FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
For more Information Contact:
Sarah Ghiorse
Program Director of NewMexicoWomen.Org
505-820-6868 Ext. 11
sarahg@nmcf.org
NewMexicoWomen.Org at New Mexico Community Foundation, awards $73,700 to support women’s economic security
Santa Fe, NM – Based on the findings from NewMexicoWomen.Org’s (NMW.O) recently published Indicators Report, and in conjunction with the Take a Stand for New Mexico Women and Girls campaign, the focus of this grant making cycle was on women’s economic self-sufficiency. NMW.O is aware that the cycle of poverty underpins many other pressing issues faced by women in New Mexico. To that end, nine grants were made to organizations and programs in New Mexico that are working effectively to address the root causes of economic insecurity, and providing the tools and resources to increase women and girls’ self-sufficiency.
The nine grants, totaling $73,700, were given to the following recipients:
Adelante – Mujeres de Adelante (Santa Fe)
The Mujeres de Adelante Women’s Cooperative creates tangible economic opportunities for single mothers who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In addition to creating economic opportunity, they provide English and GED classes, as well as business and skills development trainings. These facets of the program together build the confidence and abilities of economically vulnerable women to become financially independent.
Enlace Comunitario (Bernalillo, Valencia, Sandoval)
Enlace Comunitario is a community based organization that provides direct services to Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence and advocates for the rights of Latino immigrants and their children. This grant will enhance its current Economic Self-Sufficiency Project which works to build the safety and economic self-sufficiency of Spanish-speaking domestic violence survivors. Direct services to be offered through the program include safety planning, case management and referrals to community resources, transitional housing, and assistance with Individual Development Accounts. They will increase financial literacy skills for EC staff members and provide clients in the transitional housing program with modest start up housing kits to increase their success and self-sufficiency.
Girls Inc. of Santa Fe (Santa Fe)
The Girls Inc. Experience helps girls gain knowledge to embrace control of their own health security through physical activity, positive body image, and nutrition while decreasing or delaying substance use and risky sexual behavior. Through their programming, the girls increase their love of learning, improve performance in school, and aspire to and plan for education beyond high school, which improves their chance of obtaining economic self-sufficiency.
Masada House (San Juan)
Masada House, Inc. is a Transitional Living Program that works to address the problems of economic insecurity, domestic violence, poverty, and poor health in women due to addiction and to interrupt these cycles in order to improve the lives of women and their children. Masada House assists homeless women recovering from substance abuse by providing a safe, stable living situation with set rules, boundaries, levels of achievment, encouragement, and support from both peers and staff.
OLÉ Education Fund (Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrence, Sandoval)
OLÉ Education Fund, who uses grassroots organizing within the local community of working families, will continue to organize members who are fighting for economic justice for families, particularly those headed by single women. They place a primary focus on the intersection of Early Childhood Education and Fair Work Week legislation, as well as leadership development, to strengthen economic stability for women.
Southwest Creations Collaborative (Bernalillo, Valencia, Sandoval)
Using a women-focused, multi-generational approach, Southwest Creations Collaborative’s (SCC) Employability and Educational Equity programs address the multiple barriers that low-income women and girls experience in becoming economically self-sufficient. SCC’s programs focus on employment, family engagement, college readiness, early childhood development, employability and leadership as well as training and technical assistance for schools and community organizations.
Southwest Women’s Law Center (Statewide)
Southwest Women’s Law Center (SWLC) will continue to advance economic security for women through education and outreach to women, businesses and human resource professionals about the Fair Pay for Women Act. SWLC will also continue to gather data and information that will culminate in refining the model legislation on Pregnancy Fairness and Accommodations in the Workplace.
Spirit of Hidalgo (Hidalgo)
Building on the work that has been done to develop market opportunities for women and families, SPIRIT of Hidalgo will be focusing on developing the individual capacity of women and girls who have been developing, or are interested in starting their own businesses. They will utilize evidence-based strategies such as the online entrepreneurial program Dream Builder, Individual Development Accounts, professional mentors, and community partnerships to build personal and community power for women and girls interested in becoming entrepreneurs.
Tres Manos Weaving of New Mexico (Doña Ana)
Tres Manos provides free weaving, business and life-skills training, including financial literacy and asset-building to low income women in southern Doña Ana County. They will build on the success of last year’s professional sewing and garment finishing group, by hiring a part-time tailor and two additional part-time seamstresses.
ABOUT NEWMEXICOWOMEN.ORG
NewMexicoWomen.Org is a program of New Mexico Community Foundation, advancing opportunities for women and girls so that they can lead healthy, empowered, self-sufficient lives. To learn more about NewMexicoWomen.Org’s community-based grant making and donor education programs visit www.newmexicowomen.org. When women thrive, communities thrive!
