FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Mercy Chikowore
July 30, 2020 202-469-3643, mchikowore@wawf.org
Washington Area Women’s Foundation Awards Over $130,000 in Grants to DC-Area Care Workers
Investments Fund Organizations Who Work with Care Workers Throughout the Washington Region
Washington, D.C. (July, 2020) – Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the only donor-supported, public foundation dedicated to building economic security for women and girls in the Washington region, announces its second round of grants from the Stand Together Fund. The new docket, with investments totaling $136,750 will directly fund 336 women care workers – inclusive of family child care providers, early childhood educators, in-home health aides, and medical aides – throughout the region.
“The care workforce has been forced to make impossible choices for the past four months. They have either continued to work to ensure those they care for are safe and healthy while risking their own health, or stopped working and lost their income to protect their own health or care for their own children,” says Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, President and CEO of Washington Area Women’s Foundation. “Given the direct and disproportionate impact COVID-19 was having on the care workforce, direct cash assistance to care workers quickly rose to the top of our priority list.”
“It’s important to note that the care workforce in the Washington region is largely women of color,” says Martine Sadarangani Gordon, Vice President of Programs, Washington Area Women’s Foundation. “Using trust-based philanthropy, we are thrilled to award grants to six partners who will distribute cash gifts right in the hands of the care workers who need it the most.”
Launched in April, the Stand Together Fund helps support women and girls of color in the region who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The Women’s Foundation identified the safety of women experiencing violence, and the stability of frontline care workers as two issue areas where there are critical gaps in funding.
The list of Stand Together Fund Grantees (*Indicates new Grantee Partner):
Bright Beginnings* $6,000
Direct cash assistance to 10 early childhood educators in Washington, DC who are struggling to find/afford child care for their own children so that they can go back to work. $5,000 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $1,000 will go to Bright Beginnings.
Home Care Partners* $10,000
Direct cash assistance to 116 in-home health aides in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and DC. $8,450 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $1,550 will go to Home Care Partners.
Identity, Inc. $23,000
Direct cash assistance to 40 Latina care workers (early childhood educators and medical aides) in Montgomery County, some of whom are unable to work due to COVID-19. $20,000 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $3,000 will go to Identity, Inc.
Infant Toddler Family Day Care* $47,725
Direct cash assistance to 83 family child care providers in Northern Virginia, some of whom are unable to work due to COVID-19. $41,500 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $6,225 will go to Infant Toddler Family Day Care.
LIFT-DC* $15,525
Direct cash assistance to 27 care workers in Washington, DC, some of whom are unable to work due to COVID-19. $13,500 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $2,023 will go to LIFT-DC.
Prince George’s Child Resource Center $34,500
Direct cash assistance to 60 early childhood educators in Prince George’s County who have been unable to work during COVID-19, but who are now preparing to re-open/go back to work. $30,000 of the grant will be distributed as cash assistance, and $4,500 will go to Prince George’s Child Resource Center.
This is the second round of grants to be disseminated from The Women’s Foundation Stand Together Fund. Four of the six organizations are first-time grant recipients from The Women’s Foundation. The first round of grants, totaling $100,000, were given to organizations that provide culturally specific support to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Additional grants will be disseminated from the Stand Together Fund to benefit more organizations supporting the safety of women and girls and the care workforce in the region.
For more information about Washington Area Women’s Foundation and our Grantee Partners please visit: www.thewomensfoundation.org.
About Washington Area Women’s Foundation
Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a DC-based public foundation dedicated to mobilizing our community to ensure that economically vulnerable women and girls in the Washington region have the resources they need to thrive. Learn more about The Women’s Foundation’s mission to transform the lives of women and girls, the Washington region, and the world by visiting us online, on Facebook, Instagram, or on Twitter.
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