The Women's Fund Awards $15,000 Grant

Wooster, Ohio: The Women’s Fund has made its first grant, while continuing on the path to a fully-funded endowment. Wayne County Common Good was awarded the $15,000 grant to develop an economic empowerment program for women throughout Wayne County, Ohio. The award was made possible through the generosity of The J.M. Smucker Company, which has provided a matching challenge for gifts to the endowment; The Noble Foundation, which contributed the first $15,000 grant; and members of our community who have made gifts and pledges to The Women’s Fund.

The Wayne County Common Good is a network of 13 community organizations and educational entities. Established in 1995, the Common Good works to reduce barriers to employment for unemployed or underemployed clients. The services provided by member organizations include mental health and addiction services, basic education and literacy, employment and training services, and technical skills development.

The new grant funded program will provide specific workshops, addressing the most common barriers to women. Participants will complete a skills assessment, voluntarily participate in drug and alcohol screenings, and enter into a job search or workplace readiness program through one of the Common Good partner agencies. It will serve as an educational experience for the women referred into the program. Participants will conclude the program with a “Job Readiness Certificate” and be launched to priority placement focus at the Wayne County Job Expo. Transportation, childcare, and certification testing will be provided as needed.

“We based the program on a belief that having a good job is fundamental to economic empowerment for women,” stated Robert Smedley, deputy director of the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties. Smedley, who also serves as the Chair of the Wayne County Common Good, went on to say “a career development educational process provided by the combined membership of the Common Good will be an employment launch pad for the women participating in the program.”

All 13 organizations that make up the Common Good have a strong interest in the empowerment of the women involved with their programming, as well as developing a strong workforce in Wayne County.

The focus of the Women’s Fund, an affiliate of the Wayne County Community Foundation, is to create opportunities for women to participate in programs that will help to develop their full potential, and to change their lives for the better.

“The Women’s Fund Advisory Committee has worked hard to put The Women’s Fund in action in Wayne County,” says Sara Patton, Executive Director of the Wayne County Community Foundation. “We had a number of excellent proposals to choose from and the Committee did a great job with the grant review process. The Women’s Fund is especially interested in collaborative approaches to problem-solving. Common Good’s proposal hit the nail on the head. We’re looking forward to seeing the program evolve.”

The Women’s Fund is overseen by a 20-woman Advisory Committee. Members of the committee invite and review grant proposals, work with service agencies, and recommend grants to the Wayne County Community Foundation each year.

Individuals and businesses can now donate to The Women’s Fund through the Wayne County Community Foundation. Since 1978, the Wayne County Community Foundation has worked to strengthen the community we all share. It is a nonprofit charitable community organization. Since inception, WCCF has awarded over $53 million in grants and scholarships back into the community. For more information about the Women’s Fund or the Wayne County Community Foundation call 330.262.3877 or visit www.WayneCountyCommunityFoundation.org.