2004
Spring Cycle Core Grants

Total FY2004 Spring Cycle Grants: $322,300

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About Face Theatre
1222 W. Wilson Ave., 2nd Floor W.
Chicago, IL 60640
773-784-8565 ext. 111
$14,300
Support for the About Face Youth Theatre, a project devoted to the creation of original performances and performance-based workshops focused on education, leadership development, and empowerment for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth and their allies from around the Chicago area.

Access Living
614 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Chicago, IL 60607
312-253-7000
$16,500
Support for Empowered FeFes, a program for young women with disabilities. The program works to motivate participants to participate fully in community life and build disability pride and self-esteem. Program workshops include discussions on issues such as gender and disability, employment, self-image, and sexuality.

Advocate Charitable Foundation
Latina Girls Club
Lake View SBHC
4015 N. Ashland
Chicago, IL 60613
773-404-0447
$16,500
Latina Girls Group at Lake View High School is a project that was created by and for young Latina students. The girls explore options for their future that enable understanding of their heritage, take control of their lives, and make informed choices for their futures.

Cambodian Association of Illinois
2831 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
773-878-7090
$8,800
For Khmer Angel (formally Omnach Boo Hu Srey) Teen Girls Club, a self-esteem and leadership development program for Cambodian girls ages 12-16. The program includes weekly activities on topics such as exploration of personal and cultural identity, sports and fitness, and career development. Girls participate in monthly peer discussion sessions and a series of team building activities.

Center on Halsted/ Horizons Community Services, Inc.
961 W. Montana
Chicago, IL 60614
773-472-6469
$11,000
Support for the Wednesday evening The Young Women's Program (formally "Ladies Only") drop-in session; part of the larger Youth Service Program Drop-In session components of Center on Halsted. The program recognizes the unmet needs of young lesbians, bi-sexual, and transgender women to explore their roles as women in society.

Chicago Girls' Coalition 
c/o Girl Scouts of Chicago
222 S. Riverside Plaza
Suite 2120
Chicago, IL 60606
312-416-2500 ext. 260
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, in support of the Chicago Girls' Coalition, a network working to build programs and centralized communication of program facilitators working with girls and young women in Chicago communities.

Chicago Women's Health Center
3435 N. Sheffield
Chicago, IL 60657
773-935-5665
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, to continue to expand the outreach and education program, which provides health-focused education in medically underserved Chicago communities, empowering women and girls to make informed choices about their life and health. The program collaborates with other organizations to advocate for public policy changes to eradicate conditions that cause poor health.

Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation (CESO)
c/o Mental Health Association in Illinois
188 West Randolph, Suite 2225
Chicago, IL 60601
312-368-9070 ext. 12
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, in support for CESO, a coalition of organizations, ensuring the safety and well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in Illinois through education, public policy, research, and student involvement.

Community Extension Project, Inc.
47 S. 6th Ave.
LaGrange, IL 60525
708-579-5898
$13,200
Support for The Girl's Group, a program to create opportunities for high school girls to explore their higher potential through health education and discussion, community volunteer services, and positive interaction with a diverse group of peers.

Friends of Battered Women and Their Children
P.O. Box 608548
Chicago, IL 60660
773-274-5232
$16,500
For Young Women's Action Team, to grow from a summer pilot program to a year-round girl-designed community action program in Rogers Park, a community area of Chicago. Teen girls will conduct research on self-selected issues, make recommendations to local groups, political figures, and law enforcement authorities based on their findings, and implement those recommendations.

Global Girls, Inc.
8110 S. Luella
Chicago, IL 60617
773-374-5009
$16,500
Global Girls engages girls ages 8-14 in activities that build stronger communication skills, life skills, and character. Girls, staff, volunteers, and board members collaborate in creating projects that demonstrate their core values: exposure, expertise, enlightenment, and empowerment. In weekly sessions, participants learn and practice new skills as they challenge themselves creatively.

Illinois Caucus For Adolescent Health
28 E. Jackson, Suite 710
Chicago, IL 60604
312-427-4460
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, in support of a plan to build a policy organization that is structured to become the leading source of information and initiative on adolescent sexual health and youth parent issues in the state. Over the next three years, work will include development and implementation of a direct youth recruitment, training, and leadership development strategy.

Korean American Resource & Cultural Center
2701A W Peterson Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
773-506-9158
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, to Building Sisterhood, a program that works to empower Korean American young women in high school by providing them with an opportunity to develop critical analysis, leadership skills, and a sense of sisterhood. Young women organize a social action campaign to raise community consciousness on issues of their choice.

Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum/Radio Arte WRTE
1401 W. 18th St.
Chicago, IL 60608
312-455-9455
$16,500
For La Femme, a weekly one-hour program developed by a committee of young women ages 15-21. The committee of young female producers create segments, write scripts, and host the radio show aired on 90.5 FM WRTE.

Mikva Challenge
25 E. Washington, Suite 826
Chicago, IL 60602
312-332-5810
$16,500
For the Young Women's Leadership Project, a program that connects young women with female public officials and community leaders. Participants develop leadership and social change skills while learning about politics, how to get their voices heard, and have their questions answered by political officials.

Multicultural Youth Project
1016 W. Argyle St
Chicago, IL 60640
773-784-2900 ext 119
$11,000
Multicultural Youth Project is a collaboration of immigrant and refugee agencies that promote the development of a diverse group of youth leaders dedicated to mutual understanding and social justice. Through the Youth Leadership Council and Youth Organizing Team, young people are empowered and equipped with the tools to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, and economic injustice in their schools and communities. (Multicultural Youth Project is a project of Chinese Mutual Aid Association.)

Questioning Youth Center (QYC)
1163 E. Ogden Ave.
Suite 705-337
Naperville, IL 60563
630-415-2053
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, to support general operations. Part of QYC's work includes a multi-phased wellness program for adolescent lesbian and bisexual females called Our Turn. In the first phase, young women plan and organize the direction and the focus of the group. In phase two, the participants receive education about health, wellness and personal safety during the coming out process. In the third phase, female youth leaders co-facilitate presentations in other Questioning Youth drop-in centers.

Southwest Youth Collaborative
6400 S Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60629
773-476-3534
$16,500
For Sisters Organizing for United Leadership (SOUL), a program created by and for young women ages 12-19 on the south and southwest sides of Chicago who are interested in advocating for change in their communities and schools. SOUL is a multicultural girl-led program that gives young women the opportunity to use their talents for the positive development of self and the empowerment of other young women. Participants organize a social action campaign in their community each year.

UMOJA Development Corporation
2935 W. Polk St., Room 116
Chicago, IL 60612
773-534-8877
$16,500
For Women of Destiny and Just US Girls I&II, leadership programs that engage girls and young women in activities that focus on creating positive relationships, academic and social success, and college and career planning. Participants also develop and implement a community project.

Young Chicago Authors
2049 W. Division, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60622 ext 2
773-486-4331
$16,500 each year
A three-year renewable grant, to expand GirlSpeak, a discussion, writing, and performance program for high school-aged young women. Writing is used as a gateway to explore, discuss, and exchange ideas on feminism, power, body image, street harassment, and other issues. Participants' poems and short stories are published and performed at the end of two fifteen-week sessions. This year, the new plan for Girl Speak is to integrate gender and feminist consciousness throughout YCA core programs

Young Women's Empowerment Project
2334 W. Lawrence Ave., Suite 209
Chicago, IL 60625
773-728-0127
$16,500
Support for Young Women's Empowerment Project (YWEP), a nonjudgmental, safe, and respectful space for girls and young women ages 11-21 who are impacted by the sex trade and street economies. Participants are engaged in discussions as a group and individually, and connected to services and overall support. YWEP provides authentic and open-minded education to schools, nonprofit organizations, and funders while working to inform the public and participate in advocacy and policy change efforts.