Local and National Grants to Empower YWCA Princeton’s Expanded Advocacy Focus into 2023
Princeton, NJ, December 16—Thanks to generous funding from YWCA USA Google Workforce Development and the Princeton Area Community Foundation Community Impact Grants program, YWCA Princeton has launched its newest economic empowerment pilot: LEAP – Learn Empower Advance Programs. The first piece of the pilot, known as Strive, recently completed its first 12-week cohort; Strive offers free digital literacy skills training and professional development. The YWCA USA Google grant has been instrumental in helping YWCA Princeton expand its advocacy efforts, including the promotion of staffer Brigitte Jean-Louis to Director of Advocacy.
Similarly, grant monies from the Community Foundation will enable LEAP to double its impact this year by increasing the YW’s capacity to serve more community members through the program and broadening its reach from Princeton to Trenton, and beyond.
YW Strive provides participants with the digital skills needed to reach the next step in their careers. Participants have free access to computers, internet, and curriculum, which will provide them with the career development needed to succeed in a competitive job market. Complimentary professional headshots were taken for their LinkedIn profiles at the end of the program.
Strive was conceptualized the fill gaps in professional development opportunities for women who have not completed high school or higher education; though it is open to anyone and everyone in need. “It has been such a joy teaching Strive,” shared Brigitte Jean-Louis, Director of Advocacy. “The participants have learned so much and they feel comfortable enough with the technology and their classmates to help one another. We have covered the entire Google Suite, professional social media techniques, and even job readiness. As the first cohort comes to a close, two of our students have job interviews lined up and the others are excited to use their enhanced personal and professional development to re-enter the work force!”
Strive is the first of several steps towards advancing and strengthening YWCA Princeton’s impact through advocacy and mission-driven programs. In addition, the YW intends to expand opportunities to educate and engage the local community regarding racial justice. Now through January 6, high school students may submit photographs to answer the question, “what does eliminating racism and empowering women mean to you?”. Selected pieces will be displayed at YWCA Princeton’s pop up gallery at MarketFair starting January 19, and prizes will be awarded to the most impactful images.
The next Strive cohort will feature a 10-week course meeting once a week for 3 hours at YWCA Princeton starting in January 2023. To learn more about Strive and register, visit https://www.ywcaprinceton.org/advocate/economic-empowerment/
About YWCA Princeton
YWCA Princeton is #OnAMission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The YW advances its mission through programs that promote equity by creating opportunity and accessibility. Services focus on supporting women and girls through every age and every stage of life. Offerings include but are not limited to early childhood education, English literacy and citizen preparation, a breast cancer resource center, economic empowerment, and workforce development. For more information on programs and advocacy, visit www.ywcaprinceton.org.
About Princeton Area Community Foundation
The Princeton Area Community Foundation promotes lasting philanthropy and builds community across Mercer County and central New Jersey. As a community convener, philanthropic resource and manager of charitable funds, it helps people and companies make effective charitable gifts and awards grants to nonprofits. Since its founding in 1991, the Community Foundation has made grants of more than $173 million and provided an additional $26 million in support to our nonprofit fundholders. With over 450 charitable funds, in 2021, the Community Foundation awarded more than $19 million in grants to support the critical work of nonprofits in making the communities they serve more responsive to the needs of their residents. It has been named by Charity Navigator as One of America’s 10 Best Community Foundations. Learn more at www.pacf.org
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