Kristi Barnett, right, of Wallace State Community College’s Future Foundation, is presented with a $25,000 check from Jacob Smith, left, and Melanie Bridgeforth of The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham.
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State Community College’s Future Foundation was among the recipients of The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham’s 2019 Community Impact Grants aimed at supporting programs and initiatives that strengthen families by integrating services for women and their children.
The Women’s Fund’s 2019 Community Impact Grants included investments that address some of the biggest barriers to women entering and staying in the workforce, such as child care.
“The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham envisions a society where power and possibility are not limited by gender. We use philanthropy as a tool, but philanthropy alone cannot solve the systemic and complex barriers that plague women in our region and beyond. This is why we are formally expanding in public policy and systems change,” says Melanie R. Bridgeforth, president & CEO. “Through assessing our investments and their impact, we are fully confident that the most sustainable way to create systemic change is to balance our investments in programmatic and direct service work with investments in local and statewide policy advocacy.”
Wallace State received $25,000 from The Women’s Fund for the Blount County Mothers STEAMing Towards the Future project. It provides women the opportunity to complete a certificate in welding, machine tool technology, engineering technology, or electronics technology, including support for tuition, child care, transportation, and some living expenses.
Kristi Barnett, grants specialist for the Future Foundation, accepted the check on behalf of the Future Foundation. The project will focus on helping single mothers in Blount County obtain certifications in high-demand, high-wage STEM-related careers
Qualifying students must live in Blount County, be a single mother, qualify for the Pell Grant and be willing to participate in success coaching. Students will be able to take classes at either the Wallace State Hanceville or Oneonta campus, as well as online. The funds will be dispersed over three semesters, with $1,500 given in the first and second semesters and $2,000 in the third semester. Funds must be dispersed before the close of 2019.
Students interested in applying to the program should contact Kristi Barnett at 256-352-8231 or kristi.barnett@wallacestate.edu.
