Marlborough – Melissa Discolo, the MetroWest Women's Alliance Outreach chair, visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest's Marlborough Clubhouse Nov. 22 to hand-deliver a $2,000 mini-grant to fund the club's SMART Girls Program.
The MetroWest Women's Alliance is a collaborative initiative of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Tri-County. This grant is one of 15 mini-grants that the alliance has given to nonprofit organizations in the Metrowest area that host programs to engage, educate, and empower women and girls.
Members of the MetroWest Women's Alliance are proud to fund the Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest SMART Girls Program because it complements the alliance's mission. The program recognizes a particular time in girls” adolescence when they undergo a vital transition, thrusting them from childhood into puberty and, ultimately, adulthood.
The program serves Marlborough club female members ages 8 to 15, and offers age-appropriate curricula and activities. The 10-week offering covers such topics as puberty, self-esteem, body changes, teen pregnancy, diversity, communication and peer pressure. Participants are encouraged to explore societal attitudes and values, as well as their own.
Fran Hurley, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest, was pleased by the donation.
“We are thankful for the support of the MetroWest Women's Alliance,” he said. “Their investment in our SMART Girls Program at our Marlborough Clubhouse will ensure that our members continue to have access to quality health, wellness and social programming.”
To learn more about how the MetroWest Women's Alliance is supporting women and girls in the Metrowest community or how to apply for a grant, contact Leanne Cordischi at [email protected] or visit the United Way of Tri-County website at www.uwotc.org/campaign/mwa.