Women’s Empowerment has received $26,500 from U.S. Bank Foundation’s Community Possible program through a $1,500 sponsorship of its recent gala and a $25,000 grant to help homeless women in Sacramento find homes and jobs that support their families.
“U.S. Bank has been a longtime partner with Women’s Empowerment and we are grateful for their steadfast support that guarantees more Sacramento women facing homelessness will be able to find steady jobs and safe homes for their families ,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment.
Women’s Empowerment’s initial eight-week program for women who are homeless in Sacramento provides women with 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, attending classes on job-readiness, confidence and empowerment. She receives health services, focuses on job readiness with her employment specialist and volunteer career mentor, and learns financial literacy. When she graduates after eight weeks, she can access Women’s Empowerment’s graduate services at any point in her life, which include certifications, counseling, GED preparation, access to a professional clothing closet, financial literacy, and paid job training through the group’s Get A Job Kit Training and small business.
“Women’s Empowerment provides the most comprehensive solution in Sacramento for women and children who are homeless,” said Jessica Cook, district operations manager with U.S. Bank and a Women’s Empowerment board member. “At U.S. Bank, we believe all people deserve the opportunity to dream, believe and achieve, including having a stable job and a home to call your own. We are proud to have Women’s Empowerment as one of our Community Possible partners here in Sacramento.”
Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, Women’s Empowerment was recently featured on NBC’s TODAY Show and on CNN.com for offering the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically for women who are homeless and their children. The 2014 Organization of the Year has graduated 1,322 homeless women and their 3,000 children. Last year, 93 percent of graduates found homes and 83 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 solely through private donations from the community. To donate online: www.womens-empowerment.org.