In December, 2018, ninety-nine girlfriends provided five organizations with “Core Mission” awards of $12,200. That’s a pittance compared to the $100,000 the groups originally applied for, but it was a boost nonetheless. Here’s how the Core Mission funds helped the Virginia Garcia Foundation.
The Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation is the financial and community-support backbone of the Virginia Garcia Health Center. Their 50,000-plus Washington and Yamhill County annual clients speak more than 60 languages and include farmers, small business owners, domestic and childcare workers, and migrant and undocumented workers. They face economic, racial and social barriers as well as challenges to access to health care, transportation, food and housing. Virginia Garcia Health Center and its 600 employees offer a vast list of services to help their clients overcome these obstacles.
State and local policymakers often have a remote relationship with their constituents. But the staff of Virginia Garcia have a “boots on the ground” perspective because they work directly with their clients. They not only assess problems, they find solutions. To give them a voice and tap into their collective power, Policy and Advocacy Officer Felicita Monteblanco designed a five-month training program called “RISE: Reach. Inspire. Support. Engage” to educate Virginia Garcia staff in policy making and advocacy.
Ninety-nine girlfriends’ $12,200 grant helped give rise to R.I.S.E., and the impact is already being felt. At least five R.I.S.E. graduates have joined public boards, councils, commissions and committees, one sought a City Council seat in the City of Newberg and many more are now armed with the knowledge, skills and power to enact real change in their communities.
— Marcy Newton