GT Awards $83,000 in Grants, Introduces New Category for Black-Led Non-Profits

At GT’s Annual Meeting on September 28, 2021, the members voted to award grants totaling $83,000 to five non-profits in Washington, DC and Montgomery County, MD. All the organizations selected for GT’s 2021 awards serve area women and children in need. The recipients in three categories are My Sister’s Place, ScholarCHIPS, the Safe Sisters Circle, Young Doctors DC and Mercy Health Clinic.

SINGLE YEAR THEMATIC GRANT—HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT

MY SISTER’S PLACE $25,000

My Sister’s Place is a DC-based non-profit serving families fleeing domestic violence by providing emergency shelter, transitional housing and a wide range of holistic supportive services, most of which are offered in-house. The grant is for general operating support. To learn more: www.mysistersplacedc.org

ACCELERATOR GRANTS FOR EMERGING BLACK-LED, BLACK-BENEFITING NON-PROFITS

In 2021, at the recommendation of GT’s Racial Equity Working Group, GT established a new accelerator grant program to strengthen and amplify the mission of promising small local non-profits led by, and benefiting, African American women and families. Three groups received unrestricted grants to further their work.

SCHOLARCHIPS $11,000

ScholarCHIPS is a DC-area non-profit that provides scholarships and mentoring support to children of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated parents. The GT grant will enable them to launch a mental health support program for ScholarCHIPS scholars on such topics as Grief, Resilience, Having an Incarcerated Parent, Navigating College and Mental Health. To learn more: www.scholarchipsfund.org

THE SAFE SISTERS CIRCLE $11,000

The Safe Sisters Circle is a DC-based non-profit providing culturally specific, trauma-informed, holistic services to Black female survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse drawn primarily from Washington DC Wards 7 and 8. The GT grant will support general operating costs including rent, transportation for clients, and staff development. To learn more: www.safesisterscircle.org

YOUNG DOCTORS DC $11,000

Young Doctors DC is a DC-based organization founded by medical professionals to establish a pipeline to the medical and health professions for high school-aged African American boys residing in DC Wards 7 and 8. The program is anchored by a residential summer academy, a school-year academy, a service-learning component and college tours. The GT grant will be used to support student stipends and college tour expenses. To learn more: www.youngdoctorsdc.org

MULTI-YEAR GRANT TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE TO VULNERABLE GROUPS

MERCY HEALTH CLINIC $25,000

Mercy Health Clinic is a Montgomery County, MD-based organization of largely volunteer doctors and nurses providing free health care to needy adults. In 2020, Mercy received a two-year, $50,000, GT grant to expand its medical and counseling services to young clients from low income and immigrant households. Expansion included, for the first time, adolescents ages 13-17, and the provision of more specialized services for clients ages 18-22, vulnerable groups that currently lack access to most health care systems. In year one of the grant, Mercy expanded client eligibility faster than proposed; the second year of funding will enable Mercy to continue expanding the number of clients served and types of services provided.