2021-2022 Annual Report

Pam Daly Victoria Waterman Dear Friends,

On behalf of Girls Inc. of Worcester’s Board of Directors and staff, thank you. With your help in 2021-2022, we were able to maintain a strong financial position and continue to serve the Worcester community in a meaningful way. We delivered on our mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold!

This year was full of adapting to challenges and getting creative to serve our community while continuing to strategically push the organization forward.

As we carry on to rebuild and gain momentum as the severity of the pandemic decreases, we want to take the time to celebrate some of the successes that this past year has brought us:

Serving our girls and their needs: Kept after school rates extremely affordable, as low as $6 a day and summer camp fees as low as $40 a week. We added enrichment programs to enhance our research-based programs for current and new girls to join at no cost. Programs include, Girls on the Run, a running program which inspires girls to recognize their strengths and work as a team and EatWell, a nutritious meal kit giving girls and families that opportunity to cook healthy meals together. We served more girls in our neighborhood and came up with an innovative solution to tackle the bussing shortage.

Removed barriers to access: Eliminated the daunting financial aid process and invited families to self-select their income range and need for financial assistance.

Expanded STEM access to a new market: In the summer of 2022, we launched the Eureka! MetroWest program thanks to our inaugural funder, Women’s Foundation Boston, and corporate sponsor, Hologic and our educational partnership with Framingham State McAuliffe Center.

Supported our neighborhood: Thanks to the leadership of Worcester Public Schools, we provided swim lessons for all 3rd grade students of Vernon Hill and Union Hill schools as well as scholarships for neighborhood girls to attend summer camp at no cost.

Created new staff positions and a pipeline for workforce readiness: We invested in hiring a Director of Social Emotional Learning to support ALL girls in our programs at no cost to our families, thanks to the generous support of the Wellington Foundation, as well as a Manager of People and Culture to strengthen the culture of DEI for staff and girls. Additionally, we invested in a Counselor in Training (CIT) program this summer for teens to train in leadership, safety, and youth development with the dual goal of increasing confidence in teens while keeping them productive, thanks to the generosity of the United Way of Central MA.

Remarkable outcomes for our Eureka! High School graduates: This year an impressive cohort of 24 girls graduated from the Eureka! Class of 2022. 100% of graduates plan to attend higher education, 4 graduates will attend ivy league schools (Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton and Yale), 53% are first generation college students and 72% plan to major in STEM related disciplines, more than twice the national average!

We look forward to making 2022-2023 a year to remember! Not only will we continue to drive towards goals in our Strategic Direction, but we will get back to basics, in our “new normal” environment! We will improve the quality of our programs, welcome back community and corporate volunteers, and continue to adapt to the needs of our girls with a sense of urgency.

This work would not 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 our girls and the community.

Pam & Victoria