52. Power of the Purse Luncheon to Support Barrington Area Women & Girls

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4 mins read

A Joseph Nicola Lola Blush purse valued at $1,999.00 is one of nearly forty designer handbags up for grabs at the fourth annual Power of the Purse luncheon and designer purse auction hosted by the Barrington Area United Way this Thursday, March 5th.

Post - Power of the Purse - Impact RaffleThe event supports unmet needs of women and girls in the greater Barrington community and four local programs are in the running to receive a $5,000 grant which will be awarded during Thursday’s luncheon.  There are still some tickets available to attend Power of the Purse at The Onion Pub (22221 N. Pepper Road in Lake Barrington) from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, but they request that you CLICK HERE or call 847-382-8778 to register by the end of the day on Wednesday, March 4th.

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Ladies will take home beautiful purses during Thursday’s event as they step up to support the cause.  All funds raised will benefit local programs and one of these four Barrington area initiatives will receive this year’s $5,000 Power of the Purse grant:

The Clothesline Project

Agency Name: Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (Northwest CASA)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported experiencing rape at some time in their lives and 29.9% of female rape victims surveyed were first raped between the ages of 11 – 17 years of age.  The Clothesline Project is an international program developed in 1990 by a small group of women survivors in Massachusetts and is designed to educate, break the silence and bear witness to the issue of violence against women. Victims of sexual violence or significant others of victims can create their own t-shirt and add to the program’s collection of over 1,000 shirts.  These presentations sometimes result in victim disclosures and Northwest CASA is prepared to provide crisis intervention to victims in the audience and facilitate their obtaining free counseling services, if they choose.

In 2014/15, the Clothesline Project served 524 students at Barrington High School.  It is projected that approximately 800 area students will be served in the next fiscal year.  There is no cost to participants or school systems.

If awarded, the Power of the Purse grant will be used to support the educator’s program staff time, pre and post-test evaluations and staff conferencing with high school teachers to review results.  For more information, visit ClotheslineProject.org.

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Finding Your Voice Through Movement for Adolescent Girls:  A Life Skills Development Program

Agency Name:  Barrington Youth & Family Services

The Finding Your Voice Through Movement program addresses the issues of feminine identity, empowerment, developmental transitions, academic success, healthy relationships, depression, anxiety, bullying and low self-worth.  This is a new program that will be offered in the Spring/Summer of 2015.  The program provides an alternative method to one-on-one therapy using the dance/movement therapy modality of Marian Chace, one of the founders of modern dance therapy (1896-1970).

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Marian Chace

Finding your Voice Through Movement for Adolescent Girls is open to any girl within the Barrington 220 boundaries between the ages of 12 and 17.  The program will provide 24 structured sessions and is available for up to 40 participants. Clients will experience an increase in self-esteem, communication and feelings.  “The young women that will participate will learn a greater sense of their bodies’ movement and appreciate their strengths in being female.”

Power of the Purse grant funds would be used to fund the program facilitator, Executive Director supervisor and specific program materials necessary to implement this program.

We are ONE IN TWELVE

Agency Name: fitMS NeuroBalance Center

Autoimmune diseases are the third most common category of disease in the United States after cancer and cardiovascular disease and 78% of those affected are women.  These conditions are not curable and are progressive, disabling and isolating diseases that impact every aspect of physical and emotional health.  We are the ONE IN TWELVE provides education, healthcare, support and community, under one roof, to women living with autoimmune conditions including but not limited to type 1 diabetes, MS, Hashimoto’s, Graves, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Myasthenia Gravis, Vasculitis, Celiac, Scleroderma, Vitiligo, Alopecia and IBD/IBS.  The program offers education, disease management consultations and services, yoga and Zumba fitness programs adapted for safety and accessibility.  fitMS services are provided on a sliding scale with no one denied services due to an inability to pay.

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In 2014, the We are the ONE IN TWELVE program serviced approximately 300 clients.  About half of these of these clients resided within the Barrington 220 boundaries. The total number of estimated clients for the next fiscal year is 420 with 252 clients from within the District 220 boundaries.

If awarded, the Power of the Purse Grant would be used to fund the fitMS Group Fitness Program, educational programs and subsidy for those clients unable to pay for services.

Junior Explorer Post 21

Agency Name:  Junior Explorers Post 21, Boy Scouts of America

After several interviews with girls and parents, it became clear that many girls in the Barrington area wanted a unique and challenging experience not found in the current programs offered by organizations within the community.  This identified need led to the development of a bold new program filled with outdoor adventures as well as the opportunity to learn new skills that would benefit young girls as they mature.  Partnering with The Boy Scouts of America, the Junior Explorers Program is open to all girls of middle school age, regardless of social economic or demographic backgrounds.  The program offers young girls in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades a new opportunity to develop valuable life skills including self-confidence, creativity, service, friendship, first aid, emergency preparedness, personal fitness, personal management, creativity and citizenship.

The Power of the Purse grant would be used to provide scholarships and specific equipment used in the program activities.

Black modern binoculars in hands on green background

From youth services to senior services, from job search assistance to activities for the developmentally disabled, the Barrington Area United Way funds over $200,000 a year in grants to support programs offered by local agencies meeting basic needs in these areas:

  • Education – Helping Children and Youth Achieve Their Potential
  • Income – Promoting Financial Stability and Independence
  • Health – Improving People’s Health

To reserve a spot at this week’s Power of the Purse luncheon, CLICK HERE or call 847-382-8778 to register by the end of the day on Wednesday, March 4th.  For more information about the Barrington Area United Way, visit their website at BAUW.org.

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