The Women’s Fund of Omaha awarded more than $10.5 million in grants to local organizations working to improve the lives of women and girls in our community. The announcement of grant winners was made during the Lead The Change annual event today.
“When you invest in women and girls, you invest in the entire community,” said Michelle Zych, Women’s Fund of Omaha executive director. “As the only foundation providing grants exclusively to programs for women and girls, we are dedicated to identifying issues and creating change that will make an impact on their lives.”
In the fourth year of the Adolescent Health Project, more than $3.7 million will be invested throughout the year to increase the availability of free STD testing and treatment, free condoms, and sexual health education and outreach. The following organizations have been awarded grants to support their STD-related programs:
- Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.
- Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
- Douglas County Health Department
- Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP)
- Nebraska Medical Center Clinic at Girls, Inc.
- Nebraska Medical Center – Immediate Care Clinics
- Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc. (NUIHC)
- North Omaha Area Health, Inc. (NOAH)
- OneWorld Community Health Centers
- Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
An additional $5.6 million has been invested across Nebraska to make all forms of birth control accessible to women 25 and under. Those grantees include:
- Charles Drew Health Center
- Choice Family Health Care
- Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska
- Family Health Services
- Good Neighbor Community Health Center
- Mary Lanning Community Health Center
- Midtown Health Center
- Nebraska Medical Center Clinic at Girls, Inc.
- OneWorld Community Health Centers
- People’s Family Health Services
- Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
- Three Rivers Public Health Department
- Western Community Health Resources
“Barrier-free access is essential to improving adolescent health. Having access to sexual health resources and education is directly connected to economic justice, leadership opportunities and healthy relationships,” said Brenda Council, Women’s Fund of Omaha adolescent health project manager.
In bringing together a cross-sector network of survivors, law enforcement, service providers and community stakeholders, the Women’s Fund is committed to advancing the ultimate goal of decreasing sex trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault. With an investment of more than $1.3 million, a network of organizations will aim to expand training and education, increase responder support and capacity, strengthen and expand services and ultimately develop a community of practice for shared learning and meaningful use of data. To advance this work, the following organizations will receive funding from the Women’s Fund:
- Coalition on Human Trafficking
- Human Trafficking Initiative
- Immigrant Legal Center
- Magdalene Omaha
- Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers
- Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
- Project Harmony
- Survivors Rising
- Women’s Center for Advancement
- Youth Emergency Services
“Collaboration is essential in helping to create a community where women are free from violence,” said Meghan Malik, Women’s Fund of Omaha trafficking project manager. “Investing in an array of services for survivors, including housing, legal services and survivor leadership while also investing directly in service providers moves us toward a safer, more supportive community for all.”
In addition to announcing grant winners, the event welcomed nearly 1,500 business and community leaders and featured Olympic Gold Medalist Aly Raisman, the second most decorated American gymnast of all-time with six total Olympic medals. A leader on and off the floor, Raisman continues her advocacy for systematic changes within the sport of gymnastics and efforts to help to eradicate sexual abuse in youth sports.