2019-2020 Annual Report

Dear Friends,

Pam Daly Victoria Waterman We began our 2020 fiscal year “staying positive” and ended the year “remaining negative”.  Building on the success of the Capital Campaign, our organization set out to complete the Capital Renovation and meet the ambitious growth goals of our Strategic Direction. We were positively on track to exceed our goals in the early part of March, at which time the COVID-19 pandemic paused life as we know it. Our Board of Directors and staff took bold steps to respond to the emergency, set a vision to recover and re-imagine our work. Amidst this crisis, Girls Inc. was able to connect to girls and families virtually and through safe, socially distant in-person programs. We remain negative, with 0 Covid-19 cases to date!

How our staff, our board, and our partners pivoted and adapted:

• Leveraged the Payroll Protection Program to keep staff on payroll for 8 weeks.
• Immediately responded with free virtual programs offered to 100% of our girls.
• Launched “GirlPad” – a free grab & go program to give 1,500 one-month period product supplies to girls in the community, who were lacking access local resources. 
• Opened modified, socially distant summer camp and Learning Hub programs providing meals, internet access, and all equipment/supplies for girls to have everything they need to attend school remotely at our center.
• Complying with strict local, state, and CDC safety guidelines - NO positive cases of Covid-19 amongst our staff or girls!  

Completion of $5 million state-of-the-art renovations: 

• Thanks to the generosity of so many supporters, we “cut the ribbon” on our Saint-Gobain Technology Center. This state-of-the-art space will help to close the gap on the “digital-divide” affecting our most under-resourced girls.  
• We have also replaced our roof, renovated the pool, lobby, bathrooms and auditorium, and upgraded the security, and fire, heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. None of us could have imagined 5 years ago how important new hospital grade air filters would be in 2020.

Girls Inc. of Worcester’s work continues as we strive to meet the bold goals of our Strategic Direction, including strengthening our advocacy efforts and fostering our culture of diversity and inclusion.   

None of this work would be possible without our dedicated Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and community supporters. Our thanks to each of you who has played a role in making a difference in the lives of girls and the community.  

We hope you “stay positive” and “remain negative”.

Pam & Victoria