Women’s Funding Alliance (WFA) is pleased to host the Women Thrive Convening 2 on Friday, January 18 from 9 am to 1 pm. This free event will take place at Skagit Valley College Mount Vernon Campus in McIntyre Hall. Student mothers, community and business professionals, and college leaders are invited to join in this open conversation. Welcoming attendees this year will be Anne Clark, Vice President of College Advancement and Executive Director of SVC Foundation and Dr. Claire Peinado, Vice President of Student Services.
This half-day event is focused on clearing the pathway for single mothers — especially for women of color — to help them secure living-wage jobs. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of some of the challenges faced by student mothers, share best practice solutions, and strategize about how to accelerate change on campus and statewide.
According to the Women’s Funding Alliance, nearly 77% of all single parents enrolled in Washington’s Community and Technical College programs are women; 40% are people of color.
Women’s Funding Alliance was founded in 1983 by a small group of passionate people who wanted to make a difference in the lives of women and girls. While they have grown considerably over the past three decades to more than 6,000 supporters statewide, the heart of their effort remains the same. When women and girls are supported and have tools to succeed, their individual triumphs have positive ripple effects, which impact their families, their communities, and the state.
For single mothers, balancing the demands of family and employment, wages are key to making ends meet and getting ahead. Through preliminary research, WFA has learned that women are the primary consumers of community and technical college education and workforce training programs as pathways.
Registration is free, although RSVP is requested: https://wfalliance.org/event/women-thrive-convening-mt-vernon/ Registration includes coffee, light breakfast, and lunch. To learn more, contact Ayesha Badar, WFA Program Manager, ayesha@wfalliance.org.