October's Nonprofit Spotlight is Girls Group!

Girls Group empowers young women to achieve emotional and economic self-sufficiency by ensuring they graduate from high school and begin their college or career journeys.
– Programming spans middle school, high school, and continues through college and careers
– Participants are mentored by experienced staff and interns
– Year-round comprehensive programming focuses on academic readiness, social / emotional life skills, financial education, and community service.

The vision of Girls Group is to help economically disadvantaged young women achieve self-sufficiency. The ultimate ambition is that each young woman finds their voice, defines their goals and dreams, and moves forward in the world with pride and self- confidence. Girls Group serves 710 girls and young women who are generally economically disadvantaged and have the potential to become first-generation college students and graduates: 300 middle school students, 150 high school students, and 260 young women on their college and career journeys. These young women reside primarily in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.

Donate directly to Girls Group!


Details

Events to support Girls Group

Nurture the Next Generation - Girls Group 2022 Virtual Annual Fundraiser
November 5, 2022
10:00 am –10:25 am

Attend this exciting virtual fundraiser featuring a video spotlight of Girls Group participants attending MSU's 4-H Exploration Days, a video profile of a Girls Group alum extraordinaire, and updates on programming and finances, including continued expansion and a new program! Please consider donating or becoming a sponsor of this great event! The RNR Foundation is doing a $75,000 matching grant in support so your fund can go extra far in helping Girls Group succeed!

Zingerman's Mail Order Warehouse Shop Fundraiser Sale
October 7, 2022
9:00 am –10:00 pm

Come to Zingerman's Mail Order's Warehouse Shop at 710 Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor on October 7th! All of the sales that day from the in-person shop will be donated to Girls Group! The shop is open from 9am to 10pm and we ask that you follow all up to date COVID-19 safety guidelines and signage such as social distancing and mask wearing while in the space. Come down and get some great deals for a fantastic cause!


What resources does Girls Group provide

Girls Group serves 710 girls and young women who are generally economically disadvantaged and have the potential to become first-generation college students and graduates: 300 middle school students, 150 high school students, and 260 young women on their college and career journeys. These young women reside primarily in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.

Girls Group begins building a college mindset in 6th grade, and continues services throughout middle school, high school and college/career. They facilitate weekly programming within the schools and work closely with families. They “meet each participant where they are at” with year-round programming including weekly curriculum, field trips, college tours, and summer programming to build academic and social emotional skills.

Programming is designed to help young women develop into confident, empowered, healthy, and successful individuals. Programming activities are designed to teach problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership skills that are critical to navigating the challenges of growing up. Building on this foundation of belonging and life skills, participants set and reach goals, specifically graduating high school and getting to and through higher education. This path is the foundation for their vision: that all young women in our community will be emotionally and economically self-sufficient.

Girls Group accepts new participants year-round on their website at: https://www.girlsgroup.org/become-a-participant/

How to support Girls Group

Girls Group is dedicated to helping young women become economically and emotionally self-sufficient. Your support is greatly appreciated and needed so that they can continue their high quality programming and achieve results. Girls Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and your contribution is fully tax deductible to the extent of the law.

A one-time gift of:

$20,000 (Visionary) supports college and career journeys for Girls Group participants

$10,000 (Sustainer) supports leadership opportunities for Girls Group participants

$5,000 (Community Builder) supports the academic futures of the young women they serve

$2,500 (Champion) supports programming for Girls Group participants

$1,000 (Advocate) supports participants’ academic and emotional needs

$500 supports relationships with families

$250 provides support to students currently applying for college

$100 provides hope and counsel to the young women they serve

A donation of any level to Girls Group serves as your invitation to their 19th Annual Virtual Fundraiser on November 5, 2022 and can be made on their website here: https://www.girlsgroup.org/donate-now/ or by clicking the donate link above or below!

Girls Group does not accept clothing, food or toiletries at this time. If you are interested in making a donation of gift cards for the everyday needs of young women, they do accept gift cards for groceries, gas, school supplies, cleaning supplies, college dorm room furnishings, and more. You can also make a donation and let them know that you want to dedicate your donation specifically to providing gift cards for their participants.

How to volunteer with Girls Group

Girls Group is blessed to work with many committed community volunteers. Volunteer opportunities range from assisting with community events, to participating in large-scale community projects, to being a featured guest speaker at a Girls Group meeting.

Interested individuals are encouraged to email [email protected]

Why Zingerman's loves Girls Group

We love how much this group empowers the hundreds of young women and girls that utilize it. There was a particular young woman who used to work at our Zingerman's Bakeshop who was in their program and if Girls Group even had a slight hand in what made her so magnificent then they did the world a huge favor! It's crucial in these unpredictable and chaotic times that girls feel like they have support to become the wonderful adults they'd like to be - especially if they're coming from a tough background and might not have as many people in their lives who can give them that boost. We're proud we get to partner with this incredible organization and share the story about what they're doing for our community.

Donate directly to Girls Group!