Borchard Foundation, American River Bank and State Farm recently gave grants to Women’s Empowerment’s comprehensive job-readiness programs for women who are homeless. Borchard Foundation donated $12,500 and American River Bank and State Farm each donated $10,000.
“The work we do relies on community donations,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment. “It’s heartening to see these three organizations step forward with substantial gifts that will ensure more women can break the cycle of homelessness for themselves, their children and generations to come. We are extremely grateful to Borchard Foundation, American River Bank and State Farm for their generosity and care for the women and children in our community.”
In Women’s Empowerment’s initial nine-week program, women who are homeless receive free onsite child care in the group’s child development center and transportation assistance. Each woman works with a master’s level social worker to address her root causes of homelessness. She attends classes on job readiness, confidence building, health and empowerment, as well as support groups for domestic violence and substance abuse. Women then focus on job placement with their employment specialist and volunteer career mentor.
Women who have graduated from the nine-week program can enroll in the group’s graduate services at any point in their lives when they need assistance. Services include paid job training, vocational certifications, counseling with a social worker and employment specialist, access to a professional clothing closet, financial coaching and job retention services for employer and employee.
Women’s Empowerment was featured on NBC’s The TODAY Show in 2015 for offering the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically for women who are homeless and their children. The award-winning organization has graduated 1,411 homeless women and their thousands of children since 2001. Last year, 92 percent of graduates found homes, and 81 percent found jobs or enrolled in school or training. The program combines self-esteem courses, job training, health classes and support services to help homeless women across diverse ages, races and cultures. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and receives no government funding except for in-kind rent from the County of Sacramento. To make a donation: www.womens-empowerment.org.