Grace Place, a nonprofit serving children and families in Southwest Florida, received a huge grant from the Women’s Foundation of Collier County in June.
The $210,000 gift will fund a new initiative for the nonprofit: the Middle School Career Discovery Academy. This new program is designed to introduce middle school girls to high-demand careers and job industries, then connect them with professional women in those fields and provide mentorship opportunities.
How does the Middle School Career Discovery Academy work?
Students will be focused on four career fields: manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and entrepreneurship. Learning about these fields before high school will give students critical industry knowlledge and durable skills that are needed in any career. The goal is to empower girls to see themselves in well-paying and essential fields and to give them the confidence to succeed.
The Middle School Career Discovery Academies are expected to launch in the fall. The initiative will be developed in collaboration with community partners and industry professionals.
“This grant is a powerful investment in the potential of young girls in Golden Gate,” said Lara Fisher, CEO of Grace Place. “By opening doors to career paths they may have never considered—and connecting them with women who are thriving in those fields—this program will empower girls to envision bold futures and equip them with the confidence to pursue them.”
How did Grace Place receive the $210,000 grant?
The Women’s Foundation of Collier County awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. This year, Grace Place emerged victorious.
Grants are possible through donors who believe in the Women’s Foundation of Collier County and their ability to select recipients who present the most pressing needs of local women and girls.
About Grace Place for Children and Families
Grace Place is a nonprofit family literacy center that provides pathways out of poverty through education. More than 1,300 individuals are enrolled in Grace Place education programs every year.
The nonprofit offers several different programs for varying age groups, like its Bright Beginnings program for preschool children and parents, the School Age programs that provide afterschool, summer, and college access programming to K-12 youth, and the Adult Education program that offers English, literacy, citizenship, and computer literacy courses. Plus, the food pantry at Grace Place serves over 350 families every week.
Grace Place offers medical and mental health screenings, referrals, and financial literacy classes in Golden Gate as well.
They’re always looking for volunteers so if Grace Place sounds like a nonprofit that aligns with your personal morals or goals, find out more information at www.graceplacenaples.org.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples nonprofit Grace Place receives hefty grant to open a career center for local girls
Reporting by Kendall Little, Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
