Meet our Aerie Real Foundation Community Grant Winners!

#HappyPeriod is the first African American-led menstrual movement advocating for mental wellness through decolonized health education and cultural change. Empowering communities to advocate for their well-being by learning and understanding the menstrual cycle, we are committed to transforming the stigma on menstruation through the humans we serve. Our mission is centered on increasing reproductive knowledge and awareness on the connection between mental health and period poverty through storytelling, education, and advocacy.

Since our inception in 1969, BGCCC has been dedicated to meeting the needs of youth and shaping promising futures in North Texas. Our mission is to help all young people, especially those who need us the most, realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. We offer out-of-school programming, serving youth ages 5-18. With only 4,380 days from age five to eighteen to guide, shape, and prepare our youth for their future, we are committed to making every day count. In 2023 alone, we served over 8,900 members, with an average of 489 local youth benefiting daily from the hope and opportunities our Blue Doors provide.

The Center for Urban Excellence (CUE) empowers system-impacted youth and young adults in Solano, Contra Costa, and East Bay Area counties through art, wellness, leadership, and workforce development programs. Our mission is to transform adversity into strength, fostering resilience and creating pathways to economic and social opportunities. Funding from the Aerie Real Foundation will support our Fostering Resilience Wellness Summit in Vallejo, CA, in December 2024. This event will bolster confidence and community building for young women and their families, promoting holistic well-being through resources and activities focused on mental health, leadership and community engagement

Con Mi MADRE delivers a social-emotional and college readiness program to Latinas designed to help them become emotionally intelligent and proactive students. Con Mi MADRE which translates to “with my mother” describes the unique aspect that includes the parent in each step of the child’s educational journey starting from the 6th grade. Mothers and daughters are given a space to feel empowered to set lofty goals and discover personal attributes in themselves to become leaders. Funding from Aerie Real Foundation will help Con Mi MADRE continue more than 15 years of transforming the narrative of Latinx households in central Texas.

DMAX Foundation provides college students with trusting and inclusive spaces, where they can tell the stories of their lives, identities and experiences without judgment. Our mission is “creating connections and conversations that matter to strengthen mental health and emotional well-being for young people.” When young adults share about themselves, they develop connections that foster a sense of support and belonging-in-community. At DMAX Club meetings and events, students talk about how they’re really doing, how their friends are doing, and how they can support each other. DMAX Clubs normalize mental health storytelling and overcome stigmas and taboos around mental health.

Dream Streets exists to protect and empower people living in distress. The neighborhoods we serve house more single-mother led families than 95% of communities in the US. Black single mothers also make up 49% of the poverty-stricken population in Nashville. The biggest conduit to stopping generational poverty is to empower the mothers who are shouldering the burden of an entire family unit alone. Dream Streets Moms exists to promote healing and empowerment. We provide fresh groceries and hygiene supplies, financial literacy and positive parenting classes, and self-care experiences to women committed to seeing each other thrive.

The mission of Dress for Success San Francisco is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Our vision is a world where women do not live in poverty and are treated with dignity and respect and are strengthening their families and shaping their communities. Our vital career development programs including career wardrobe, career coaching, employment retention, financial literacy, job training and digital literacy programs enable us to close the gender, pay and digital divide/gaps.

EmBe’s mission is to empower women and families to enrich lives. Our organization has 40+ programs in childcare, women’s programming, aquatics, and youth development implemented across South Dakota. Since 1921, EmBe has served women and families in South Dakota. We cast a vision to transform lives at every age and every stage. Our workforce development initiative, Connections to Success, seeks to bridge this gap by providing targeted training and support to young women seeking to enhance their skills and advance their careers.

GLASA provides adaptive sports programming for girls and women with a physical or visual disability. Through our programming funded by the Aerie Real Foundation, participants will learn that they can achieve their full potential in sports and beyond while acquiring the skills and confidence to do so. GLASA fosters an inclusive community by providing an environment where participants feel they belong, working to create a more inclusive community outside of GLASA, and preparing participants for future success.

Groove With Me is a youth development organization using free dance classes and performance opportunities to attract and engage girls during after-school when 90% of youth violence occurs. The program seeks to decrease teen pregnancy, truancy, crime, violence, prostitution, substance abuse, and depression. It works to ensure academic, professional, and life successes by helping participants “dance to a positive future.”

GWM brings free and accessible dance education to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity. CreateNYC was created to drive the participation of every resident, every neighborhood, people of color, people with disabilities, and untapped creative potential. The dance field cannot be complete or grow to its potential without the voices of children on the periphery.

Jameson Camp is dedicated to empowering young people by removing barriers to healthy and vibrant experiences in nature. Jameson offers overnight summer camp, providing a safe and welcoming space for children to fully immerse themselves in a device-free, outdoor experience. All campers can expect to gain confidence, build friendships, and feel a sense of belonging by attending Jameson Camp. Campers try new things, meet friends from different backgrounds, and participate in experiences irreplicable at home. To remove barriers to participation, Jameson offers a generous financial aid program for camp families. Jameson also employs behavioral health specialists who assist with individual needs and challenges of campers while attending camp, ensuring everyone feels safe and welcomed.

enCircle educates students who need additional supports, empower people with developmental disabilities through a variety of community-based services, support children in foster care and foster parents, and provide mental health counseling to children, youth, and adults. We are also reuniting unaccompanied immigrant minor children with family or sponsors in the United States. enCircle provides a safe and welcoming home for immigrant children and teens. For all minors, enCircle provides clothing, toiletries and a monthly stipend, educational support, case management, and clinical services to strengthen their safety, well-being, and integration into our communities.

The National Wildlife Federation’s Climate and Resilience Education Task Force (CRETF) is a unique intergenerational body of educators, students, and NGOs working to expand access to K-16 climate education across New York. Our Youth Steering Committee within the CRETF provides mentorship and leadership development for high school students. Participants meet weekly for dynamic learning and discussion, connect with professionals, and put their newfound knowledge and skills to work in the real world. YSC students have successfully advocated for the inclusion of climate education in NYC’s strategic plan, penned op-eds, participated in intergenerational panels, and spoken with decision-makers about the urgent need for climate education.

Project Inclusion, located in Las Vegas, creates full-scale events for teens and adults with disabilities to ensure everyone is included and valued. Our signature event, Promapalooza, offers a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment for attendees to experience the joy of prom. This funding will help us expand our reach, build confidence in teens & adults with disabilities, and foster a truly inclusive community. By promoting social connections and acceptance, we empower these individuals to thrive and be themselves. Our mission is to bridge the gaps in social opportunities and create memorable experiences that celebrate diversity and inclusion.

Write the World’s mission is to equip students with the confidence and competence to change the world through writing. We support teenagers to develop the writing and critical thinking skills essential to becoming global citizens and succeeding in school, career, and life. We envision a world where writing inspires students from all backgrounds to understand their identities, celebrate their diversity, and right the world—one word at a time. To foster confidence, we empower young migrant women through mentoring, peer support, and motivating instruction, and enhance equity and access in the college application process.

At Lovin The Skin I’m In, our mission is clear: To empower and uplift Black and Brown girls across our community and beyond. Through our dedicated programs, resources, and support networks , we strive to create a world where every black girl is equipped with the tools, opportunities, and confidence to thrive. We provide social-emotional groups in local schools, a monthly group, parent education /support, extracurricular events as well as give back to our community. Our plan focuses on establishing and enhancing school mentoring programs and organizing community events that cater specifically to the needs and challenges faced by young girls.

Mental Health Liberation (MHL) advocates for mental health justice by addressing systemic barriers that limit access to care for marginalized communities. Through their BIPOC Therapy Fund, MHL provides free, culturally inclusive mental health services from compensated, social justice-oriented providers. This program aligns with Aerie Real Foundation’s mission to foster inclusion and build confidence by supporting those traditionally excluded from mental health care, particularly women, femmes, and gender non-conforming individuals. Together, we’re empowering these communities to access the care they deserve, promoting well-being, and advancing mental health equity.

The New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (NJCEDV) envisions a society where all are free from oppression, injustice and violence. To work toward this vision, NJCEDV leads collaborative community and systemic responses to domestic violence by providing public awareness, training, advocacy, policy development, technical assistance and supportive services. NJCEDV is comprised of domestic violence programs, culturally specific organizations, and abuse intervention providers across the state who work each day to ensure comprehensive and affirming services are provided to survivors of domestic violence. NJCEDV is committed to working toward a more equitable society where all people can thrive.

The 3 Lines Collective is a community-based organization whose mission is to uplift marginalized communities through art classes, books we’ve created, and events that serve our community. We believe that the skills learned in our classes such as communication, critical thinking, and creativity help individuals of all ages improve their confidence to positively influence their community. This funding will help us further our reach so that we can help more communities we may have not had access to before.

Formed in 2002 by local women leaders pooling resources to support impactful programs, WGF engages in policy advocacy and systemic change, with a mission to ensure equal access, opportunity, and influence for women and girls in Pennsylvania. WGF is guided by five core values, emphasizing equity, community prosperity, and the empowerment of self-identified women and girls. Since its inception, WGF has granted nearly $1 million to support systemic changes benefiting women and girls. Notable achievements include increasing female representation on local boards by 50% and boosting the number of women running for office by 300%.