At Hugger Mugger Yoga Products we are excited to partner with Girls Inc. for the next three months through our non-profit program. Through September 30th, we will donate a percentage of our net profits to this vital organization.
Women’s empowerment may seem like a new phenomenon. But in reality, at least in America, the seeds of this movement were planted as far back as 1864. Girls Inc., originally known as Girls Clubs of America, formed to serve girls and young women who were experiencing upheaval in the aftermath of the Civil War. Girls Clubs of America aimed to create a safe gathering place for girls to learn and to share in sisterhood.
What Girls Inc. Does
The network of local Girls Inc. nonprofit organizations serves girls ages 5 to 18 at more than 1,500 sites in 350 cities across the United States and Canada. They deliver programming in three areas:
- Healthy Living: This includes managing reproductive health, developing healthy relationships and forming sound body image.
- Academic Enrichment and Support: Support for academic performance; high school graduation and post-secondary education; and goal setting in the areas of personal life, education and career.
- Life Skills: Support girls to use their own voices and advocate for others, become resilient and increase grit. Life Skills support also helps girls develop an ability to regulate emotion.
How the Program Works
The organization partners with schools to provide before-, during- and after-school programming. Girls can attend a Girls Inc.-facilitated health class during the day. Or they can come to a Girls Inc.-designated safe, girls-only space after school. After-school programs expand their access to STEM education, improve literary skills, develop healthy relationships, get on track to graduate, and prepare for college and future careers.
In addition to partnering with schools, local organizations often work with other community and like-minded partners. They aim to provide girls with as many opportunities as possible to support growth and learning. Corporate and cause-related partnerships also provide mentorship programs.
The Girls Inc. experience consists of three facets:
- People: Strong and lasting relationships with Girls Inc. facilitators are at the core of the organization’s work. Mentors are trained youth-development professionals who develop lasting mentoring relationships with the girls they serve.
- Environment: The environment is a safe, all-girl, pro-girl space at school or in a Girls Inc. center where there is a sisterhood of support.
- Programming: Programming includes research-based, hands-on, minds-on activities to help girls become healthy, educated and independent.
For more information on the organization, and how you can get involved, visit girlsinc.org.