In this month's newsletter, you will read about our partnership with Subaru, our culminating She Votes event, the #GirlsToo campaign, and more!
Subaru of America Foundation Awarded Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey a $95,000 Grant
Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey announced that it has been awarded with a $95,000 grant from the Subaru of America (SOA) Foundation to be paid over three years to support Girls Inc.’s work in the Camden Promise Neighborhood .  Girls Inc., a non-profit organization that inspires girls ages 6 to 18 to be strong, smart, and bold, launched their pilot program in Camden with a one year, $20,000 grant from the automaker’s Foundation in 2017. The response to the Girls Inc. programs from school partners, girls and their families was immediate, positive and exceeded expectations. As a result, Subaru has made this very generous grant to serve even more girls in additional Camden schools. 

It is undeniable that girls in the U.S. are uniquely affected by poverty, sexual exploitation, drug addiction, and teen pregnancy.  Nationally, one in six girls will not finish high school, 78 percent of high school girls report being unhappy with their bodies, and one in five experience childhood sexual assault.  In communities with increased poverty rates, these risks are even greater.

Read more of the press release on our website here . To learn more about Subaru's community efforts (including Girls Inc.), please visit their website here .
She Votes 2018
The Girls Inc. She Votes program helps girls develop the skills and knowledge to engage in the political process as activists and change agents in their communities. In October, they discussed and voted on important issues including surveillance in schools and the opioid epidemic in our city. They raised concerns about homelessness and the environment, writing to the mayor and others to voice their concerns. They learned about the importance of being informed about the issues and candidates in order to make independent and educated decisions about which candidates to support. They learned about the importance of getting out the vote, and, when they are 18, of voting themselves. They learned about the challenges of running for political office, particularly as a woman, about the under representation of women in elected offices and were encouraged to run for office themselves, starting now with school elections. 

On Saturday, October 27, our culminating She Votes event brought together over 100 girls from our Saturday programs to participate in a mock election, engage in activities surrounding relevant political issues, and hear from a panel of civic, legal, medical, and environmental leaders. Our extraordinary panelists included:
  • Dr. Susan Freeman - Chief Medical Officer, Temple University Health System, President and CEO, Temple Center for Population Health LLC, Vice Dean, Health Care Systems, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
  • Jemie Fofanah - Staff Assistant at U.S. Senate
  • Gianna Makler - Staff Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants
  • Jasmine Sessoms - Founder of She Can Win
  • Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper - President Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
  • Kelley B. Hodge - Of Counsel at Elliott Greenleaf
 
To view more pictures from our She Votes event, visit our website here . To view the 6abc Action News coverage of the event, click here .

Please, make your voice heard, vote tomorrow!
#GirlsToo: Respect Starts Young
Girls Inc. announced the launch of a new campaign called #GirlsToo on the one-year anniversary of the date when the #MeToo hashtag went viral. The campaign focuses on sexual harassment and assault in the lives of youth, particularly girls, with actions aimed at addressing the norms and stereotypes that fuel these behaviors.
 
Alarmingly, about 7 in 10 girls are sexually harassed by the time they leave high school. A recently released survey of young girls between the ages of 14 and 19 found that 3 out of 4 girls feel unsafe at least once and while. The majority also said they hear boys making sexual comments at least several times a week.
 
“Sexual harassment and violence is an epidemic facing adults, but the problem starts at a much younger age,” said Judy Vredenburgh, President and CEO of Girls Inc. “The #GirlsToo campaign will focus on building a culture of respect for girls today and generations to come.”
 
We encourage youth, adults, and leaders to take the #GirlsToo pledge at girlstoo.girlsinc.org and be advocates for a more equitable society that values and promotes the dignity of girls and all young people.

The 17th Annual
Strong, Smart, and Bold Breakfast
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
The Union League of Philadelphia

Honorees to be announced in next month's newsletter!

Coming In December...
We are thrilled to launch our Eureka! STEM program next month. In partnership with Drexel Universty and Macquarie Investment Management, this Girls Inc. signature program is a STEM-based approach to engaging and empowering 8th - 12th grade girls to see themselves as an important part of the workforce of the future. Stay tuned to learn more!
Your shopping makes a difference. Amazon donates to Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/23-1607172 .
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