Girls Incorporated
Girls Incorporated ( Girls Inc) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the empowerment of girls. The organization has been dedicated to the welfare of girls for over sixty five years and continues to grow strong.
Girls Inc with the help of local networks and organizations in the United States and Canada serves as an inspiration for girls. It helps them to be bold, smart and mentally strong. Today, the Girls Inc has a network community of almost one million girls.
The National Resource Center (NRC) of the Girls Inc comprehends the changes in a community, then conducts research on various factors that girls need to adapt. The organization then develops programs and workshops that teach, train and guide the girls through this transition without losing their values, confidence and potential.
Almost every aspect related to girls whether it is from education to social topics like drugs, pregnancy, abuse, health, etc. Girls Inc has taken the initiative to bring in awareness, guidance and be the friend-in-need to girls. The objective of each initiative is to prepare the girls physically, mentally and emotionally to face challenges with a positive attitude and strength to survive.
The majority of Girls Inc program centers are located in low-income areas. These programs provide various services to girls through training and awareness programs at an average of about thirty hours a week. Apart from this, Girls Inc programs can be found in schools, community centers and even churches.
Girls Inc runs on funds from the public support - corporate, government sector and many individuals. The revenue donated by the public support accounts to more than 75 percent of the total income of the organization. The rest comes in through fees, affiliate dues, interest and dividends. A total of 75 percent of the revenue earned directly goes to the service oriented support programs for the girls. The governing body of the Girls Inc comprises of eminent personalities all with the unified objective to inspire girls.
Purpose
The Girls Incorporated (Girls Inc) was informally formed over 145 years ago. Its sole objective was to focus on the young ladies in the society as they held the key to the future.
The early Girls Inc affiliates did provide programs that addressed the needs of the young ladies by providing them a comfortable and warm atmosphere where they felt free, at home and even respected. Along with this, awareness programs that groomed these girls to be prepared for the future also began.
When the Girls Incorporated became a formal association in 1945, the same objective that is, to support the girls continued. The only difference was the environment of recreation added the educative factors (literacy, cooking, sewing, etc) into it. This was done mainly to prepare these young ladies as wives and homemakers. In order to motivate the girls, the "Homemaker of the Year" award was introduced in 1952 and the Handbook of Charm was published.
The original statement of "Purpose of the Girls Incorporated" was written in 1937. The purpose stated that the little girls of the day would grow up to become the home makers of tomorrow and mothers of citizens of the next generation. Opportunities given to them in the form of cultural background would serve in building healthy minds for training in home craft and basic knowledge of motherhood and thereby set a standard for the future.
Each of the programs that have been developed by or developed with the participation of the Girls Inc has this purpose silver-lined into it. Looking over the years, it can be seen that the Girls Inc have continued to follow this purpose dedicatedly. The programs have evolved over a period of time, however the needs of the girls and the needs of the country, the basic objective still remains and will continue to remain the same.
History
Girls Incorporated (Girls Inc) has been rendering its services to support the 'rights of girls' officially for over 65 years and over 145 years considering its roots. The history of the Girls Inc dates back to New England, during 1864. It was during this time that the industrial revolution was drawing in a lot of migrant settlers (men, women and children) to the region in search of work in the newly setup factories and textile mills.
A small recreational association was formed in Waterbury, Connecticut that provided a home like atmosphere and programs for young working women and ladies. This was the first Girls Inc. affiliate. After this, many other affiliates providing the same kind of facilities sprouted in various American cities.
During the depression that followed the industrial revolution, the Girls Inc proved to be a boon to the young ladies, by providing a warm positive atmosphere where the girls could forget their woes. The association gained popularity with its plays and social activities.
In the mid-1930s, Dora Dodge (executive director, Worcester affiliate) released a magazine that brought to light the growing need to pay attention to the girls in the rapidly growing and densely populated cities of America. It was on May 18, 1945, in Springfield that nineteen representatives of organizations focusing on the difficulties of women met and formed the Girls Club of America.
This was the first official formation of the Girls Incorporated. The headquarters of the Girls Inc was the guestroom of founding President Rachel Harris Johnson of Worcester. The early programs focused on preparing young ladies to become home makers.
Over the years that Girls Inc developed programs that focused on the changing needs of the girls during various times. The objective though still remains the same as it was in the olden days - inspire and support the girls. Today, Girls Inc is renowned world-wide for its etiquettes and programs to support the girl child.
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