The 2018 Contributors to the Women’s Legacy Fund voted this spring to design a multi-year grant process in which a three-year partnership would form with an organization that would satisfy the chosen cause area: Increase access and attainment to educational opportunities for women and girls.
This year, the Women’s Legacy Fund grant process was extra special for a few reasons– it is the inaugural year for the Fund’s first three-year grant and partnership and it is the largest grant to date, $30,000.
The WLF Grants Committee worked hard this summer reviewing the applications submitted. And the winner is…….the Career Pipeline for Women in Health Care program, a program focused on enrolling women in underserved and underemployed communities in health science education programs at the two Lee County technical colleges, Fort Myers Technical College, and Cape Coral Technical College.
Women completing the program will earn valuable state licenses and industry certifications which guarantees them an interview at two local health employers, Lee Health, and Cypress Cove at Health Park. After being completely triaged for possible funding sources, this program provides gap funding for women entering these programs to ensure that any additional financial barriers to certification attainment are overcome, and they can enter the workforce with the skills they need for success.
Over the next three years, the two schools will be able to show increased enrollment and completion rates, as well as employment placement with Lee Health and Cypress Cove to decrease openings of critical needs positions with Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) and Certified Medical Assistants (MA). The program will grow in the future to including program completers on the school advisory boards of the technical colleges to communicate the importance and critical effectiveness of this program.
The program is designed for women to enroll and complete their post-secondary education with a direct link to an in-demand job, and to furthermore have the potential to continue their career path in the health care system. The women in these communities will be empowered to provide a generational impact, for themselves and their families.