Day 361: Deborah’s Place

Here we go! Back to my hometown, for donation on Day 361! Chicago is home to some really great organizations providing some integral services to our communities growth and well being. I have featured many of them along the way, but if I could I would feature them all. Day 361 goes out to Deborah’s Place, providing housing support for Chicago’s homeless women population.

Deborah’s Place is Chicago’s largest provider of supportive housing exclusively for women and is recognized as an innovative leader among homeless service providers locally and nationally. Since our founding in 1985, we have worked collaboratively with our participants, offered a range of high quality services and tried new approaches – putting Deborah’s Place at the forefront of agencies making a difference to those in need in Chicago.

Deborah’s Place breaks the cycle of homelessness for women in Chicago. Through a continuum of housing options, comprehensive support services and opportunities for change provided by dedicated volunteers and staff, women succeed in achieving their goals of stable housing, sustainable income and greater self-determination.

Amount Donated: $5

To support Deborah’s Place, please visit: http://www.deborahsplace.org

Check out their 25 for 25 firstgiving fundraiser and have your donation matched! http://www.firstgiving.com/deborahsplace

Day 234: The Initiative To Educate Afghan Women

Today’s give goes to an organization promoting the education of Afghan women to help build a brighter future in a country very much in transition. I am a strong supporter of education as a way to elevate your position in life, so this was a very easy choice for me. I believe everyone deserves the chance to pursue an education for as long as they are committed to learning and bettering themselves for a positive future.

The goal of The Initiative to Educate Afghan Women is to help educate the next generation of Afghan women and help build an intellectual future for Afghanistan by providing role models – in law, business, political science, education and computer technology – to the newly reorganized country.

The women who participate in the programs offered by the Initiative are required to return to Afghanistan each summer to help with the reconstruction efforts of their home and return permanently to Afghanistan after they graduate to help rebuild the country that they love.

Currently, there are 33 IEAW students studying at 15 universities and colleges across the United States. Additionally, 36 others have graduated and moved on to the workplace, making a total of 69 women whose lives have been changed by this program.

It is the hope that through this mission the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women will play an important role in a positive future for Afghanistan.

Amount Donated: $10

To support The Initiative To Educate Afghan Women, please visit: http://www.ieaw.org or visit Andrianne’s Crowdrise Project.

Day 66: Young Women’s Empowerment Project

Today’s give comes as a recommendation from a friend, The Young Women’s Empowerment Project provides leadership and support for girls/women involved in the sex trades, built on the belief that all women are priceless and deserving of the respect and guidance to be leaders in our community.

The Young Women’s Empowerment Project is a community based youth lead project that was founded in 2001 by a radical feminst and harm reduction based collective of women and girls involved in the sex trade and street economy and our allies.

They were created by women and girls who believe that any girl can be empowered and that all girls are priceless, creative, and smart and can be leaders in their communities.

YWEP offers girls involved in the sex trade and street economy ages 12-23 non-judgmental support, harm reduction information and resources and they even have job opportunities and paid volunteer positions.

They are not a social service agency. That means that they don’t do “Intakes” or find people housing, or take people to court, etc.

If a girl needs something they can’t provide, they make a referral to someone they trust who they think can help out. YWEP never shares information or ask for identification. In fact, they don’t allow social workers, lawyers or law enforcement in their offices.

Everything that they do is free of cost to girls. Their mission is to offer safe, respectful, free of judgment spaces for girls and young women impacted by the sex trade and street economies to recognize and develop their goals, dreams and desires. This work is personal because it is about their lives.

Amount Donated: $5

To support The Young Women’s Empowerment project, please visit: http://www.youarepriceless.org/