Lantern League: a Women’s Giving Circle

A variety of organizations received funding in 2023. In total, $68,700 was awarded: 
$40,000 in grant funding; $28,700 granted to Presentation High School.

Girls Garage - Design and Construction Program - $10,000

Girls Garage is a nonprofit design and construction school for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 9-18. Founded in 2013, Girls Garage is the first-ever design and building workshop for female, non-binary, trans, and gender-expansive youth. A diverse community of 200 students per year brings together their creative voices and puts their technical skills to work on real-world building projects that live in our community. Our all-female team has over 100 years of experience in architecture, engineering, trades, and public education and a 12-year track record of building community-based construction projects with teen girls and gender-expansive youth.

Next Door Solutions  - NDS Women’s Support Group $10,000

Domestic violence violates the human rights of women and girls, limiting their opportunities, full participation, and societal advancement. It is gender-based violence and requires specific efforts for women's equity, empowerment, and advancement. Over 2,600 adults and children annually receive intervention services through shelter, housing, legal advocacy, individual and group counseling, case management, therapy, and self-sufficiency services at NDS. These core services address the individual's intervention and prevention needs. Funds would allow NDS to provide services to 12 - 15 survivors, who will be women only.

Shine Together- San Jose Teen Success Program $10,000

Our mission is to create opportunities for economic mobility for two generations by helping young mothers advance their education, build life and career skills, and nurture their child’s positive development. Funding will support the San Jose Teen Success Program, which provides 60 young mothers in San Jose with the support needed to 1) complete high school and pursue a post-secondary degree or certification, and 2) develop the knowledge and skills to nurture their child’s positive development. Shine breaks the cycle of poverty for young parents by addressing gaps in educational achievement and parenting skills for young mothers.

San Francisco Safe House  - Transitional Housing Program - $5,000

To empower and support women who are experiencing housing instability and sexual exploitation or trafficking, by creating survivor-centered spaces, services, advocacy, and community education. We seek funding to help support our intensive case management program by providing educational and nutritional activities to 1) help our clients recover from the trauma of living on the streets and sexual exploitation by providing activities that teach healthy living and wellness and help them develop critical skills; and, 2) to provide educational opportunities by connecting clients to educational training and one-one-one case management to ensure their success. SafeHouse remains one of the only transitional housing programs in San Francisco dedicated to serving unhoused adult women who are survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, and sexual exploitation.

WomenSV - Teen Education Program- $5,000

The agency supports and educates an often-overlooked population: survivors involved with a powerful and sophisticated abuser who engages in coercive control, including emotional, financial, legal, and technological abuse and other more covert tactics to control, manipulate, threaten, isolate and ultimately entrap an intimate partner. Tonight we are asking for funding to help our advocate-educator complete a teen curriculum designed to teach teens early warning signs of controlling behavior, how to set boundaries, and what to do if they find those boundaries are being tested or violated. Packaging the content and distributing it online will mean extending our reach to young women around the world!

Presentation High School: $28,700 in grant funding

Funding will be used for scholarships and activity fees for girls who would otherwise not be able to afford tuition. Presentation delivers a well-rounded, faith-based experience including academic excellence, award-winning teams and clubs, and individualized support where all are welcome.