Girls, Inc.

Girls Inc.

Founded	1864
Type	Non-Profit Organization
Location	New York, New York
Origins	Waterbury, Connecticut
Area served	United States of America
Key people	Judy Vredenburgh, President & CEO
Revenue	8.449 million USD
Website	girlsinc.org

Girls Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that encourages all girls to be Strong, Smart, and Bold through direct service and advocacy. The incorporation equips girls the skills to navigate through economic, gender, and social barriers and to grow up as independent individuals.

Media literacy, economic literacy, adolescent health, violence prevention, and sports participation are also some of the educational topics the organization focuses on.

History

The Girls Inc. movement started in New England during the Industrial Revolution as a response to the needs of a new working class: young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of newly available job opportunities in textile mills and factories. It was founded in 1864 (over 153 years ago as of 2017) to serve girls and young women who were experiencing upheaval in the aftermath of the Civil War. Across the decades, they adapted to meet specific environmental challenges girls and young women faced, working in partnership with schools and communities.

Local Chapters

The first girls club opened in 1864 in Waterbury, Connecticut and has been nationally recognized since 1945. Girls Inc. has a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada. Chapters are available in all 50 states and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario. The majority of Girls Inc centers are found in low income areas. Their main mission is to help ALL girls have strength, intelligence, and independence throughout the troubles they face in their lives. The Girls Inc. club's goal is to empower girls to achieve and succeed in life. Girls Inc. has expanded to Chicago and soon will be heard all around the world for girls with young lives who want to succeed in their lives.

Governance

Girls Inc. is governed by a “dual governance structure,” which is made up of the National Council and the National Board. The president and CEO of Girls Inc. is Judy Vredenburgh. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management. Prior to joining Girls Inc. in 2010, Judy served as President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Senior Vice President of Revenue Development and Marketing at the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Judy brings more than 20 years corporate experience from the retail industry, including as CEO of Chess King, a $257 million division of the Melville Corporation.As a young woman, Judy wasn't encouraged to have a career because of the traditional life style she had at home. She has acknowledged in a previous interview that, "Of course, I was not the woman who was not going to pursue a career...I have a huge passion for economic independence, career achievement...for not having other girls go through that limitation and messaging that prevented me from doing what I was naturally good at." Judy aims to support high-school girls to do well in rigorous classes and to empower girls to continue to strive through adversities. She has strongly advocated for educational programs and has ensured that all girls obtain the equal opportunity towards their career.

National Council

The National Council generally makes decisions concerning the purpose, goals, and public policies of the organization. Generally there are almost 300 voting members, but rarely do even most of them come to the meeting. They also elect the National Board, the officers of the Council and the Board Development Committee. They also vote to amend the bylaws of the organization, which requires a two-thirds majority. The council meets every two years and at least 75 delegates must be present for the meeting to be called to order 45 days before each council meeting, the agenda and items to be voted upon are sent out.

National Board

The National Board must have at least twenty members but no more than forty. The board includes five officers, eight regional representatives, and up to 27 at-large board members. The President/CEO is a voting member on the board. It meets four times a year with the spring meeting being the annual meeting. Eleven members in attendance constitute a quorum. The board acts like the executive committee of a corporation. The board’s duties include:

• Ensure that the purpose, goals and public policies adopted by the council are carried out (the business plan)
• Fiscal oversight & financial planning
• Promoting public understanding of the organization and its purpose
• Appoint the President/CEO
• Ratify acceptance of member organizations
• Fill any vacancies on the board
• Approve appointments by the Chair of all Honorary Directors
• Recommend to council any changes in the regional structure
• Approve appointments by the Chair of all committee chairs.

Some of the current leaders of the organization include Bridgette P. Heller, a National Board Chair; Donna Brace Ogilvie, a National Board Honorary Chair; and Judy Vredenburgh, the President and CEO.

Notable Supporters

In September 2006, Warren Buffett auctioned his Lincoln Town Car to support Girls Inc. The vehicle sold for $73,200 on eBay. In 2015, Warren Buffett auctioned his Cadillac to support Girls Inc., which sold for $122,500.00 on Proxibid.com

In March 2017, Hillary Clinton was awarded as the "Champion for Girls" by Girls Inc. at their 2017 New York Luncheon. Girls Inc. has been partnering with various businesses, communities, and politicians to empower young women. "We are proud to consider ourselves a partner in that effort too." says handcraftedhoneybee.com. "That's why a portion of every Handcrafted HoneyBee purchase made this winter will be donated to Girls Inc." Decision Toolbox CEO Kim Shepherd has been a supporter of Girls Inc. of the Orange County for a long time. The Orange County Business Journal covered a recent fundraiser which featured both a photo and a quote from her. "I am particularly drawn to Girls Inc." Said Kim,"We have an incredible opportunity to fashion the direction of young girls in our community."

Senator Wilton Simpson was named pace center for Girls Inc. He was named legislator of the year. Pace is a non profit organization that believes in all girls to be able to achieve their goals. Pace center for Girls Inc. organization is a recognized nonprofit organization that serves middle school to high school girls. 3,000 girls are empowered to be strong smart and bold. There are 19 Girls Inc. centers across Florida which any girl has the access to to achieve and succeed. Senator Simpson improved the program by making all girls feel welcomed and is a safe environment. Girls Inc. believes for girls to feel empowered and strong.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren greatly appreciated the Girls Inc. Eureka program and said "Girls Inc. rocks." Sen. Elizabeth Warren talked about how she started from low beginnings and had low hope. Yet with the right help and opportunities she ended up in the White House. She wants girls to have a good future.

In February of 2013 the DPR Foundation gave the Girls Inc. of Orange County a $30,000 check. The Girls Inc. organization admired the donation and explained how much of an impact it would make for further purchases.

Partner Companies

Girls Inc. join in efforts with partner companies that help create positive change for women. The companies do this through selling jewelry to raise money or simply giving donations. Some of Girls Inc.’s partner companies include Dove, Freeform, Business Wire, Motorola Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Eileen Fisher, Clinton Global Initiative, Discovery Communications, Child Trend, National Center for Women & information technology, Society of women engineering, leadership 18, million women mentors, after school alliance, The coalition for juvenile justice, Mentor, The National campaign, Women & Girls Lead Globe, Legal Momentum, American Chemical Society, NPower, Adventures of the Mind, Nonprofit VOTE, Space Science Laboratory, AAUW Empowering Women

A venture with the American Girl Dolls collection in 2005 generated controversy among fundamentalist Christians.

National Scholars

Every year, Girls Inc. gives out a varying number of scholarships to young women in the organization through the Lucile Miller Wright Scholars Program. The program was created in 1992 when Lucile Miller Wright made a bequest from her estate to fund scholarships for young women. Since 1993, $3.3 million has been given to 413 high school women. These scholarships are open to eleventh and twelfth grade girls that are members of Girls Inc. Currently, the scholarships that are being given out range from $2500 to $15000. Today, Girls Inc. also helps girls find careers that interest them in the S.T.E.M field,(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Awards and Acknowledgements

Girls Inc. offers assistance for girls to earn scholarships. Girls inc. member, Ana Delgado, won a $20,000 scholarship in 2017, and is the most recent to do so. She is one of only nine women to earn this scholarship. Girls Inc. has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities.

Programs

• Eureka! Program
• Girls Inc. Economic Literacy
• Girls Inc. Friendly PEERsuasion
• Girls Inc. Leadership and Community Action
• Girls Inc. Media Literacy
• Girls Inc. Operation SMART
• Girls Inc. Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy
• Girls Inc. Project BOLD
• Girls Inc. Sporting Champs

External links

• Official site