It’s time to get into the holiday spirit and join in on giving back to your community. Join in on the global day of giving this #GivingTuesday and donate to your favorite local nonprofits.
Noozhawk had the opportunity to sit down with Kristen Weaver, Director of Communications at Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, to learn more about how the nonprofit inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Question: What is the name & mission of your nonprofit?
Answer: As one of 82 Girls Inc. affiliates, we advance girls’ rights and opportunities through direct service and advocacy, based in the belief that every girl deserves to grow up healthy, educated, and independent. Girls Inc.’s vision is empowered girls in an equitable society. Our mission is to inspire all girls to be Strong (Healthy), Smart (Educated), and Bold (Independent).
Q: How long has your nonprofit been in service and whom was it started by?
A: Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, formerly “Girls Club”, was founded in 1958, though the national organization has roots dating back to the 1800s. The local affiliate was founded after Mrs. Ada McReynolds Wise, a retired dress designer and member of the Women’s Club, responded to a young woman’s request on a local radio program asking to have a Girls Club in Santa Barbara.
Q: Why is your mission important to you?
A: Our vision is empowered girls in an equitable society. Our mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold is an important step toward achieving gender equality in our country and in the world. In the U.S.: 1 in 7 Girls will not finish high school on time; 1 in 4 Girls experiences sexual abuse or sexual assault by the age of 18; 7 in 10 Girls are sexually harassed at some point in high school; Girls’ academic successes are undercut by sexual harassment, which not only leads to disruption in studies, but can also have mental and physical health consequences; Women remain underrepresented in STEM education and career fields; Women and women of color, in particular, continue to earn lower wages than men for the same work.
For more than 60 years, Girls Inc. has made a continued commitment and dedication to making a measurable and lasting difference in the lives of girls and young women. We believe in gender equality and continue to engage in services and advocacy that focus on the needs of girls, including girls who face multiple, intersectional challenges such as those based on sex, race, religion, ethnicity, immigration status, disability, social economic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Q: How is your nonprofit primarily funded and what are your greatest needs?
A: Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara is funded through program fees, contributions and grants, fundraising events and rental revenue. We do not receive government funding, nor are we funded by a single angel investor. Rather, we depend upon support from a broad section of the community. We charge our families half of what it costs to deliver our programs so that all girls may take advantage of Girls Inc. programs regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Our greatest need currently is funding our operations as we look ahead to mandated increases in the minimum wage through 2022.
Q: In what ways does your nonprofit utilize it’s funding?
A: Seventy percent of our operating budget directly supports programs and services for the 1,300 girls we serve each year. The remaining portion goes toward sustaining the organization’s operations.
Q: Can you tell us one success story from your nonprofit?
A: We are pleased to announce that one of our Teen Center Members Sarahi has been named to the Girls Inc. National Teen Advocacy Council. Sarahi has been attending Girls Inc. since the 3rd grade. Now a high school junior, she will serve along with 11 other teens from other Girls Inc. affiliates as an advisory body to the Girls Inc. National Public Policy Team. Sarahi’s voice will carry a lot of weight for girls in our country, and she learned how to advocate for herself and others, and how to fully embrace her power, at Girls Inc. She is on track to be the first in her family to attend a 4-year university. She is using her own experiences with gender and racial prejudice to help other teens around the country. This is what a girl can do with sustained exposure to Girls Inc. programs, long-lasting and trusting mentoring relationships, and a curriculum that encourages girls and young women to find their voices and determine their futures, rather than have their futures limited or determined for them.
Q: How do people get involved and volunteer for your nonprofit?
A: There are a variety of ways to take action https://girlsincsb.org/take-action/ to support Girls Inc.’s vision and mission. Additional information is available on our website:
Volunteer https://girlsincsb.org/take-action/volunteer/: Ongoing opportunities include homework help and Boost academic tutoring. One-time opportunities include event support at our fundraisers and at the She.Is.Beautiful race each Fall.
Donate https://girlsincsb.org/take-action/donate/: One-time and recurring donations can be made through our website. To make a donation specifically to the Critical Needs https://girlsincsb.org/girls-inc-seeks-funding-support-to-meet-critical-needs/ list, please contact our administrative office at 805-963-4757.
Fundraise https://girlsincsb.org/take-action/fundraise/: Supporters can start their own peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns through our website. Supporters can also set up a Facebook fundraiser and engage their social networks to raise money.
Advocate https://girlsincsb.org/take-action/advocacy/: Sign the #GirlsToo pledge to end K-12 sexual harassment and violence.
Shop https://amzn.to/2QQjQzT: You can also support us by purchasing much-needed items from our Amazon Wishlist for our centers and our gym. Items include educational supplies for our tutoring and literacy programs, games and activity sets, program materials, office supplies, recreation equipment, and more.
Q: What types of programs does your nonprofit run?
A: Girls Inc. offers research-based programs (like STEM, economic literacy, media literacy, and healthy sexuality), an all-girl and pro-girl environment, and trusted mentor relationships. When combined these elements create a safe and inclusive space for girls to explore their interests, develop confidence and resilience, and learn how to advocate for themselves and for others.
Girls Inc. Girls are Strong (Healthy). They are in charge of their health and possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop and sustain healthy lifestyles. Girls Inc. girls are more likely than their peers nationally to appreciate their bodies, to avoid risky behaviors, and to stay on track to achieve positive life outcomes.
Girls Inc. Girls are Smart (Educated). They are academically engaged, and connect academics to life experiences, opportunities, and careers. Girls Inc. girls defy national trends by setting high academic achievement goals and demonstrating interest in fields where women are traditionally underrepresented.
Girls Inc. Girls are Bold (Independent). They are socially and emotionally intelligent and display character and confidence in the life skills that allow for independent, productive, and fulfilling lives. Girls Inc. girls are learning to break through limiting barriers and gender stereotypes to become leaders for their generation.
Informed by girls and their families, Girls Inc. advocates for policies and practices that tackle the systemic gender, economic, and social barriers that affect the conditions in which girls grow up. In 2018 the Girls Inc. Network launched the #GirlsToo http://girlstoo.girlsinc.org/ campaign aimed at preventing K-12 sexual harassment and violence.
Q: How does the work of your nonprofit get communicated to the public?
A: Supporters can follow daily activity at our centers on our social media platforms (@girlsincsb.org), additionally our Instagram feed runs on the home page of our website. We share our work, our needs, and our successes through our website posts, social media, a monthly e-newsletter, community events and presentations, program partnership development, and an annual report.
Q: Can you tell us one short-term goal and one long-term goal that your nonprofit has?
A: One area of focus in 2020 is continuing to raise the funds needed to both expand our teen center capacity and support our outreach program at Santa Barbara Junior High School. Longer term, we are committed to finding new and innovative models that could help support program delivery.
Click here to make a donation to Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara this Holiday Season!