Thank you for helping us grow and expand. Your support has been vital. We know that investments take time to yield their outcomes, and we are grateful for your patience. These 13 years have been remarkable. We feel like we are just getting started. Below are some of the things that your investments made possible in 2023. Summer Study: Black Land Use and Food Supply: Ghana In the United States, land ownership, food production, and food access are…
Congratulations goes out to SuperGirls Marley Dias, Amina Anekwe and Tori Fergus. Eleven years ago, we started with five SuperGirls, three remained with the program for all ten years. Now they are off to college. Tori Fergus will attend Columbia University and major in Biology. Amina Anekwe will attend New York University and major in History. Marley Dias will attend Harvard College and major in Government. Thank you for investing in our girls. #SuperGirls
The same camp that trained SuperGirl Marley Dias, founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, is now accepting applicants. If you live in and around Essex County, New Jersey, you are eligible to apply for our SuperGirlsSociety (SGS) and our summer academy SuperCamp. SGS is a family-based yearlong leadership development program for girls of African descent and their caregiving circle. This sisterhood and service group provides training in African and African-American history, public speaking, mental, sexual and physical health as well as…
From New Jersey to Haiti, Jamaica and Ghana, GrassROOTS work has expanded beyond the United States. In June 2019, SuperGirl Olivia’s project and JetBlue brought us to Haiti to support orphaned youth and students. Additionally, we have amplified our efforts to increase educational opportunities for girls. GCF Team members made several trips to Jamaica and a seminal trip to Ghana. In collaboration with Uzima Dance Fitness in Newark, Her Flow Foundation in Jamaica and the Rotary of Accra-Airport…
In 2019, GrassROOTS members have provided over 50,000 sanitary napkins to 1000 girls in the US, Jamaica and Ghana—yet that is not enough. 1 in 4 girls will miss school each year because they do not have the supplies necessary to have a healthy period. These same girls are often recipients of free and reduced meals. In New Jersey, we have partnered with Uzima Dance Fitness to build a pantry at Central High School. On Giving Tuesday, GCF and…
#GreenRibbonWeek—a SuperGirl lead public health initiative aimed at supporting youth mental health—was a raging success. Throughout the week of September 14th, adults and youth showed their commitment to supporting positive mental health for youth. Adults at Mastercard and GlaxoSmithKline donned their green and posted online. Youth at Kelly Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and West Orange High School flooded the hallways with their green. West Orange High School and Central High School in Newark held yoga…
SuperGirl Amina is the girl ambassador for the #EndPeriodPoverty campaign. She traveled with the GCF team to Jamaica earlier this year and now she is traveling to Accra. With the support of the Rotary Club of Accra, Proctor and Gamble, Uzima Dance Fitness and Dr. Tiffenia Archie, Amina and the GCF board members Dr. Janice Johnson and Lisa Maxwell, they will deliver sanitary napkins to four schools across Ghana. In 2020, GCF will be forming year round pantries for girls.…
Girls in poverty will miss almost one third of a school year, simply because they are a girl. Thirty-seven states tax girls and women for period products. As early as age 9, the majority of girls will begin menstruation. This launch into womanhood constitutes many changes to their lives. For girls with meager and limited resources menstruation introduces new and more stressful financial burdens. The consequences of which can impede their educational achievements. The effects are compounded for those…
The work contributes. October 12-17 we continue the work to help #endperiodpoverty. SuperGirl Ambassador Amina Anekwe will lead this initiative. We will visit four schools and donate 2500 sanitary napkins. Each girl will get up to 3 months supply of resources including a book from SuperGirl Marley Dias’ #1000blackgirlbooks campaign. Mrs. Alberta Ekar made each of the 500 reusable bags for the girls. Also joining the trip is GrassROOTS President Dr. Janice Johnson Dias and…