October 4, 2004

Giving girls a chance

United Way invests in next generation of women

Cathy Minehan (left) , chair of UWMB's Board of Directors, with Jean Tempel (right) and another WLB attendee. Julian Brown (left) and her mentee Azilde Tavarez speak to the importance of positive relationships between girls of all ages. Honorary event co-chair Jean Tempel of Firstlight Capital and her guest Carole Uhrich Shapazian. Scroll down for more pictures from the event! Read more about Today's Girls... Tomorrow's Leaders.

BOSTON – United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB) today announced it is investing an unprecedented $1.7 million this year in programs that create mentoring relationships and nurturing environments for girls. The new Today’s Girls...Tomorrow’s Leaders (TGTL) grants are being directed to a record-breaking number of organizations and cement UWMB’s stature as the region’s premier funding source for programs that focus on advancing academic achievement, physical health, mental health and leadership development of girls.

“Since 1996, we have provided nearly 200,000 girls with program opportunities that are inspiring growth and are giving our next generation of women the chance to develop self-esteem and attain academic success,” said Milton J. Little, Jr., president and chief executive officer of UWMB.

UWMB created its Today’s Girls...Tomorrow’s Leaders initiative to fill the void of too-little programming designed to meet the unique needs of girls. UWMB’s annual Women’s Leadership Breakfast, held on Wednesday, October 6 and generously underwritten by Deloitte and Touche LLC, is the major catalyst in driving unprecedented financial contributions to the TGTL initiative and raising awareness of girls’ needs. The movement has grown in leaps and bounds – UWMB invested just $110,000 in three organizations in the first year it launched TGTL.

Kiaribel Cabrera , 13, of Roxbury was among the girls benefiting from organizations supported by Today’s Girls…Tomorrow’s Leaders who was recognized at the breakfast. The oldest of four children, Kiaribel assumes many of the adult household responsibilities such as paying bills, shopping for groceries and translating phone calls for her mother, a Dominican immigrant who speaks limited English. Kiaribel has been involved with TGTL grantee City Kicks for four years and credits the program with allowing her to develop leadership skills and to take a break from caregiving for her younger siblings.

Also recognized at the breakfast was 17-year old Azilde Tavarez of Lynn. Azilde is an example of a teenager who has taken to heart her mother’s advice to a part of the solution – not the problem – of teen substance abuse. She’s been involved with the TGTL-supported programs at Girls Inc. for four years, starting with the organization’s Eureka and Bridges, a summer program for middle school girls. Now she is an effective peer leader and community educator with La Verdad, a Girls Inc. Teen Peer Educator program focused on reducing substance use/abuse in Lynn. Azilde is looking forward to applying to college and is interested in becoming a lawyer.

UWMB also announced significant new corporate contributions to its Today’s Girls…Tomorrow’s Leaders Initiative. Among the gifts committed to date are $100,000 from Mellon New England and $50,000 from Citizens Financial Group. The Women’s Leadership Breakfast this year was co-chaired by Heather P. Campion of Citizens Financial Group, H.R. Consultant Sandra Krakoff and Helen E.R. Sayles of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. Keynoting the event was Lois Silverman, former chairman and CEO of CRA Managed Care and Founder of the Commonwealth Institute.

In the past eight years, UWMB has invested more than $7.7 million in young girls, funding programs that pair girls with mentors, provide them with technical skills and educate them about healthy lifestyles. The round of funding is being distributed to 54 nonprofit agencies in Boston neighborhoods and surrounding communities. Most of the grants are between $20,000 and $40,000. Examples of the innovative, cutting-edge organizations receiving United Way funding include:

• Programs focused on increasing girls’ participation in sports and recreation activities;
• Programs that encourage girls’ participation and interest in science and technology; and
• Programs that encourage girls to express themselves and gain self-esteem through the arts.

TGTL also seeks to increase human service providers’ awareness of girl programming, and to build the capacity of co-ed, youth programs to more effectively serve girls. The strategy is part of UWMB’s effort to develop the assets inherent in all youth by reinforcing and enriching academic learning and, providing crucial development of life skills so that kids are better prepared to graduate high school with opportunities to flourish.

Serving as Mistress of Ceremonies, the Rev. Dr. Gloria White-Hammond reviews the script (left) before taking the stage (right) to greet nearly 1200 women.

One of the few men in the room, United Way of Massachusetts Bay President and CEO Milton J. Little, Jr. welcomes attendees.

Event co-chairs Sandy Krakoff, Heather Campion of Citizens Bank and Helen Sayles of Liberty Mutual.

William K. Bacic, New England Managing Partner of Deloitte, which has underwritten the cost of the breakfast since its inception in 1995.

13-year-old Kiaribel Cabrera of CityKicks, an urban soccer program.

Keynote speaker Lois Silverman, former chairman and CEO of CRA Managed Care and Founder of the Commonwealth Institute.

Nearly 1200 women filled the ballroom of the Seaport Hotel for the 9th annual breakfast, which has grown from 300 attendees in 1995.

Media inquires should contact:
Jeff Bellows
Phone: 617-624-8250
Fax: 617-624-9114
E-mail: jbellows@uwmb.org