Disability EmpowHer Network Receives $83,500 from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation
May 18, 2022 - Disability EmpowHer Network was recently awarded a $83,500 grant from the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) to support its work of empowering transition-age girls with disabilities in the EmpowHer Camp program over the next two years.
Disability EmpowHer Network is a national organization led by and for girls and women with disabilities. EmpowHer Camp is Disability EmpowHer Network’s yearlong multi-stage skill-building, mentoring and leadership program for transition-age girls with disabilities. EmpowHer Camp brings a diverse group of girls with disabilities together to camp with successful disabled women mentors in the Adirondacks for a week to learn disaster preparedness, survival, independent living, and leadership skills. The next summer, the girls reunite in Washington, D.C. to explore how they have grown as leaders. During the year between the first trip and the reunion trip, participants work on a community impact project with the help of their mentors. This is a life-changing program for participants and their families, as well as the disabled women mentors.
The $83,500 grant from MEAF will be used to support EmpowHer Camp in 2022 and 2023, helping to empower teenage girls with disabilities from across the country to learn new skills, have the confidence to lead, and live to their fullest potential.
“While our inaugural class is still underway, we have already seen the difference EmpowHer Camp has had on everyone involved. We’re incredibly honored that MEAF believes in the potential of this program and our participants. With MEAF’s support for the next two years, our team at Disability EmpowHer Network can double down on our commitment to empowering even more girls with disabilities to become leaders” said Stephanie Woodward, Executive Director of Disability EmpowHer Network.
“We are excited to support Disability EmpowHer Network and its work to empower the next generation of disabled women leaders,” said Kevin R. Webb, senior director of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation. “The opportunity for girls to be mentored by a professional role model working together on community projects will help the girls develop the skills, confidence and network they need to help place them on the path to independence and a successful career. We look forward to hearing about the accomplishments of these young women.”
Disability EmpowHer Network launched its first EmpowHer Camp program in August 2021 with nine disabled teenagers and nine successful disabled women role models hailing from thirteen different states. The participants from the current class of EmpowHer Camp have made incredible impacts on their communities through their community projects, for example, one young leader established the first disability-led emergency planning group in her county. The current class of EmpowHer Camp participants will graduate from the program at the close of their D.C. Leadership Reunion Trip this July and the next class will begin their yearlong journey with the camping trip in August!
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Contact: Stephanie Woodward at Stephanie@DisabilityEmpowHerNetwork.org