Girls, Inc.

Last updated
Girls Inc.
Formation1864;160 years ago (1864)
Type Non-Profit Organization
Location
Origins Waterbury, Connecticut
Area served
United States of America
Key people
Stephanie Hull, President & CEO [1]
Revenue
8.449 million USD
Website www.girlsinc.org
Formerly called
Girls Club of America

Girls Inc. (established in 1864) is an American nonprofit organization which encourages girls to be "Strong, Smart, and Bold" through direct service and advocacy. [2]

Contents

History

The Girls Inc. (Girls Club of America) movement was founded in 1864 in Waterbury, Connecticut. The organization's mission was to help young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of job opportunities, experiencing upheaval in the aftermath of the Civil War. [3] [4] In 1945, fourteen charter Girls Clubs joined together to form a national organization. [5] In 1990 the Girls Club of America changed their name to Girls Incorporated. [5]

Rachel Harris Johnson founded the organization. In 1919, she became secretary of the Worcester Girls Club, which her mother helped found. She later became the club's president and in 1945 formed a national organization and served as its first president until 1952. Johnson died at the age of 95 in a nursing home. [6]

Local affiliates

The Indianapolis office of Girls, Inc. of Greater Indiana in June 2022. Girls Inc. in Indianapolis - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch.jpg
The Indianapolis office of Girls, Inc. of Greater Indiana in June 2022.

The first Girls Club opened in 1864 and has been nationally recognized since 1945. Girls Inc. has a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada. Affiliates are found across the United States and Canada. [7] A local organization was recently launched in Chicago. [8]

Governance

Girls, Inc. is governed by a dual governance structure, composed of the National Council and the National Board.

The National Council, composed of 300 voting members, makes decisions concerning the purpose, goals, and public policies of the organization. They elect the National Board, the officers of the Council and the Board Development Committee. They also vote to amend the bylaws of the organization, which requires a two-thirds majority. The council meets every two years and at least 75 delegates must be present for the meeting to be called to order 45 days before each council meeting, the agenda and items to be voted upon are sent out.[ citation needed ] [9]

The National Board must have between twenty and forty members. The board includes five officers, eight regional representatives, and up to 27 members at-large. The President/CEO is considered a voting member of the board, which meets quarterly, with the spring meeting being the annual meeting. Eleven members in attendance constitute a quorum. The board functions in the same manner as an executive committee of a corporation. [9]

Advocacy

A statement by 16 women's rights organizations including Girls, Inc., the National Women's Law Center, the National Women's Political Caucus, Legal Momentum, End Rape on Campus, Equal Rights Advocates, the American Association of University Women, and the Women's Sports Foundation said that, "as organizations that fight every day for equal opportunities for all women and girls, we speak from experience and expertise when we say that nondiscrimination protections for transgender people—including women and girls who are transgender—are not at odds with women’s equality or well-being, but advance them" and that "we support laws and policies that protect transgender people from discrimination, including in participation in sports, and reject the suggestion that cisgender women and girls benefit from the exclusion of women and girls who happen to be transgender." [10]

Notable supporters

In September 2006, Warren Buffett auctioned his Lincoln Town Car to support Girls Inc. The vehicle sold for $73,200 on eBay. [11] In 2015, Warren Buffett auctioned his Cadillac to support Girls Inc., which sold for $122,500.00 on Proxibid.com. [12] [13]

In March 2017, Hillary Clinton was named as the "Champion for Girls" by Girls Inc. at their 2017 New York Luncheon. [14]

In February 2013 the DPR Foundation gave the Girls Inc. of Orange County a $30,000 check. The Girls Inc. organization admired the donation and explained how much of an impact it would make for further purchases. [15]

Partner companies and controversy

Girls Inc. often participate in efforts with partner companies that promote positive change for women, often through events such as raising money through charity sales or donating. Some of Girls Inc.’s partner companies include Dove, Cummins, [16] Freeform, Business Wire, Motorola Foundation, American Chemical Society, NPower, Adventures of the Mind, Nonprofit VOTE and Space Science Laboratory. [17]

A venture with the American Girl Dolls collection in 2005 generated controversy among fundamentalist Christians. The American Family Association urged its members to demand that American Girl halt support for Girls Inc., accusing it of being "a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian advocacy group." [18]

Programs

In 1970s, the organization developed a number of programs in six main areas: 1) careers and life planning, 2) health and sexuality, 3) leadership and community action, 4) sports and adventure, 5) self-reliance and life skills, and 6) culture and heritage. [19] As of 2019, it had the following programs:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren Buffett</span> American investor and philanthropist (born 1930)

Warren Edward Buffett is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist who currently serves as the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. As a result of his investment success, Buffett is one of the best-known investors in the world. As of June 2024, he had a net worth of $135 billion, making him the tenth-richest person in the world.

Li Lu is a Chinese-born American value investor, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Himalaya Capital Management. Prior to immigrating to America, he was one of the student leaders of the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests. In 2021, he also co-founded The Asian American Foundation and serves as its chairman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkshire Hathaway</span> American multinational conglomerate holding company

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1839 as a textile manufacturer, it transitioned into a major conglomerate starting in 1965 under the management of chairman and CEO Warren Buffett and vice chairman Charlie Munger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human Rights Campaign</span> LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGBTQ individuals, including advocating for same-sex marriage, anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation, and HIV/AIDS advocacy. The organization has a number of legislative initiatives as well as supporting resources for LGBTQ individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Association of University Women</span> Nonprofit organization

The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 members and supporters, 1,000 local branches, and 800 college and university partners. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C. AAUW's CEO is Gloria L. Blackwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna de Varona</span> American swimmer, Olympic champion, sport commentator

Donna de Varona Pinto is an American former swimmer, Olympic champion, activist, and television sportscaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Graham Buffett</span> American businessman (born 1954)

Howard Graham Buffett is an American businessman, former politician, philanthropist, photographer, farmer, and conservationist. He is the middle child of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. He is named after Howard Buffett, his grandfather, and Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett's favorite professor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's Sports Foundation</span>

The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit charity focused on female involvement in sports. Founded in 1974 by tennis player Billie Jean King and initially supported by Olympic athletes Donna de Varona and Suzy Chaffee, its stated mission statement is "To advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton Foundation</span> American non-profit organization

The Clinton Foundation is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was established by former president of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." Its offices are located in New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas.

The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) is a United States non-profit organization founded by Marcia Greenberger in 1972 and based in Washington, D.C. The Center advocates for women's rights and LGBTQ rights through litigation, policy, and culture change initiatives. It began when female administrative staff and law students at the Center for Law and Social Policy demanded that their pay be improved, that the center hire female lawyers, that they no longer be expected to serve coffee, and that the center create a women's program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terie Norelli</span> American politician

Terie Norelli is a Democratic former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, serving the Rockingham 16th District and later 26th District from 1996 through 2014. She served as Speaker of the House for six years, from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2014. When Republicans regained control of the New Hampshire House in 2010, she became the Democratic minority leader. Norelli was the first Democratic speaker of the New Hampshire House in 84 years. When the Democrats regained control of the New Hampshire House in 2012, she was elected to the role of speaker again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clayton Homes</span> American manufactured housing company

Clayton Homes is the largest builder of manufactured housing and modular homes in the United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Vital Voices Global Partnership is an American international, 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-governmental organization that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation, and human rights. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Susan Alice Buffett is an American philanthropist who is the daughter of Warren Buffett and Susan Thompson Buffett. Her charitable work has focused largely on the Sherwood Foundation, formerly known as the Susan A. Buffett Foundation, an organization in Omaha that provides grants in public education, human services and social justice in the interest of promoting the welfare of children from lower-income families. She is also on the boards of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, The Buffett Early Childhood Institute, and Girls, Inc. According to a 2010 interview with her brother Howard Graham Buffett, Buffett's philanthropic focus has consistently remained on children, education and family issues, but she has also committed to other causes, including The ONE Campaign, a non-governmental organization dedicated to various improvements in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Warren Buffett</span> American academic

Howard Warren Buffett is an American philanthropist, political consultant, political scientist, and writer. A grandson of the American businessman and investor Warren Buffett, he is an adjunct professor in public policy and international affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and was previously the executive director of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation that funds initiatives aimed at improving the standard of living and quality of life for the world’s most impoverished and marginalized populations. He previously led agriculture-based economic stabilization and redevelopment programs in Iraq and Afghanistan while at the United States Department of Defense, and as a policy advisor in the Executive Office of the President of the United States under President Barack Obama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Pritzker</span> American billionaire (born 1950)

Jennifer Natalya Pritzker is an American investor, philanthropist, and member of the Pritzker family. Pritzker retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard (ILARNG) in 2001, and was later made an honorary Illinois colonel. Founder of the Tawani Foundation in 1995, Tawani Enterprises in 1996, and the Pritzker Military Library in 2003, Pritzker has been involved with civic applications of inherited and accrued wealth, including significant donations to broaden understanding and support for "citizen soldiers."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equality Hawaii</span>

Equality Hawaii was a statewide political advocacy organization in Hawaii that advocated for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, including same-sex marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equality Act (United States)</span> Bill to prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the 117th Congress

The Equality Act was a bill in the United States Congress, that, if passed, would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. The Supreme Court's June 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County protects gay and transgender people in matters of employment, but not in other respects. The Bostock ruling also covered the Altitude Express and Harris Funeral Homes cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Newman</span> American politician (born 1964)

Marie Newman is an American politician and marketing consultant who served as the U.S. representative from Illinois's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. The district encompassed parts of southwestern Chicago as well as many of its nearby suburbs, such as Oak Lawn, Western Springs, and Lockport. Newman was elected to the United States House of Representatives as the Democratic nominee, after defeating incumbent Dan Lipinski in the 2020 primary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woman's National Democratic Club</span> American political organization

The Woman's National Democratic Club (WNDC) is a membership organization based in Washington, DC, that offers programs, events, and activities that encourage political action and civic engagement.

References

  1. ↑ Prest, M.J. (March 15, 2019). "Caterpillar Foundation and Girls Inc. Announce New Presidents (Transitions)". philanthropy.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  2. ↑ Peppler, Kylie, ed. (2017). "Girl's Programming". The SAGE Encyclopedia of Out-of-School Learning. SAGE Publications. p. 328. ISBN   978-1-4833-8521-1 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ Kimball, Gayle (2017). Brave: Young Women's Global Revolution. Vol. 2. Equality Press. p. 15. ISBN   978-0-938795-57-5 – via Google Books.
  4. ↑ Austin, Michael J., ed. (2013). Organizational Histories of Nonprofit Human Service Organizations. Routledge. p. 69. ISBN   978-0-415-62179-3 – via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 Johnston Nicholson, Heather; Maschino, Mary F. (2001). "Strong, Smart, and Bold Girls: The Girls Incorporated Approach to Education". Fordham Urban Law Journal . 29 (2). Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Rachel H. Johnson, 95; Founder of Girls Clubs". The New York Times . August 10, 1983. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Girls Inc.: USA and Canada | Girls Inc". www.girlsinc.org. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Newsviews: Girls Inc. coming to Chicago". ABC7 Chicago. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Girls Inc (October 5, 2017). "Governance Structure" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "Statement of Women's Rights and Gender Justice Organizations in Support of Full and Equal Access to Participation in Athletics for Transgender People" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-09-09. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  11. ↑ "Warren Buffett, used car salesman?". NBC News. February 13, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  12. ↑ Rosenfeld, Everett (February 9, 2015). "Want to drive like a billionaire? Here's how". CNBC. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ Valdez-Dapena, Peter (February 20, 2015). "Warren Buffett's Cadillac Sells for $122,500". CNN Money. CNN. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hillary Clinton Speaks at the Girls Inc. Luncheon". Fortune. March 8, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ Nosler, Peter. "$30,000 Check Presented to Girls Inc. by DPR Foundation". dpr construction. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Cummins, Inc. partners with Girls Inc. to accelerate gender equality". Girls Inc. April 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  17. ↑ "SMD Education :: Five Stars Pathway: Engaging Girls in Science through Multigenerational Mentors". smdepo.org. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  18. ↑ "Conservative Groups Threaten to Boycott a Hit Doll's Maker". Associated Press. October 16, 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2019– via The New York Times.
  19. ↑ Gouin, Rachel (2008). "Girl-Centered Programs". In Mitchell, Claudia; Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline (eds.). Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Greenwood Press. p. 318. ISBN   978-0-313-33909-7 – via Google Books.
  20. ↑ "National Scholar Heads to New York". Santa Barbara Independent . February 14, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Girls Inc. hires new director for Lincoln expansion". Lincoln Journal Star . February 1, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Girls Inc. Eureka!: STEM Career Development for Girls". Clinton Foundation. 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  23. ↑ Harry, Lou (February 8, 2019). "2019 Forty Under 40: Elyssa Campodonico-Barr". Indianapolis Business Journal . Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  24. ↑ Whitney, Lauren (December 21, 2018). "'Unique Experience': Eureka Program Gives Girls Training For STEM Careers". CBS4 Denver . Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  25. ↑ Axtell, Brooke Elise (August 22, 2011). "Breaking Free From Economic Abuse: How Women are Reclaiming Their Financial Freedom". Forbes . Retrieved April 2, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.