Arizona Foundation for Women Donates $278,500 to 18 Valley Non-Profit Organizations

Released on: November 11th, 2011

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Arizona Foundation for Women Donates $278,500 to 18 Valley Non-Profit Organizations

PHOENIX, AZ – Jodi Liggett, Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that invests in and promotes innovative solutions to fulfill the unmet needs of Arizona’s women and children, proudly announced today that 18 Valley organizations will receive $278,500 to carry out the mission of the organization. “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to contribute such a substantial amount in these difficult economic times to help these worthy organizations carry out their important work,” said Liggett.

There are a number of separate funds managed by the Arizona Foundation for Women that provided the grants this year. TheDeborah G. Carstens Grant Fund and the AFW General Grant Fund support organizations that motivate and empower women and girls to take responsibility for their economic lives by developing skills, building self-esteem and identifying challenges that impede their success. The following organizations were awarded grants:

2011 Deborah G. Carstens Grant Fund Recipients

AZ South Asians for Safe Families: $7,000 Domestic Violence Awareness for the South Asian Community

Central AZ Shelter Services (CASS): $12,000 Dental Assistant Training

Girl Scouts of Southern AZ: $7,000 Prevention Services for Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Helping Hands for Single Moms: $15,000 Scholarships for Mother’s Attending College

Homeward Bound: $15,000 Financial Education

ImprovingChandlerArea Neighborhoods: $7,000 Youth Empowerment

Maggie’s Place: $15,000 Financial Literacy

National Advocacy & Training Network: $7,000 Domestic Violence Prevention Programs

A New Leaf: $15,000 Conflict Resolution Classes for Children of Domestic Violence

Sojourner Center: $15,000 Legal Advocacy

Teen Life Line: $10,000 Life Skills for Teens

Wellcare Foundation: $15,000 Healthcare for Single Mothers

2011 AFW Grant Recipients

In addition, the Kids Are Not for Sale in Arizona Grant Fund was created in response to the fact that the State of Arizona is the second “worst” state in the nation with respect to human trafficking, particularly the sexual trafficking of young girls.Arizona is a source, destination, and transit state for human traffickers, who’s “business” thrives in the cities, rural areas, and along interstate highways inArizona. This fund supports efforts to end child prostitution inArizona and help sex trafficking victims, was awarded to six groups that have programs that support this mission.

 Kids Are Not for Sale in Arizona Grant Fund

ASU College of Public Programs: $15,000 Statewide Training in Victim Recognition

ASU ESUBA: $15,000 Mentorship for Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Girl Scouts, Cactus Pine Counsel: $15,000 Child Trafficking Awareness Programs

Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk: $15,000 Grooming Prevention Program

International Rescue Committee: $15,000 Services to Victims of Trafficking

Planned Parenthood: $13,500 Staff Training for Identification Referral of Trafficking Victims

 AFW General Grant Fund

The Arizona Foundation for Women has made a $50,000 donation to the Parachute Fund, which is a program run by theDianeHalleCenter for Family Justice atArizonaStateUniversity to provide critical emergency funds to victims of domestic violence.  These funds directly assist in providing food, shelter, medical and legal assistance to women and children in immediate crisis.

The Arizona Foundation for Women works to enhance the lives of women and children by investing in innovative solutions to society’s most critical challenges. The Foundation addresses three interrelated areas of strategic focus: Safety, Health, and Economic security (SHE). These priorities form the foundation of the SHE Counts!® movement, in which research, funding, convening, and advocacy are all aligned toward common goals. To fund its activities and grant-making, the Foundation hosts the Sandra Day O’Connor Awards Luncheon each year. For more information, visit azfoundationforwomen.org.