FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2011
Contact: Debbie Rich
Tucson- Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona is part of the 2011 class of Deborah G. Carstens Grant Fund Recipients. The Deborah Carstens Grant Fund, managed by the Arizona Foundation for Women, supports organizations that motivate and empower women and girls to take responsibility for their economic lives by developing skills, building self-esteem and identifying challenges that impede their success. Jodi Liggett, Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Foundation for Women in her announcement stated, “we are absolutely thrilled to be able to contribute such as substantial amount in these difficult economic times to help these worthy organizations carry out their important work.”
Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona was awarded a $7,000 grant for Prevention Services for Children of Incarcerated Mothers. The funds will be used to help support the organization’s social justice work, including the programs Adelante Jovencitas and the recently formed Girl Scouts Beyond Bars. Girl Scouts Beyond Bars began in 2010 in partnership with the SouthernArizona Correctional Release Center, a women’s facility. This program works to achieve increased mother-daughter bond, self awareness, and leadership development. Mother-daughter troop meetings are held once a month at the correctional facility in addition to girl-only troop meetings that occurs outside. Through Adelante Jovencitas, Girls Moving Forward, GSSoAZ reaches girls in Pima County Juvenile Detention Center, those referred by the Community Justice Board, and those who are at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. Through weekly group sessions girls develop the ability to make healthy lifestyle choices, gain leadership skills, and engage in projects focusing on crime prevention, self esteem, community, and culture.
Debbie Rich, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona’s CEO, couldn’t be more excited by the news, “At Girl Scouts we work hard to ensure all girls, regardless of their background, have the Girl Scouting experience. With this award we can continue to expand our efforts and reach out to more girls. In doing so we can help girls at risk cope with difficult life situations and emerge from them as strong, wise and caring young women.”
About the Arizona Foundation for Women
AFW works to enhance the lives of women and children by investing in innovative solutions to society’s most critical challenges. The Foundation addresses three interrelated areas of strategic focus: Safety, Health, and Economic Security. For more information, please visit www.azfoundationforwomen.org
About Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts is the world’s preeminent leadership development organization dedicated to helping build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. GSSA serves over 14,000 girls in Southern Arizona and includes over 3,000 adult volunteers. Our goals are to provide a wide range of contemporary programs that reflect the unique needs and interests of all girls living in Southern Arizona, to empower girls to reach their full potential, and to give girls a voice in their community and in their own lives. For more information on Girl Scouting in Southern Arizona, please contact Debbie Rich, CEO, at drich@girlscoutssoaz.org, or at (520) 319-3168.
