The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore’s Women’s Fund granted $25,000 to area nonprofits and celebrated its fifth anniversary on June 24.

The Women’s Fund focuses its grant making efforts on addressing the unmet needs of women and/or girls in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties. Grant recipients are:

• 4 Steps Therapeutic Riding Program – The Cancer Kickers Program will engage survivors in equine assisted activities and therapies and bring the positive impact of interaction to horses those battling breast cancer.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake – The Girls of Promise Initiative will support girls ages 11-18 in Wicomico County to empower young women through mentoring and personal hygiene resources.
• Empowered Women Ministries – This scholarship program will provide opportunities for single mothers, or students of single parent families, the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education in the area of healthcare, business and human services.
• Epoch Dreams Center – The Women’s Fund will provide support for 35 underserved girls to participate in summer programs to ensure they excel academically, emotionally and socially.
• Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay – With support from the Women’s Fund, Girl Scout programs will be brought to Prince Street Elementary School for the 2016/2017 school year to serve 20 girls in an after school program who would otherwise miss the opportunity of scouting.
• MAC Inc. – The What’s Cooking Program will expand the impact of the MAC Healing Rose Garden by integrating cancer fighting cooking classes into this cancer survivor program.
• Maryland Capital Enterprises – Through a grant from the Women’s Fund, the MCE Women’s Business Center will provide training, consulting and one on one mentoring for local female entrepreneurs.
• Salvation Army, Salisbury Corps – The Salvation Army is known for helping to provide a safe, structured environment and affordable access to recreation sports.  The support of the Women’s Fund will provide mentoring through a team environment for girls ages 3-10 to participate in softball.
• UMES School of Pharmacy & Health Professions – The School will be working with the It Takes a Village to Help Our Children youth program in Crisfield to inspire girls in K-12 to pursue a career in the healthcare field.
• Women Supporting Women – The Cooking for the New Me program provides cooking classes to cancer survivors and their caregivers as part of their healthy nutrition and lifestyle efforts to fight cancer.

The Women’s Fund, held at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, is a collaboration of local women with the mission of supporting programs that enrich the lives of women and girls in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset counties. Through the power of collective philanthropy, members are able to work together to create positive, long lasting, impact in our local communities. For information about getting involved with the Women’s Fund contact the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore; CFES.org or 410-742-9911.