At the virtual event on March 4, 2022, we awarded a total of $150,000 in grants to these six amazing causes.
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$40,000 Winner
Founded in 2005 by soccer stars Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain, and sports executive Marlene Bjornsrud, BAWSI’s mission is to mobilize the women’s sports community to engage, inspire and empower the children who need them most. BAWSI firmly believes that all children have the right to engage in high-energy physical activity and sports to enjoy the accompanying physical, social and emotional benefits. To date, they have enrolled over 20,000 children creating active lives and empowered futures for some of the most vulnerable students in the Bay Area. The flagship program, BAWSI Girls, is a free after-school program for 2nd through 5th-grade girls at eight different public schools. They operate in schools where at least 70% of the student population is socio-economically disadvantaged. BAWSI Rollers was developed in 2006 by two-time wheelchair Paralympian Sharon Kelleher. The BAWSI Rollers program introduces students with disabilities to adaptive physical activity in a non-threatening and accessible way. The program serves boys and girls with physical and/or cognitive disabilities and hearing disabilities.
Impact:
BAWSI’s vision is to provide sports and leadership programming from elementary through high school. A grant from 100 Women will allow them to expand programs beyond the eight elementary schools they currently serve. This growth will engage more girls and children with special needs, creating positive experiences and attitudes for them.
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$40,000 Winner
For 50 years, Next Door Solutions has provided dedicated service to those in Santa Clara County who are impacted by domestic/intimate partner violence. They provide a wide range of services including a 24/7 crisis hotline, walk-in crisis counseling, case management, legal advocacy, safety planning, financial assistance, group counseling and temporary housing. The mission of Next Door Solutions is to end domestic violence in the moment, and for all time, by creating paths for survivors through safety, stability, and self-sufficiency. Clients are assigned an advocate who helps them with a specific plan that is typically based on 8 “zones” of potential need: food security, housing/shelter, income, employment, education, healthcare, wellness, and domestic violence. Next Door Solutions engages with more than 2,300 adults and children annually.
Impact
A grant from 100 Women Foundation will provide housing assistance for up to an additional 8-10 victims and their families, in the Domestic Violence Housing First Program. Most of the clients need/receive assistance for approximately 2-3 months as they stabilize their financial footing and cash flow at an average monthly cost of $3,333. Since beginning this housing program, 93% of clients who exit the program have remained housed for at least12 months after their exit.
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$40,000 Winner
In 1994, Parisi House became Santa Clara County’s first and only residential substance-abuse rehabilitation program focused on breaking the cycle of addiction for women and their children – a unique approach for mothers seeking help.
The mission of Parisi House on the Hill is to provide residential and aftercare counseling to pregnant and parenting women and their children (0-5 years), for the successful treatment and recovery from addiction. Approximately 60 women and 60 children are served each year. Many mothers have endured abuse at the hands of a partner or their own parents. Many are in danger of losing their children to the foster care system. All mothers are low-income, disadvantaged or underserved residents of Santa Clara County.
The 2019-2020 Parisi House discharge summary reported that 72% of their clients had stabilized and transitioned to outpatient services and recovery residences.
Impact
A grant from 100 Women Foundation would assist Parisi House in meeting the financial challenges imposed by a Santa Clara County budget deficit of approximately $285 million; a direct result of COVID-19 expenditures. Decreased State funding to the county for core safety net services is also anticipated. Parisi House is expecting that some components of their programming may be impacted and is planning for sizable decreases. Our support would assist them in preserving programs and providing their clients with the best chance for sustained recovery.
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$10,000 Winner
AAUW, the largest women’s group in the US, focuses on equity and promoting positive societal change. The San Jose branch, founded in 1909, is committed to improving the local community through educational and community betterment programs. Gifts for Teens (GFT) began in 1997 as an annual holiday support project for up to 1500 at-risk teenagers in need. GFT supports homeless and low-income 13–18-year-olds, with a duffel bag full of useful and fun teen-oriented items. The goal is to provide bags to teenagers who are clients of the following agencies: Bill Wilson Center, Advent, Unity Care Group, and Sacred Heart Community Service. The identified teens are required to attend school or participate in job or life skills classes. The bags brim with over 40 items that include warm apparel, store gift cards, hygiene, and school supplies, and fun items the teens appreciate. GFT’s all-volunteer committee of 16 members solicits donations, purchase the items, and coordinate the volunteers to fill the bags for distribution. In 2019, 1,346 gifts were distributed, however, due to the pandemic, the project scaled back to 400 bags in 2020. In 2021, 504 gift bags were distributed.
Impact
A grant from the 100 Women will be used to purchase duffel bags, warm sweatshirts, and gift cards for 1,000 needy local youth. The sturdy duffels and stylish sweatshirts are purchased in bulk, and $25 Walmart or Target store gift cards are purchased at a discount.
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$10,000 Winner
My Digital TAT2 works with students to navigate the increasingly integrated role of digital technology in their lives and teaches them to be kind, mindful, and responsible consumers and producers of online content. This is more important than ever with the proliferation of cyberbullying, misinformation, and toxicity online. Their mission is to help make the internet a better place – a source for connection, learning, entertainment, and creativity while minimizing negative outcomes. My Digital TAT2 empowers students, families, and educators to understand the power of technology and the impact of their online presence. Their proven curriculum has inspired more than 30,000 students to think deeply and critically about their online use, to be able to protect and respect their own and each other’s privacy and to prevent and stand up to social cruelty.
Impact
A grant from 100 Women will provide free educational workshops to two middle and two elementary public schools which are currently under-resourced and unable to access high-quality digital literacy programs. These programs will equip children and those who care for them, with digital literacy skills based on social-emotional learning. They will provide children tools to navigate situations of cyberbullying, disinformation, and digital privacy while engaging in their digital lives in a manner that protects mental health and promotes positivity, responsibility, and digital resiliency.
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$10,000 Winner
In Santa Clara County, many low-income seniors, veterans, and families with disabilities are living in dangerous and unsafe homes. For 30 years, Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley (RTSV) has preserved affordable homeownership by providing free home repairs that enable ~600 low-income residents a year, to remain stably housed. They are the only organization in our area that provides essential repairs at no cost to homeowners and nonprofit facilities by utilizing a volunteer labor force. The average age of RTSV clients is 74, and two-thirds are widowed or single women. The critical repairs and accessibility modifications are life-changing improvements and allow clients to live independently and safely at home.
RTSV is part of a national network, working to preserve homeownership and prevent homelessness for vulnerable neighbors. Throughout the year, they gather donated materials and rally hundreds of volunteers to help with their spring and fall Rebuilding Days. Year-round, RTSV also provides critical repairs and home accessibility modifications through their Safe at Home and Critical Services programs.
Impact
A grant from 100 Women will support RTSV’s ongoing operations including the biannual Rebuilding Days projects and the year-round programs that focus on safety risks and essential home repairs. Funding for these programs directly expands the number of low-income older adults and families who can remain safe, healthy, and independent in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
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