The Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester recently awarded their Empowering Women grant to Neighborhood House. The purpose of the grant is to assist women in transition utilizing enhanced Neighborhood House programming.
From L-R: Maria Trahan, President of Women’s Fund; Dianne Bette, Neighborhood House Caseworker; Mark Kilbourn, Neighborhood House Executive Director; Johanna Byrd, Past President of Women’s Fund
Photo courtesy of the Neighborhood House
Maria Trahan, President of the Women’s Fund explains, “In 2014, the Women’s Fund established a special grant called The Empowering Women in Need with Job Seeking/Job Keeping Skills. It is designed to enable a nonprofit program addressing the development of employability skills for securing a meaningful job. The Neighborhood House was the first recipient of this important grant. Congratulations to Neighborhood House for its vision and dedication to women in need.”
Mark Kilbourn, Executive Director of Neighborhood House, stated, “Thank you, Women’s Fund, for your confidence in our ability to work together to assist local women back to self-sustainability using the skills of Neighborhood House staff, professional volunteers, and enhanced services. We are extremely excited to be the recipient of this wonderful grant and look forward with anticipation to the opportunities this will open up to the recipients of the program.”
Funding from the grant is used to expand specific services for women clients who are actively pursuing a long-term solution to economic difficulties. Assistance for these women will be highly individualistic and may include tuition for additional career training or training for professional licensing, and purchase of uniforms or other specific clothing required for employment. By working closely with a caseworker, candidates for this program will receive services currently available through the agency including counseling, financial counseling, direct client assistance with shelter and/or utility expense, tuition, clothing and food. A combination of these services offers the client the opportunity to redirect her career path.
The Women’s Fund was established in 2000 with the vision of helping women within our community. Starting with 100 women, the goal was to make a difference in the lives of women and their families. Those first 100 women, known as the Founders, were more than just the first donors; they were the very foundation of The Women’s Fund. The Women’s Fund is an endowment fund. It is a legacy of caring and giving. It serves the needs of this generation of women and will continue to serve future generations of women.
Since 2001, The Women’s Fund has awarded over $38,000 to Neighborhood House. This financial support for Neighborhood House programming is a true partnership in making a difference in women’s lives.
To make a donation or to learn more about The Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, please visit www.WomensFundRochester.org. To learn more about Neighborhood House, contact their website at www.RANH.org.
About Sarah Hovis