GrassROOTS Community Foundation (GCF) is a training organization with an emphasis on public health and social action. We invest in our community members’ collective well-being, and teach them how to use their healthy energy to transform themselves, their families and communities. We support, develop and tailor wellness programs for women and girls, particularly those who grew up in economic distress. We also advocate for policies and practices that reduce racial and gender disparities and foster equity.
What We Do
Engage and unite for community health.
Fund and provide technical support to community health initiatives.
Develop models that are low-cost, high-impact, evidence driven and context specific.
Work with girls, their families and community members to create health solutions.
Investigate and collect data to inform policy and practice.
Advocate for health programs and policies that benefit women and girls.
Health Connections
Our initiatives and programs are organized around four intersecting and overlapping areas of wellness:
Physical Health, Mental Health, Sexual Health, Economics of Health.
Click on Our Curriculum tab below to learn more.
Maat Principles
Our mission is to create a world where all girls grow up to be healthy women. We believe in the adage, “if you don’t have your health you don’t have anything”. We recognize that obesity and physical inactivity are major health crises that lower individuals’ quality of life and reduce their human development. This is particularly true for impoverished women and girls of all races who are at the highest risk for poor physical, mental and sexual health. Our work addresses behavioral, social and environmental determinants of health. We are committed to providing the resources and opportunities for women and girls to make health a priority so they can affect changes in themselves, their family and community.
We believe that good intentions must be coupled with the information and financial resources to make real and sustainable change in people’s lives. We provide seed funding for community-based organizations, programs and initiatives that serve women and girls because they have significant potential for creating sustainable change. We support program, initiatives and organizations that (1) are closely tied to neighborhoods, (2) are located in the same neighborhoods as the people they serve, and (3) have firsthand knowledge of community issues, and a personal stake in community level improvement.
Funding from our concert series, grants and the public allows us to provide health programs, workshops, financial and research support to community-based organizations (CBOs) offering educational and recreational health services to disadvantaged women and girls.
Our work focuses on ten cities in the US where women and girls experience high incidences of poverty, crime, obesity, breast cancer, suicide and HIV/AIDS. These are Augusta, GA; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA; Oklahoma City, OK; Birmingham, AL; Philadelphia, PA; Greensboro, NC; Jackson, MI and Newark, NJ.
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Our voluntary leadership team is comprised of talented individuals who work in fields of physical health, research, education, entertainment, nutrition, art, music, mental health, and many more. This team of activists is committed to contributing to health equity. For job openings and internships, please click here.
