WEST HARTFORD, CT -- The Aurora Women and Girls Foundation has announced it will award grants in 2018 totaling $110,000 to (5) organizations in Greater Hartford; Asnuntuck Community College, Goodwin College, Grace Academy, Manchester Community College and the YWCA Hartford Region. Funds will support each organization’s programmatic work on women’s college success, the Aurora Foundation’s current strategic focus for women and girls in Greater Hartford.
Programs being funded are:
- Asnuntuck Community College’s (ACC) program “Launch Your Leadership Journey,” a tuition-free leadership development program for ACC female students which empowers participants and leads them on a path to becoming future leaders and grant funding will allow for the expansion of the program to Tunxis Community College;
- Goodwin College’s “WISE” (Women Investing in Securing an Education) program providing proactive academic advising, financial aid and tailored student services for young women at risk for dropping out of college;
- Grace Academy’s “Pathways to College” program which will support Grace Academy graduates enrolling in college specifically addressing key predictors of college success including attendance, academic achievement, social emotional health, financial literacy, networking, summer jobs and internships;
- Manchester Community College’s “WiSTEM” (Women in STEM) program serving young women interested in pursuing STEM degrees and careers and preparing them for the rigors of college-level science and; and
- YWCA Hartford Region’s “YW Career Women” program providing comprehensive services to assist women attending Capital Community College with obtaining a college degree and a career in the field of healthcare.
The Aurora Foundation’s research, exhibited in the Aurora Report, reveals that a woman who attains a Bachelor’s degree earns about $50,000 a year, while a woman with a high school diploma earns almost half as much. In Hartford County, only 22% of all women, 15% of African American women and 10% of Latinas get Bachelor’s degrees. Aurora’s goal is to empower more women to complete their college education, therefore enabling them to better their lives and those of their families.
“This generous award from the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation will strengthen our current program at Asnuntuck Community College and expand it to Tunxis Community College, benefitting female students by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to become leaders on campus, in their communities and in their families,” said Eileen Peltier, Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at ACC and Tunxis Community College.
The mission of the Aurora Foundation is to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of women and girls in Greater Hartford. The organization is viewed as the leading voice for women and girls in greater Hartford as it conducts research, imparts knowledge and convenes the community around issues facing females in the region to promote understanding, collaboration and effective solutions. The Foundation educates and engages women and men in the power of philanthropy to improve social and economic outcomes and conducts targeted grant making, addressing key challenges that significantly impact women and girls in Greater Hartford. To date, the Aurora Foundation has granted more than 650,000 to serve over 4,200 women and girls in the Greater Hartford region.
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Contact:
Laurie Robillard
Program Coordinator
Aurora Women and Girls Foundation
860-881-4926
Laurie@aurorafoundation.org
Website: www.aurorafoundation.org