If it looks like Julie (to the right) is throwing up her hands in delight, well, that's how we all feel at Women's Initiative this week!The San Francisco Chronicle dedicated a wonderful, front-page, Sunday edition article to Women's Initiative last Sunday.
Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to make you see yourself anew:
Julie Castro Abrams, the organization's chief executive officer, said 68 percent of graduates are in business within 12 months of completing the 10-week program, which costs $100, although a sliding scale means the applicants most in need pay less.
"A couple years later, they're too busy to return our phone calls," Abrams joked. "But they send checks and volunteer, or they come to be guest speakers and tell other women how to do it."
The agency has served more than 16,000 women in two decades. The average client is 41 years old, and 78 percent are women of color. Twenty-nine percent are single mothers, 15 percent have a disability, and 46 percent speak Spanish as their first or only language - which is why Women's Initiative offers programs in Spanish. All of the women are struggling, with an average household income of only $13,000 a year, and some are illiterate.
"Low-income women in particular have a whole set of issues about their self-perception and some of those demons that have become roadblocks for them in the past," Abrams said. "We help them visualize and get rid of them - like not pricing themselves appropriately because they don't think they're worth it, or giving themselves all the million reasons in the world not to go out and shake a hand or make sales because they're terrified."
The organization, which has a $4.9 million budget this year, relies on donations from foundations, corporations, government and individuals. In 2007, Women's Initiative made 160 loans to clients to help with their businesses, totaling $311,363 and ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.
In San Francisco last year, eight graduates received first-time leaseholder grants of $9,000 apiece, with the assistance of the Mayor's Office of Community Development, to help overcome a frequent problem: prohibitively high commercial rents.
The article also contained some praise from a peer:
Bob Graham, founder of NamasteDirect, a microcredit organization in San Francisco, said people often ask him if microcredit is being done anywhere in the United States as successfully as it is in much of the developing world.
"I always reply that it is, in a few cases," he said. "And the best example is Women's Initiative. It has a track record second to none."
Can you see us blushing?
You can read the whole thing for yourself here. And please talk back to us in the comments below! What did you think of the article? What would you add if you were writing it?
4 comments:
I still have the Chronicle article in my hands. It was like manna from heaven to open my door on Sunday and pick up the paper to see "Helping Women Grow a Business" staring me in the face. How could I not read it when I've been 'trying' to get a business going for over a decade and only succeeded in getting into debt because of my venture ignorance. It was a great article and I thank Patricia Yollin for her organizational writing abilities. And thank you, Julie Castro Abrams for initiating such a concept. That must have been groundbreaking two decades ago.
Original Post: February 20, 2008 at 07:31 AM
Joan, thanks for your comment! Julie has been driving our period of remarkable growth for the past five or six years, but it was Paulette Meyer who founded the organization.
We owe both of them our gratitude!
Original Post: February 20, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Undoubtedly a fantastic article and great PR for an organization that has been empowering women for so many years.
What has been very disappointing for many of us in the non-profit sector is the lack of mention of other "partners" that have contributed to Women's Initiative for Self-Employment, that offer complimentary services, or that have referred our clients to your agency.
I think Women's Initiative for Self-Employmet is suffering from growing pains right now. In their recent recruitment efforts for part time trainers at their new locations, they failed to even call back or acknowledge the many professionals who presented and interviewed with them.
We don't need any more giants out there, but rather organizations who in the spirit of service and in alignment with what they stand for, acknowledge, inspire and collaborate with their professional peers and agencies.
Original Post: June 10, 2008 at 05:18 PM
Congratulations on the accomplishment!
Original Post: July 06, 2008 at 06:54 PM
Post a Comment