October 12 , 2005

United Way marks 10 years of empowering girls to be tomorrow’s leaders

Cokie Roberts keynotes Women's Leadership Breakfast

BOSTON – This month, United Way of Massachusetts Bay is marking the 10 th year of its “Today’s Girls…Tomorrow’s Leaders” (TGTL) initiative. UWMB is recognizing this milestone by releasing Helping Girls Succeed: A Progress Report, which presents the past and future challenges facing young girls and chronicles United Way ’s decade of support and the impact of its investments.

The report was released at United Way ’s signature Women’s Leadership Breakfast today at the Seaport World Trade Center Hotel in Boston . ABC News Political Analyst and NPR Senior News AnalystCokie Roberts, author of the best-selling book We AreOur Mothers Daughters was among the inspirational women speaking at the event, which for 10 years has celebrated women and girls and provided the funding for TGTL.

Ten years ago, United Way of Massachusetts Bay launched TGTL to better address the unique issues and challenges facing young women. The movement began with just over 300 women raising $110,000 for three programs. Today, United Way invests more than $1 million annually through Today’s Girls…Tomorrow’s Leaders.

“The good news is that attention to girls’ issues and increased access to quality programming has contributed to significant positive changes over the past decade,” said Milton J. Little, Jr., president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Little notes that the teen pregnancy rate in Massachusetts has declined by 34.5% in the past ten years, better even than the national decline of 29.3% in the same period. Drug and alcohol use and sexual activity before age 13 also have decreased.

“Unfortunately, we face new challenges to girls’ health and well-being,” Little continued. “As we set out on the next ten years of investing in girls, United Way is focused on addressing these challenges, sustaining the progress that has been made and responding to new issues.”

For example, over the past decade, physical activity among girls has decreased, while sexual abuse and prostitution have increased. Dating violence and violence among girls have increased (DYS has seen a 168% increase in 10 years in girls entering the system), and the rates of sexually transmitted infections contracted by girls has increased nearly every year since 1997.

Other studies show the need to continue to foster leadership development and math, science and technology skills among girls to offer opportunities for the future. For example, a study by the Simmons School of Management shows that only 9% of girls see business as a career choice. A separate national study reports that 31% of girls surveyed think science is “dumb,” yet 20% of current jobs in Massachusetts are in the life science and health care industries.

This year, United Way will present 41 TGTL grants totaling $1.3 million to programs serving 25 communities and 13,000 girls. TGTL grantees offer a solid mix of programs and activities to meet the needs of girls through community engagement, sports, mentoring and math, science and technology. Priority areas receiving funding for the 2005-2006 year include academic achievement in the areas of Math, Science & Technology, physical health, mental health and leadership development.

The breakfast was underwritten by Deloitte – the chief sponsor of the Women’s Leadership Breakfast since its inception – and Tofias PC Accountants and Consultants.Corporate donors to TGTL also include Mellon New England, Citizens Bank, Bank of America, Putnam Investments, the Schrafft Foundation, Sovereign Bank and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Event co-chairs were Carolyn J. Campanelli, Lisa D. Finkel of Wellington Management Company, Denise Kaigler of Reebok International, Ltd., Debra S. Knez, Jeryl Oristaglio of The Esplanade Association and Karen Webster of CeME.

Media inquires should contact:
Jeff Bellows
Phone: 617-624-8250
Fax: 617-624-9114
E-mail: jbellows@uwmb.org