Girls Group Celebrates 20 Years of Empowering Young Women: Annual Fundraiser Scheduled

The Girls Group is set to commemorate two decades of dedication to empowering young women to achieve emotional and economic self-sufficiency. This illustrious occasion will be marked with their annual fundraiser on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 10 am to 12 pm. The event will take place at the Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building, located at 4800 E. Huron River Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

Founded in 2003, Girls Group began as a modest middle school program serving just nine students. Today, the organization boasts a track record of over 260 high school graduates and 80 college degrees earned, with the numbers still climbing. Notably, 100% of students actively engaged with Girls Group successfully graduate from high school.

With a mission rooted in changing the narrative on generational poverty, the group offers several programs to facilitate growth. These initiatives include:

• Starting relationships with girls as early as 6th grade and maintaining these bonds through college and into their careers.
• Facilitating 26 weekly in-school programs for middle and high school students, as well as supplementary programs for College & Career Prep, Weekends, Summer, and Family Engagement.
• Collaborative efforts with families and schools to ensure students remain in school, experience academic growth, and ultimately graduate.

Girls Group's impact is deeply felt in the community, having served over 800 participants in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti by 2022. The organization prides itself on its holistic approach, which addresses the root causes of poverty and inequity. They offer equal attention to academic readiness and social-emotional support, utilizing a strength-based, youth-driven curriculum.

The group's guiding principle is simple: "Every young woman should be empowered to write her greatest story." This means surmounting challenges from peers, family, schools, community, and society at large, ultimately owning their power and recognizing their boundless potential.

Supporters of the cause can donate in multiple ways:

• Text "girlsgroup" to 44321 for a secure donation link.
• Visit GirlsGroup.org to make a credit card donation. There's also an option to join the Grand Circles of Giving program for monthly donations.

The event promises to be both a celebration of the past and an inspiration for the future. Registration is exclusively available online at GirlsGroup.org, with virtual attendance options also provided. For any queries, interested parties can reach out via email at GirlsGroupAnnualFundraiser@gmail.com.

Photo 02: Girls Group on a tour of Washtenaw Community College. Photo: GirlsGroup.org