Over the past twelve months, the Community Foundation has called upon the individual and collective power of women in the greater Rappahannock region to create a fund that will have a positive impact on lives and communities. The commitment of our Charter Members and the collaborative efforts of donors have resulted in the first cycle of grants awarded to tax-exempt non-profit organizations in Planning District 16.  The 2010 grants were made possible through generous individual donations totalling $10,000, a $10,000 grant from Mary Washington Healthcare and a $2000 gift from Doris Buffet.

A total of $22,000 has been awarded to programs that will be a driving force behind greater equity for the population of women and girls in our region.  Thank you to all of the Women & Girls Fund members for the great turnout both online and in person for our first live ballot. 

The winners of the 2010 Women & Girls Fund grants are:

Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence ~ $13,000
Middle School Girls, Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships
Focus will be through group education and activities at area middle schools teaching young girls about:

• healthy and unhealthy relationships,
• warning signs
• bullying
• safety planning
• community resources

Healthy Families Rappahannock Area ~ $4,000
Reaching Out to New, At-risk Mothers
Focus will be identifying high risk mothers early in the stages of child-rearing and providing home visiting, through:

• Early Prevention Identification Team
• In-Home Visitation
• Case Management 

Big Brothers Big Sisters ~ $3,000
Empowering Girls to Develop Healthier Relationships
Focus will be on three critical goals through BBBS:

• Increase girls' understanding of teen dating abuse and violence
• Enable girls to reach out to a friend or family member who may be experiencing episodes of violence or abuse
• Increase help-seeking behavior among girls involved in abusive/violent dating relationships

Fredericksburg Parent and Family with the Girl Scouts ~ $2,000
Science Saturdays
Focus is a series of classes that will meet the need to interest 5th, 6th and 7th grade girls in math and science in Planning District 16.

• A cycle of four 3-hour classes on Saturdays covering biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.
• Each cycle will host up to 30 girls and can be repeated in different localities. All socioeconomic levels will be reached.
• Includes a guidance presentation on how to get into advanced math classes in the 8th grade as well as the science options available in high school. Stafford STAT academies, Honors, dual enrollment, Governors School, AP, IB classes and other academic options will be presented.

 
A special thanks to the Kenmore Inn for their generous donation of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres during the live ballot event. Visit Kenmore Inn at  www.kenmoreinn.com  or at 1200 Princess Anne Street in downtown Fredericksburg.

Questions? Want to volunteer with one of these great organizations?
Call 540.373.9292 or email terimcnally@cfrrr.org