FREDERICK, MD – July 2, 2024: The Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County awarded 22 grants totaling $275,000 to 14 area nonprofits. The grants are provided from The Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County Fund, a component fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County.
The Women’s Giving Circle has distributed more than $2.9 million in grants since the first awards were distributed in 2006. The organization brings people together who share philanthropic goals of supporting women’s needs, and the organization has grown to include more than 478 members.
Funding priorities for FY2024 focused on supporting women’s efforts to become self-sufficient, understanding that encouragement and financial assistance are compelling factors in restoring stability and hope. The following nonprofits received grants:
Advocates for Homeless Families received $7,500 to provide emergency financial assistance to women with low incomes facing homelessness, and $6,000 to provide transportation and childcare for women living in transitional and rapid rehousing programs.
Beyond Shelter Frederick (formerly Religious Coalition) received $20,000 to provide 24/7/365 emergency shelter and case management support to women facing homelessness, and $20,000 to prevent homelessness by providing financial assistance for rent and security deposits.
Brook Hill United Methodist Church received $7,000 to provide funds for emergency or transitional housing and/or to prevent homelessness.
Centro Hispano de Frederick received $25,600 to support Entre Mujeres (Among Women) Self-Sufficiency Program, which offers life skills, educational information, coaching, and advocacy to help individuals with limited English proficiency overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.
Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership received $9,800 to provide college scholarships for women whose lives are impacted by incarceration, a $6,025 grant to support its financial literacy program, and $5,000 to provide transportation support for women impacted by the incarceration of a loved one.
Frederick Community College Foundation received $10,000 for its Parents Lead program, which provides female student-parents with academic, financial and wraparound supports to help them earn a degree, and $12,000 for its Project Forward Step program to provide support for nontraditional female students and single mothers.
Heartly House received $15,000 to support clients who need short term rental and/or security deposit assistance.
Housing Authority of the City of Frederick received $20,000 to help women gain economic stability by assisting with childcare expenses and $10,000 to provide women in public housing with gas cards, car repair assistance, driver’s education scholarships, permit fee assistance, and short-term transportation.
Housing Frederick received $7,500 to support the Women Building Economic Capacity program, which is designed to help women access resources so they can establish financial stability.
Literacy Council of Frederick County, Inc. received $13,000 to help women achieve self-sufficiency through improved English and life skills, and $16,475 to improve workplace English language proficiency for women employed in low-wage jobs.
Second Chances Garage received $10,000 for its Low-Cost Vehicle Program, which helps low-income, wage-earning women access affordable and safe cars, and $10,000 for its Reduced Cost Repair Program, which provides car repairs for women who are below the ALICE threshold.
Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP) of Frederick County received $15,000 to support the Thrive Housing Network program which provides stable housing to young women aged 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness.
United Way of Frederick County received $11,700 to provide women-led ALICE households in the Prosperity Saving Homebuyers program that provides financial literacy and homeownership education.
Women to Women Mentoring, Inc. received $17,400 to support program participation for mentees who are in ALICE households, single moms, or first-generation students/professionals.
For more information about the Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County, email info@frederickwgc.org or visit www.frederickwgc.org.