Through those contributions, WGA has made grants totaling more than $4.5 million to more than 30 non-profit organizations to support critical community services for women and girls. It also has built an endowment exceeding $2 million to ensure the future of its philanthropic work. For more information: www.womensgivingalliance.org
About The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida (www.jaxcf.org), Florida’s oldest and largest community foundation, works to stimulate philanthropy to build a better community. The Foundation helps donors invest their philanthropic gifts wisely, helps nonprofits serve the region effectively, and helps people come together to make the community a better place. Now in its 51st year, the Foundation has assets of more than $313 million and has made grants in excess of $332 million since 1964.
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For more information:
Susan Datz Edelman
Vice President, Strategic Communications
[email protected]
(904)356-4483