At the May 17 finale to the Many Hands 2017-2018 grantmaking cycle, we heard inspiring presentations from our four finalist organizations: Communities in Schools of the Nation’s Capital, The Grassroot Project, Friends of Guest House, and Community Family Life Services.
We are excited to announce that Friends of Guest House was chosen to receive the $100,000 Many Hands grant!
Friends of Guest House provides structure, supervision, and support to women from the Commonwealth of Virginia who are reentering the community from incarceration. Its tiered three-year program includes housing, job training and counseling and since its founding in 1974, Friends of Guest House has helped more than 3,000 formerly incarcerated women and, by extension, their nearly 4,000 children. Without reentry support, 70% of ex-offenders nationwide reoffend within two years. Among Guest House graduates, fewer than 10% reoffend. Friends of Guest House will use the Many Hands grant to purchase the rental home where eight of its “aftercare” clients live, to insure it will not be sold out from under them. The women’s affordable monthly rent will support general operating costs at this home, freeing up funds to support housing for other Friends of Guest clients.
Our fundraising was so successful that we also awarded each of the three finalist organizations $40,500.
$40,500 Education Grant:
Communities in Schools Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C.
Communities in Schools of the Nation’s Capital works to help students in resource-challenged communities stay in school, graduate and succeed in life. CIS site coordinators bring community resources and partners into the schools to address student needs and remove barriers to success. This includes everything from providing school uniforms and transportation to addressing challenging social and emotional issues. This year CIS is supporting over 5,000 students in twelve DC Public Schools.
$40,500 Health Grant:
The Grassroot Project/Athletes for Social Justice, Washington D.C.
The Grassroot Project recruits and trains NCAA Division 1 student-athletes to provide innovative, sports-based health education in DC schools. Since 2009, as part of a city-wide effort to reduce HIV infections, decrease HIV stigma, and increase access and adherence to HIV treatment, TGP athletes have provided more than 50,000 hours of health education to teenagers at 63 DC schools.
$40,500 Job Readiness Grant:
Community Family Life Services, Washington D.C.
CFLS provides women returning from prison or jail with both short-term crisis assistance and a broader range of supports designed to help them change their lives over the long term. CFLS uses intensive case management, workforce development programming, peer mentorship, housing assistance and health services to help formerly incarcerated women get jobs, to increase criminal justice compliance, and improve their quality of life.
Thank you again for your continued support of Many Hands.
