For the second year in a row, the Women’s Fund of Omaha has awarded more than $10 million in grants to local organizations working to improve the lives of women and girls. The announcement of grant winners was made during the Lead The Change annual event.
“As the only foundation providing grants exclusively to programs for women and girls, we are committed to these investments because when we provide access, we come a little closer to realizing our vision of a community where every woman and girl has the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Michelle Zych, Women’s Fund executive director.
In the fifth year of the Adolescent Health Project, more than $3.5 million will be invested to continue to provide access to free STD testing and treatment and free condoms as well as promote comprehensive sexual health education throughout the community. The following organizations have been awarded grants to support their STD-related programs:
- Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.
- Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
- Douglas County Health Department
- Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP)
- Nebraska Medicine Girls Inc. Health Center
- Nebraska Medicine – Immediate Care Clinics
- Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc. (NUIHC)
- North Omaha Area Health, Inc. (NOAH)
- OneWorld Community Health Centers
- Planned Parenthood North Central States
- Pottawattamie County Public Health Department
- University of Nebraska Omaha
An additional $5.6 million has been invested across Nebraska to make all forms of birth control accessible to women 25 and under. Those grantees include:
- Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.
- Choice Family Health Care
- Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska
- Family Health Services
- Good Neighbor Community Health Center
- Mary Lanning Community Health Center
- Midtown Health Center
- OneWorld Community Health Centers
- People’s Family Health Services
- Planned Parenthood North Central States
- Three Rivers Public Health Department
- Western Community Health Services
“All women should have the opportunity to decide if, when and how to have a family. By helping to provide access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health resources, we are giving individuals in Nebraska that decision,” said Zych.
With an investment of more than $1 million, a cross-sector network of survivors, law enforcement, service providers and community stakeholders, coordinated by the Women’s Fund, are collaborating to expand training and education, increase responder support and capacity, and strengthen and expand services through a shared community of practice. To advance this work and create a community where women can live free from violence, the following organizations will receive grant funding:
- Immigrant Legal Center
- Magdalene Omaha
- Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
- Project Harmony
- Survivors Rising
- Women’s Center for Advancement (WCA)
- Youth Emergency Services (YES)
“Collaboration is necessary to create a community where women are free from violence,” said Meghan Malik, Women’s Fund trafficking project manager. “When we work together, we can support survivors and hold offenders accountable.”
In addition to the grant announcements, the event welcomed nearly 1,200 business and community leaders, and featured author and former political advisor Valerie Jarrett, who has dedicated her professional life to advocating for effective policies for women and working families. She continues her advocacy through her involvement with When We All Vote, a non-partisan organization working to change the culture of voting in our country.