Category: Arizona

Women’s Foundation Partners with YWCA Southern Arizona to Amplify Impact, Opportunity for Single Moms 
(Tucson, Ariz.) The Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona has announced a partnership with YWCA Southern Arizona to support the pathway to self-sufficiency for single moms.  

Started by WFSA in 2020, the Foundation has incubated the Pathways for Single Moms program which helps single mothers obtain a certificate in growing fields that pay sustainable wages. The program has recently received state funding to scale its work across Arizona in partnership with nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. 

In Arizona, there are nearly half a million full-time working women who lack a college degree, including over 70,000 single mothers. Among the five most commonly held occupations for single mothers of young children, none provide a median wage higher than $30,000. Without a path to further education, these mothers cannot increase their earning potential.  

“One of our priorities at WFSA is rebuilding the workforce with women in mind after COVID unraveled decades of economic progress. We’ve done this through legislation and the Pathways for Single Moms Program, designed to break the barriers preventing mothers from accessing higher-paying careers. The YWCA of Southern Arizona is a great partner as we establish the Pathways program permanently in the region,” said Emma Fryer, WFSA’s Chief Strategy Officer and Interim CEO. 

The Pathways for Single Moms Program employs a multi-pronged approach that fundamentally shifts the future of low-income families by providing access to a combination of educational and economic opportunities to equip mothers with the tools they need to become economically self-sufficient.  

Pathways provides wraparound support in a variety of areas that are common roadblocks prohibiting single moms from going to school, including tuition costs, equipment expenses, childcare, transportation, and navigating the enrollment process. Those accepted into the Pathways program will be awarded 100% paid tuition for a one-year certificate in technical education, as well as Quality-First/kindergarten-ready childcare. They will also receive a stipend to use towards living expenses, computer equipment, transportation, and more, as well as emergency funds. Participants will also receive ongoing coaching, planning and career services.   

Using a multi-generational framework, the program is focused on breaking the cycle of poverty for single mothers by supporting both the mom and her children as she pursues education in growing fields that pay sustainable wages. 

With a focus on women’s wellness, leadership, and economic justice, YWCA Southern Arizona is equipped to provide wrap-around supports including case management; access to free professional clothing and hygiene supplies; classes and coaching for participants interested in starting their own businesses; financial wellness, digital literacy, and career skills training; and wellness programs such as the Women’s Counseling Network, providing referrals to free counseling for women without insurance coverage.  

“At YWCA, we are excited to partner with the Women’s Foundation to continue Pathways for Single Moms in Southern Arizona, and grateful for their trust. We believe the Pathways program will be a crucial component of the work we will do this year to advance economic justice for our women, making measurable gains in livelihood for families who have been affected by the pandemic’s devastating impact on women in the workforce. We will work to ensure that this vital program remains equitable and reflects the diversity of our community, and we are looking forward to hosting the Pathways program at the YWCA,” said Magdalena Verdugo, YWCA Southern Arizona’s CEO.  

This successful program is preparing to expand into Central and Northern Arizona with the support of the Governor’s Office, members of the State Legislature, and nonprofit partners like YWCA supporting mothers on their paths to self-sufficiency. 

To enroll, applicants must fill out the online application form. Eligible candidates will be scheduled for a brief interview to learn of their career goals and barriers with a dedicated Pathways staff who will guide them throughout the onboarding process with Pima Community College and community partners. 

Pathways for Single Moms is now enrolling participants for the fall semester. More information can be found at womengiving.org/pathways. 

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About the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona 

The Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona (previously the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona) innovates to create social, political, and economic change that achieves equity for women and girls of all identities through its integrated framework of research, advocacy, grantmaking, and leadership development. To learn more, visit womengiving.org.   

About YWCA Southern Arizona 

YWCA Southern Arizona has served Tucson since 1917 with a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We believe the success of our communities depends on upholding equality, inclusion, and opportunity as fundamental values. YWCA provides integrated and bilingual community, leadership, and economic development programs, including workforce, family wellness, and social services that promote multi-generational solutions to end poverty and violence. Our overall goal is creation of sustainable, effective, and efficient means to place women and families more firmly and equitably in control of their futures. 

(posted by Entertainment Magazine)

TUCSON, Ariz. (March 31, 2021) — Social Venture Partners (SVP) Tucson celebrates a record-breaking 6th Annual Fast Pitch event. Through a historical level of ticket sales and donations received, SVP Tucson was able to gift a record $105,000 of on-stage awards to local nonprofit organizations serving the greatest need here in Tucson. During the event, the community showed up to show their support with $59,762 in donations. To top it off, the Connie Hillman Family Foundation matched an additional $50,000, making this year’s impact into the nonprofit community a grand total of $214,762. 

“This year’s Fast Pitch event was record-breaking and historical in every way,” said Ciara Garcia, CEO at SVP Tucson. “We absolutely could not have done this without our community partners, and we hope they understand the magnitude of their support to these nonprofits,” Garcia said.  

Through these partnerships, SVP Tucson was able to triple resources going to local nonprofits in the Fast Pitch program and featured the highest number of on-stage participants in SVP Tucson’s Fast Pitch history.  

Fast Pitch 2021 is focused on nonprofits that support people experiencing adversity due to COVID-19, serve historically marginalized and under-resourced communities, and who actively work to promote social justice, including racial and gender justice. The 10 participating nonprofits are: Boys to Men, JobPath, Make Way for Books, Therapeutic Riding of Tucson, Sunnyside Foundation, YWCA of Southern Arizona, TMM Family Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Native Music Coalition, and Second Chance Tucson.   

Fast Pitch is an 18-week long training program designed to help nonprofits build meaningful relationships, gain resources, and become more resilient. The centerpiece event took place on March 11, 2021 with Arizona Illustrated Host, Tom McNamara, as the emcee. Fast Pitch participants will continue to receive training and support for weeks to come.  

The event was live streamed from Tech Parks Arizona and featured a special message from Associate Vice President, Carol Stewart, who challenged the Tucson business community to match UA Tech Park’s $1,000 donation to Fast Pitch.  

“I see so much potential in this arena. To come together, unite forces and accelerate the impact,” said Stewart. “We need to work together to create innovation solutions to the challenges we face as a community, and this Fast Pitch class represents those solutions,” Stewart said.  

For more information about SVP Tucson and the Fast Pitch program, visit www.svptucson.org.