Women's & Girls' Fund
- Fiona Lytle
- Apr 30, 2015
- 2 min read
Vision Committee and Research Committee Member
WE transform the lives of women and girls in Kern County by mobilizing the power and passion of women working together.
Women Educate to create awareness of women's and girls' needs unmet by current strategies.
Women Endow a permanent fund whose annual yield supports programs benefitting women and girls throughout Kern County.
Women Empower one another and our girls to become philanthropists and advocates of positive social change.
The Women's and Girls' Fund is primarily a volunteer effort supported by Kern Community Foundation and guided by the leadership of the Vision Committee and Community Advisors.
OUR STORY
In 2004, a dozen Bakersfield women brainstormed about how to raise the quality of life for girls and women in Kern County. They knew that local needs were numerous: low educational attainment, poor health statistics, high rate of teen pregnancy, and more. They also knew that local women could be generous and motivated to help.
In early 2005, the dozen volunteers – now calling themselves the Vision Committee – invited 50 friends for lunch and conversation about the growing phenomenon of women’s philanthropy. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Within a month, the Women’s and Girls’ Fund at Kern Community Foundation was opened with $40,000.
Today, as we celebrate our 10 year Anniversary, 500+ donors, including ten giving circles, have built the Women’s and Girls’ Fund endowment to $1 million! And, with today’s announcements, total grants since 2008 will reach $200,000. But the story doesn’t end here.
The “Building to a Million” campaign has been achieved, and we move into the next decade with an even higher goal to obtain. As our community needs continue to grow, so will our endeavors in grant making.
OUR RESEARCH
The 2015 Report on the Status of Women and Girls in Kern County offers a look at how Kern’s females are faring in key areas vital to their well being. This report is a compilation of current research on issues and trends that impact the lives of the nearly 425,000 women and girls who live within the County.
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