Women and Girls Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Women and Girls Foundation (WGF) is an independent, community-based organization serving eleven counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania
. The stated goal of the foundation is to achieve equality for women and girls in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their efforts include advocacy
, coalition
building and grantmaking. The CEO of WGF is Heather Arnet
.. WGF was established as an independent 501(c) (3) in 2002 and has grown to include a donor base of several hundred individuals.
Recent WGF campaigns that have received media coverage include a “girlcott” of Abercrombie and Fitch clothing store and an annual Equal Pay Rally in Pittsburgh. Members of their Regional Change Agents program were invited to the White House
to attend a private mentoring luncheon with President Obama
..
WGF has also made headlines by bringing girls to shadow their state legislators with their GirlGov program.. They also helped lead efforts to make the shackling of female prisoners during childbirth illegal throughout the state of Pennsylvania, as well as exerting effort to increase women on corporate boards
..
Additional Press
1. “Big Ben, fallen hero: It's time to find new ones" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, April 22, 2010, By Stephanie Rex and Heather Arnet. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10112/1052343-109.stm
2. “Rx for ailing economies: women. To solve the world's problems, the G-20 must look to 60 percent of the work force,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wednesday, September 23, 2009, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09266/1000134-109.stm#ixzz0XMVPxaLk
3. “Why diversity matters despite the recession,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 17, 2009 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09076/955998-334.stm
4. “Fair Pay Act a good start for Obama administration,” Pittsburgh Business Times, February 6, 2009, http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/02/09/editorial2.html
5. “Companies benefit by developing more inclusive work environments,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 12, 2008, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08286/919108-407.stm
6. “The Private Sector: Time to spread the fortune,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 16, 2006 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06136/690406-28.stm
7. “Top 10 reasons for more women on corporate boards,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2006, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06080/673573-334.stm
8. “Zero tolerance for domestic violence,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 27, 2007, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07178/797309-109.stm
9. "High school girls get a look at how state government works," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review , October 19, 2011, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_762609.html
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
. The stated goal of the foundation is to achieve equality for women and girls in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their efforts include advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
, coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
building and grantmaking. The CEO of WGF is Heather Arnet
Heather Arnet
Heather Arnet is the Chief Executive Officer of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania and a former member of the school board of Pittsburgh Public Schools. She is also the former Regional Vice President of the Pennsylvania Women’s Campaign Fund and Board Member of Grantmakers of...
.. WGF was established as an independent 501(c) (3) in 2002 and has grown to include a donor base of several hundred individuals.
Recent WGF campaigns that have received media coverage include a “girlcott” of Abercrombie and Fitch clothing store and an annual Equal Pay Rally in Pittsburgh. Members of their Regional Change Agents program were invited to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
to attend a private mentoring luncheon with President Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
..
WGF has also made headlines by bringing girls to shadow their state legislators with their GirlGov program.. They also helped lead efforts to make the shackling of female prisoners during childbirth illegal throughout the state of Pennsylvania, as well as exerting effort to increase women on corporate boards
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
..
External links
- The Women and Girls Foundation website
- The Facebook page for the Women and Girls Foundation
- The Twitter page for the Women and Girls Foundation
Additional Press
1. “Big Ben, fallen hero: It's time to find new ones" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, April 22, 2010, By Stephanie Rex and Heather Arnet. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10112/1052343-109.stm
2. “Rx for ailing economies: women. To solve the world's problems, the G-20 must look to 60 percent of the work force,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wednesday, September 23, 2009, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09266/1000134-109.stm#ixzz0XMVPxaLk
3. “Why diversity matters despite the recession,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 17, 2009 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09076/955998-334.stm
4. “Fair Pay Act a good start for Obama administration,” Pittsburgh Business Times, February 6, 2009, http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/02/09/editorial2.html
5. “Companies benefit by developing more inclusive work environments,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 12, 2008, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08286/919108-407.stm
6. “The Private Sector: Time to spread the fortune,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 16, 2006 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06136/690406-28.stm
7. “Top 10 reasons for more women on corporate boards,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2006, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06080/673573-334.stm
8. “Zero tolerance for domestic violence,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 27, 2007, http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07178/797309-109.stm
9. "High school girls get a look at how state government works," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review , October 19, 2011, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_762609.html