The Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road (GSKWR) has been awarded significant support from AmeriCorps VISTA Program and The Steele Reese Foundation that will contribute to the improvement of community engagement and education outcomes for girls in low-income and rural communities throughout Kentucky.
GSKWR is launching “Building the Bridge to K-12 Girl Leadership,” a project that will focus on building volunteer infrastructure and capacity to expand and sustain Girl Scout program delivery to 450 low-income girls in twelve targeted eastern and southeastern Kentucky counties: McCreary, Whitley, Knox, Bell, Leslie, Perry, Breathitt, Floyd, Pike, Letcher, Knott and Harlan.
In partnership with AmeriCorps, a national service program designed to alleviate poverty, GSKWR has been awarded an AmeriCorps VISTA grant. The grant will provide funding for nine new staff members, including a Hispanic Community Organizer in Northern Kentucky, who will focus on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as English language learning and career development opportunities within Hispanic and bilingual Northern Kentucky communities.
GSKWR CEO Susan Douglas emphasized the importance of this vital support, saying, “Girl Scouts provides progressive, multi-year learning experiences around STEM, Entrepreneurship and Life Skills that accelerate girls learning and helps them develop durable skills. This investment from the Steele Reese Foundation combined with the AmeriCorps VISTA grant will help us reach rural, low-income girls in southeastern and eastern Kentucky who need Girl Scouts the most.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear noted the significance of education in workforce development, aligning with the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) investment priorities.
The Steele Reese Foundation is focused on the unique challenges of rural living and on helping people build healthy, successful, and sustainable communities. Through their two-year investment, GSKWR will build the volunteer infrastructure and capacity to expand and sustain vital Girl Scout programs positively impacting educational outcomes for girls.
The AmeriCorps VISTA partnership will recruit, train, and support volunteers to develop the infrastructure and capacity required to serve low-income girls residing in targeted ARC counties in eastern and southeastern Kentucky. VISTA members will conduct conversations with key stakeholders to gain input from local communities about needs and interests, as well as recruit and train volunteers, and develop collaborative community partnerships with schools, colleges, businesses, and other community organizations.
GSKWR is actively seeking additional AmeriCorps VISTA members to support these critical initiatives. Those interested in making a meaningful impact in their communities and empowering young girls are encouraged to apply for AmeriCorps VISTA positions.
To find out more about becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA member, please contact Tammy Durham, Director of Strategic Partnerships at tdurham@gswrc.org or Cindi Griffith, AmeriCorps Project Director, at cgriffith@gswrc.org.
