#twfgb

[womensfundnewsroom]

Spring 2015 E-Newsletter

See what’s blooming at The Women’s Fund this spring, including new way to help women own their future, #PREYdayLoans, the power of words, and more.

Miss our newsletter? Sign up today!

[womensfundnewsroom]

TWF Board Member Karla Wiles named 2015 Top 40 Under 40

Congratulations to TWF board member Karla Wiles!

via Birmingham Business Journal:

Wiles, 37, got her start in advertising at the age of 18, and her career hasn’t slowed down. She’s worked in a number of key roles at prominent companies, including her current position at EBSCO. Nominators say she’s done a masterful job balancing her corporate role – one in which she has excelled – and her passion for improving her community.

We couldn't agree more!

[womensfundnewsroom]

"Words Create Worlds" TEDxBirmingham

Watch the full TEDxBirmingham Salon talk by The Women's Fund Program Director Mary Page Wilson-Lyons.

Mary Page shares an idea that the words we use to speak about a complex subject like poverty affects how we think, and thus act, about it. She proposes that if we find different words, we can create a different world.

[womensfundnewsroom]

Adding the gender lens to Weld's "Poverty in Birmingham" series

Jeanne Jackson, CEO of The Women's Fund, discusses the need for a gender lens in Weld's most-recent installment of their "Poverty in Birmingham" series: 

"[The Women's Fund] works with women of all races" — but, Jackson adds, the statistics are “unavoidable.”

“We recognize that African-American women face discrimination based on their gender and their race.  The move beyond poverty is complex and challenging for any single woman. The challenges for a single mom balancing work and raising children are daunting. However, if you are a single mother and African-American, the likelihood of your being in poverty is dramatically higher in all five counties that we serve.

There is some reason why it’s harder for African-American women to get out of poverty, and those things have to be addressed."

Full article

[womensfundnewsroom]

2014 Smart Party Honorees: Why it's smart to invest in women

[womensfundnewsroom]

TWF founding board member Dr. Cameron Vowell wins Vulcan Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Cameron Vowell, founding board member and first director of The Women's Fund, will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the first ever Vulcans.  

Wendy Jackson, Executive Director of Freshwater Landtrust says, "She's been transformational for our community.  Not just for the environment but for women's issues, for non-profits and for our community in general."

More from AL.com:

Vowell's dedication to local environmental and women's issues will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at tomorrow night's Vulcans at The Club.  The Vulcans, given by Vulcan Park & Museum, are a new award honoring Birmingham-area people in five categories: Newcomer, Hero, Servant Leadership, Game Changer and Lifetime Achievement.

Vowell's work in Birmingham began decades ago, according to Jackson.

She graduated from Hollins College in 1968. She also has a master's degree in environmental science and a Ph.D. in biochemistry. Vowell is a founding board member of Freshwater Land Trust; a charter member of Alabama's Nature Conservancy and served 14 years on the Alabama Environmental Commission.

 During her career, she has served on the Alabama Ethics Commission. She is also works with groups and initiatives such as Alabama Possible, The Nature Conservatory, UAB School of Public Health Broad Street Committee and The Naked Catfish and Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

Through her work with the Freshwater Land Trust, Jackson said Vowell has helped the organization conserve over 10,000 acres of land, including Homewood Forest Preserve, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve and Red Mountain Park. She called the projects a "direct result of our organization and Cameron's work."

Jackson said Vowell often tells stories from her early days as an activist in Birmingham.

"She tells stories of doing things very early in her young life," she said. "One of the funny stories that she tells is about standing on a corner in Birmingham back before the Clean Air act passed with a gas mask on passing out the home phone number the U.S. Steel CEO. She said, 'Then as a I grew older, I learned a better way to deal with conservation.'"

Vowell's approach now includes passion, service and business acumen.

"She brings a good heart combined with a strong business sense," Jackson said. "She can take a new non-profit or a struggling non-profit and teach you how you're supposed to operate in a very frugal and business-like manner. It is a unique blend of passion, business and just community smarts. She knows the community and she understands what works in the community. When you combine all of those things, that is a remarkable asset for any non-profit and the community."

Jackson also calls Vowell a champion for women.

Vowell was a founding board member of The Women's Fund.

"She basically paved the way for successful women today," Jackson said. "She has been a big champion for getting women elected to office; she's been a big champion for women in CEO and business-type roles, women in leadership positions and dealing with the issues that impact women."

"I personally feel like every professional woman and elected woman should have appreciation for Cameron because she started championing those things way before it was cool," she said.

Overall, Jackson said Vowell's impact on Birmingham is reason enough for her to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Vulcans.

"So many people say they care about things or say they want to make a difference, but there's a lot of difference between saying you care and actually making that difference," Jackson said. "Cameron has truly, truly made a difference and it's been on so many fronts. Our community would be a lot less bright without Cameron Vowell."

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Cameron!

[womensfundnewsroom]

Stories from Our Grantees

Erica’s Story

“Without this [childcare assistance] program, I would not be able to work in order to provide a secure and stable environment for my family.  It has allowed me the opportunity to save money.” 

Erica receives childcare assistance through Childcare Resources.  Childcare Resources assists women in job training or working towards a post-secondary degree by reducing their childcare expenses.  Erica recently moved to the Birmingham area with her 12 month old son.  Being in new city, she was unfamiliar with the childcare options available.  She called Childcare Resources for assistance in finding a program for her son and applied for financial assistance for the first time.   Her son is now 24 months old and enjoys interacting, playing and learning with his peers at the center.  

Brittany’s Story

“Owning a home will give my family stability. I will have a space to play with and teach my children new things.  It is such a pleasure to be a part of this [homeownership] program and to know that my daughters and I have a place to call our home. God has truly answered my prayers and I am indeed thankful.” 

Brittany is the owner of a Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham house.  Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates simple, affordable houses alongside our homeowner partner families through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials.  In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build even more Habitat houses.

Jessica’s Story

“You have been my own personal group of cheerleaders. I feel like everyone on your staff is on Team Jessica. You always call to check on me and ask if there is anything else that you can do to help me even though you have already gone above and beyond. It gives me great joy that many more men and women will be supported through higher education because of your presence in their lives. Between your organization and the many people who have decided to invest their lives into children, the early childhood field will continue to grow and give the next generation all of the tools they need to succeed.”

Jessica is a participant in Alabama Partnership for Children’s T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarship program.  This is a scholarship program that was developed to increase the level of education and effectiveness of early learning professionals by making the educational process more affordable, increasing wages, and reducing staff turnover rates.  All recipients will receive guaranteed wage increases from their employer (2%) after their first 9 credit hours are completed.

See what else our grantees have been up to this year.

DONATE TODAY

Some identities have been changed to respect the privacy of the program participants.  Photo of Jessica by BES Photos.  Photo of Erica by Parker Knight.

[womensfundnewsroom]

The Women's Fund wins 2014 Nonprofit Award from Birmingham Business Journal

Congratulations to all the finalists in this category: The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, and Magic Moments.   Click here to see the full list of finalists in all categories.

Pictured above: L-R: Emily Hess Levine, Board Member; Linda Friedman, Board Member; Wright Wiggins Rouse, Communications and Donor Relations Manager; Dianne Mooney, Board Chairwoman; Jeanne Jackson, President/CEO; Lisa Engel, Board Member; Hon. Agnes Chappell, Board Member