Women Make a Difference Luncheon introduces first scholarship recipients
One year after first announcing plans to develop a new scholarship program to help Greenville County women achieve their career goals, members of United Way’s Women’s Leadership are seeing those plans become reality.
During the group’s annual Women Make a Difference Luncheon Wednesday at the Carolina First Center, Women’s Leadership members were introduced to three women representing the first five recipients of the philanthropic organization’s “Jobs to Careers – Women Helping Women” scholarship program.
Debbie Jones
Debbie Jones is a 32-year-old Certified Nursing Assistant. She is married and has two young children. The Jobs to Careers scholarship will help Debbie achieve her dream of receiving an associate’s degree in nursing from Greenville Technical College. While Debbie is in school, scholarship funds will assist in covering the cost of daycare for her two children and any tuition/supply costs that are not covered by South Carolina Education Lottery funding assistance.Lisa Barnett
Lisa Barnett is a 42-year-old office assistant working on an as needed basis. She is married and has two children. The Jobs to Careers scholarship will help Lisa on her journey to receive a Medical Assistant Certification (MAC) from Greenville Technical College. Her ultimate goal is to establish a career which will not only fulfill her own dreams, but also the dreams of her family.Natalie Milom
Natalie Milom, a 27-year-old single mother of two young children, works as a unit secretary for a local organization. The Jobs to Careers scholarship will help Natalie achieve her dream of becoming a licensed counselor and provide individual and family counseling to people who are labeled high risk or who struggle in life. The scholarship will provide assistance with tuition and books as Natalie pursues her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lander University.
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Mary Jeffrey, chair of the Women’s Leadership Council, said Women’s Leadership developed the scholarship program to address the need for greater financial stability for Greenville County women and their families, and to help remove some of the barriers that can prevent women from realizing their career goals.
“We know that a lack of education and earning power doesn’t just affect the individual women. It also hinders the development of their children,” said Jeffrey. “A parent’s education and income level are some of the most important factors in determining a child’s success in school and that’s one of the reasons we’re so excited about the long-term impact we can have through Jobs to Careers.”
Designed in conjunction with United Way of Greenville County’s strategic goal of increasing financial stability in the community, the group is setting aside up to 3 percent of the annual Women’s Leadership contributions to fund the innovative scholarship and mentoring program. Working in collaboration with community partners Greenville Technical College and SHARE (Sunbelt Human Advancement Resources), Jobs to Careers assists women in the community looking to transition from paycheck-to-paycheck jobs to more stable, long-term careers. The program offers money for education and job training, as well as a stipend and funds for transportation and childcare.
The new scholarship program is just one part of Women’s Leadership’s overall philanthropic efforts in Greenville County. Now in its 12th year, Women’s Leadership has grown to include more than 1,200 members who last year contributed nearly $1.7 million in support of United Way programs and initiatives.
“We haven’t just grown in number, we’ve also grown in our actions in the community,” said Jeffrey. “Our members have proven time and time again how their philanthropy is about more than just writing a check.”
That tradition continued during Wednesday’s luncheon with the “Wear One, Bring One” project. Attendees brought hundreds of new undergarments to be donated to women in need at the domestic violence shelter, Safe Harbor.
“When a woman leaves her home in crisis as the result of domestic violence, she often does so with just the clothes on her back,” said Women’s Leadership Council Vice Chair Michelle Yarbrough, attorney with Gallivan, White & Boyd. “Having a new pair of underwear waiting for them tells these women they have friends in the community who care and will support them through the most difficult of times.”
To date, the luncheon has collected approximately 4,000 undergarments for Safe Harbor.
South Carolina Education Lottery Executive Director Paula Harper Bethea delivered the keynote address at Wednesday’s event, which is held each year to honor local women philanthropists who contribute $1,000 or more annually to United Way.
Women’s Leadership was created in 1998 as a subcommittee of the Palmetto Society (United Way of Greenville County’s leadership giving recognition group) and now includes three professional subgroups: Women in Banking, Women Attorneys and Women in Real Estate. Women’s Leadership’s goal is to recognize women’s philanthropic efforts in the community and to develop leadership opportunities in civic and non-profit organizations for professional women.
To become a member, or for more information on Women’s Leadership and its programs, click here or call 864-467-3551.
