Girls Inc. Expands into New Communities - and a New Country!

Girls Inc. Expands into New Communities -- and a New Country!

The realization that girls can and should be strong, smart and bold is spreading fast! Girls Inc. is growing as we expand our reach into new communities. Affiliates are becoming established across America, and even in Canada.

"The rate at which new affiliates are joining Girls Inc. has definitely picked up over the last two and a half years," said Barbara Dowd, Girls Inc. Associate Director for New Business. "Last year we had a total of 10 new provisional members. This year we already have an additional five new provisional members. That's exceptionally rapid growth."

All this is great news for girls everywhere. It also speaks to the dedication of the individuals at the various provisional member organizations who are determined to see to it that girls in their communities have a chance to fulfill their potential and overcome social inequities. That's because it's not easy to become a full-fledged Girls Inc. affiliate!

An organization coming into the affiliate network starts out as a provisional member for a period lasting anywhere from six to 24 months. During that time Girls Inc. provides the new affiliate with technical assistance, personnel training and program education to help it lay a firm foundation on which to build its programs and services for girls.

At the end of the provisional membership period, the fledgling affiliate goes through a rigorous transition review in which it has to meet quality assurance standards. Only then is the new member organization deemed ready to assume full Girls Inc. affiliate status.

Currently, provisional member organizations are serving communities in Central Ohio; Northern New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; San Anotonio, TX, the mid-panhandle of FLA, Monterey Co, Humbolt, Co. and Target communities for new affiliates include New Orleans; Jackson, Mississippi; Miami; Minneapolis; and Tucson.

Provisional members are in the process of transitioning to full affiliate status in Northern, New Jersey among other American communities, notably, in several communities in Canada.

"In 2002, several organizations in Canada that were formerly affiliated with Big Sisters joined Girls Inc.," Dowd explained. "Girls Inc. programs allowed them to stay true to their commitment to serving girls."

Today, Girls Incorporated of Upper Canada is a great example of our reach into new territories and of our ability to serve diverse communities of girls.

"We've been in Upper Canada since 1979 with a Big Sisters mandate to provide one-on-one mentoring of a girl by a woman," said Dale Pearson, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Upper Canada.

"As we grew, our waiting list of girls far exceeded our ability to find one-on-one mentors, so we began to provide group programming," Pearson continued. "However, we didn't have the curricula we wanted and decided to try to find an umbrella organization to provide us with more resources. The more we looked at Girls Inc. the more we realized that we shared basic belief systems. We concluded that Girls Inc. had a lot to offer us."

Girls Inc. of Upper Canada has since then implemented such programs as Girls Inc. Economic Literacy, which introduces girls to basic financial concepts including money management and investment and Girls Inc. Sporting Chance', which builds athletic skills, health awareness and health career opportunities.

"One of our programs was Rubbish to Riches, which involves taking old furniture and refinishing it to create new pieces," said Pearson. "Each girl received $25 and had to budget the money to pay for their refinishing supplies.

The girls then received hands-on experience working with paint, sandpaper, and so on to create something quite beautiful that they could take home. So in terms of economic literacy - handling their money - and in terms of empowerment - learning how to use tools ' the program was a wonderful success."

Pearson's enthusiasm for Rubbish to Riches is echoed by 11-year-old Lacey Price-Crump, who's been attending the affiliate for two years.

"There was a whole bunch of girls and we brought our old stuff down into the Girls Inc. basement," Lacey said. "I refinished an old spice rack and turned a tissues box into a jewelry box. Knowing I can take junk and make it into beautiful things gives me confidence to know I can do anything."

The Rubbish to Riches program is also an example of how Girls Inc. is demonstrating the flexibility that is essential to accomplishing our mission in different cultures and populations.

"Upper Canada is very rural," explained Pearson. "Using tools and tackling do-it-yourself projects is natural for us. Girls Inc. understood that and helped us meld the exercises from Girls Inc. Economic Literacy into Rubbish to Riches. Thanks to that, the program was one of the most successful and popular that we've had."

Pearson added that she was very happy to be part of the Girls Inc. family. Of course, the feeling is mutual!

"I think it's very exciting to see Girls Inc. grow," concluded Barbara Dowd. "The new Canadian affiliates are wonderful and their perspectives and enthusiasm add a tremendous amount overall to who we are and our mission on behalf of girls everywhere."

• Find Girls Inc. member organizations in Canada.

• Learn about other Affiliates in Action.