July 6, 2015 – The Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund of the Lower Eastern Shore celebrated its fourth year of grant awards at a special reception hosted at the home of Jan and Jim Perdue in early June. The Women’s Fund awarded grants totaling $25,000 to deserving organizations in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.
The Women’s Fund is a permanent endowment fund created to address the unmet needs of women and/or girls on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. Since the Fund was established in October 2011, almost 200 local women have become founding members.
Pictured (top row, left to right) are: Lisa Wilgus, Shirley Grace Pregnancy Center; Karen Bell, Women’s Fund Committee Member; Rota Knott, Somerset County Local Management Board; Dawn Samis, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, Inc.; Lauren Williams, Worcester Youth and Family Services
Middle row, left to right: Erica Joseph, Community Foundation, Peggy Bradford, MAC, Inc.; Denise Eberspeaker, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, Inc.; Dr. Samantha Scott, Child & Family Foundation; and Lynne Peverley, Women’s Fund Committee Member
Front row, left to right): Jennifer Currie, Maryland Capital Enterprises; Stacey Weisner, Delmarva Discovery Center; Alishia Louis-Potter, Empower Women Ministeries; Rina Thaler, Art League of Ocean City, and Stephanie Willey, Women’s Fund Committee Member.
The following thirteen programs received Women’s Fund Grants for 2015:
Art League of Ocean City – to provide support for the 2016 “She Speaks” exhibit, which would coordinate with International Women’s Day and engage local nonprofit meeting the needs of local women and girls.
Child & Family Foundation – to provide support for programming designed to offer teenage girls safe and positive social activities that foster personal growth
Delmarva Discovery Center – in partnership with University of Maryland Extension, provide increased STEM programming to provide increased access and exposure for local girls
Empower Women Ministeries – to support the Life Purpose Navigation Program to help single women break the cycles of unhealthy relationships and to provide structured workforce development for women in transition
Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay – partnering with It Takes A Village in Crisfield, this program will provide six weeks of STEM programming for girls
MAC, Inc. – to support the Caregivers Resource Center that provides connections to comfort or aid family caregivers, their loved ones, and concerned professionals
MAC, Inc. – to provide support for the Healing Rose Garden that was inspired by breast cancer survivors and to provide a place of dignity, hope and healing for survivors
Maryland Capital Enterprises – to provide support for the Women’s Business Center that provides women entrepreneurs with assistance in starting or expanding local small businesses
Shirley Grace Pregnancy Center – to purchase additional educational and outreach materials to better serve their clients
Somerset County Local Management Board – in partnership with the Maryland State Police, provide additional support for women and girls who are victims of domestic violence
Somerset Wellness Center – to provide healthy nutrition workshops to local women as a complement to other self-management programs currently offered
Women Supporting Women – to provide additional outreach and education to women with the “Women and Breast Health” handbook
Worcester Youth and Family Counseling – to support the SAGES program, a two-year program that helps young girls who are experiencing difficulty or conflict in their homes or schools
For more information about The Women’s Fund, visit www.womensfundeasternshore.org or call 410-742-9911.
About the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore: Celebrating over 30 years of philanthropy, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) has been serving the needs of Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties granting more than $50 million. Through the generosity and vision of our donors, CFES awarded grants totaling more than $4.8 million in fiscal year 2014. CFES brings together donors and builds on community assets through scholarship grants, advocacy and leadership development. By focusing on people, organizations, neighborhoods and nonprofit capacity building, the Foundation addresses community needs in the areas of health, education, arts and culture, community development and the environment. For more information about the Community Foundation, please visit www.cfes.org for more information or call 410-742-9911
