The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) has joined six women’s foundations from across the country to help launch A Partnership for Women’s Prosperity. This platform will share best practices and find replicable solutions to systemic problems facing economically vulnerable women and children in communities nationwide.
To support this work, the Walmart Foundation has awarded grants totaling $3,350,000 to the members of the Partnership: The Washington Area Women’s Foundation, The New York Women’s Foundation, Women’s Fund of Mississippi, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and the Women’s Funding Network. Each received grants to support local programs and organizations that provide job training, employment, access to education and leadership development. In Memphis alone, the donation will help the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis reach an additional 430 women, serving over 16,000 women and children annually.
“This grant provides the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis with an opportunity to help change the lives of more women and children,” said Ruby Bright, WFGM Executive Director. “The Walmart Foundation joins our local and national corporations and foundations committed to our vision of dismantling poverty, improving our city, and encouraging women’s philanthropy and leadership. We look forward to sharing solutions and strategies and learning from our partnership members.”
The WFGM is dedicated to resource development and granting dollars to programs that enable women and their families to become economically stable. The $400,000 grant over two years from the Walmart Foundation will be re-granted to six local nonprofits that will help 430 chronically unemployed and underemployed women increase their earning ability, income and assets. These organizations will provide women with basic job skills training and job placement, education, and financial literacy. The result will be women working in new and better jobs, increasing their job security and improving their financial stability – ultimately lifting themselves and their children out of poverty.
“These dedicated partners are working on the ground community by community to help women expand their knowledge and build essential skills that will improve their lives,” said Sylvia Mathews Burwell, President of the Walmart Foundation. “We know that outside of work, women spend their time, money and energy caring for their families and communities, so investing in women today will help build a greater future for our nation.”
“We know there is a business case for investing in the future of women and children,” said Ms. Bright. “We are appreciative of all of our support, and we challenge other corporations, organizations and individuals to join our efforts to help economically vulnerable women in Memphis and nationwide break the cycle of poverty.”
