Women Charting the Path Ahead

Dear Friend,

As we celebrate the final days of Women’s History Month, I’d like to challenge those who believe our communities — and our nation — are stronger when women and girls have opportunity to live their best lives.

The challenge is simple: don’t limit your public actions to March’s 31 days.

Instead, make your support of women’s causes a 365-day-a-year endeavor — because our voices and our resources will be needed in the months and years ahead as we face ever-increasing challenges to women’s rights and freedoms.

At the Community Foundation, we know these challenges all too well. But we are also energized by the opportunities that are within our grasp.

Putting Women in the Driver’s Seat

As home of New England’s largest Fund for Women & Girls, we’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when we come together to ensure women are in the driver’s seat for their own lives.

For more than three decades, the Fund has supported pioneering programs like the emme coalition, which connects young women and girls in Bridgeport with tools that promote physical wellness, behavioral health, and social services.

The vision of emme is to empower women and young girls to lead healthy lives and pursue their life goals through education and coaching in mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing.

And according to a new research report, emme’s impact has been transformative to many participants, of whom:

• 92% report greater confidence in parenting abilities
• 76% say they have increased social connections
• 65% report increased financial literacy
• 37% have established emergency savings accounts.

Although we are incredibly proud of the Fund for Women & Girls’ impact through programs like emme, we recognize we have an opportunity to do so much more.

A New Approach to the Road Before Us

That’s why we’re embarking on bringing together those invested in our county’s women and girls more frequently and more purposefully.

This new approach began earlier this year at the Norwalk Film Festival with a special screening of Ratified — a documentary that explores the 100-year fight for an Equal Rights Amendment.

Since then, we’ve hosted events featuring women in public and nonprofit leadership, and we’re currently preparing for two big upcoming events.

The first is the latest installment of our In Community Conversation Series on April 24, which features Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus.  Layla will join us for a thought-provoking conversation on engaging the next generation of civic leaders.

The event will also feature a panel of Connecticut-based Future Caucus members, who will offer a local perspective on urgent national conversations.

The second is a May 6 celebration — Women Charting the Path Ahead — which will feature inspiring speakers, cocktails, and conversation to support the Fund.

Our goal through these and other events and conversations is to build a stronger, more engaged community to empower women and girls to not only face the challenges ahead, but to thrive and succeed.

I invite you to join us as we make health and opportunity for women and girls a true community-wide — and year-round — priority.

In Community,

Mendi Blue Paca
PRESIDENT & CEO
FAIRFIELD COUNTY’S COMMUNITY FOUNDATION