Grant Received from 100 Women Charitable Foundation = $47,500
WANDA Grant Recipient Ceremony
WANDA is dedicated to empowering low-income single mothers and helping them achieve economic self-sufficiency. The program provides life skills training, a matched savings program, and professional networking opportunities. These services help single mothers build long-term financial stability for themselves and their families. This in turn alleviates poverty across future generations.
In order to be admitted into the WANDA program, a single mother must be employed and commit to a minimum monthly saving rate. WANDA targets success-minded single mother head of households who are employed but are at or below the self-sufficiency level.
WANDA Moms participate in a three-year training program that teaches financial management while participants save $4,00o or more each year. These savings are matched 2:1 by donors and the savings are used for education for the mother and/or her children, retirement savings, or the purchase of a home. Participants receive additional support from WANDA leadership, instructors, donors and community support to help them achieve their professional and financial goals.
WANDA strongly believes that low-income single mothers have significant and unique barriers to financial success that include lack of confidence, lack of a career plan, lack of time for strategic thinking and lack of access to mentoring. Addressing these barriers requires a unique approach. Women benefit from peer support and collaboration with others who understand their situation and WANDA leverages the strengths and needs of women to achieve success. Many WANDA donors are inspired to support the organization because of their personal experiences as a single mother or having been raised by a single mother themselves.
IMPACT
A grant from the 100 Women Charitable Foundation will allow WANDA to provide services to 35 additional low-income single mothers and continued support for 15 women already participating in the program. Some funds will be matched by the Sand Hill Foundation to increase program service and operational sustainability of the 2:1 savings match.