Contact:

Sheila Bracy, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1253
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

T: 508-696-8880
F: 508-696-0881

E: womenempowered@comcast.net

www.women-empowered.org

Founded: 2000

Mission:

The mission of Women Empowered is to empower women (and men) of Martha's Vineyard to make positive choices by developing and fostering life skills to facilitate change in their lives.

Major Programs:

Women Empowered provides a Life Skills Program which helps clients establish a successful approach to solving their problems and making good decisions. Majority of clients learn: to resolve credit card debt; to create and use family budgets; to create and use resumes; employment interviewing skills. Women Empowered also runs Financial Literacy Programs including a 5-week Money Smart program.

501(c)(3)? Yes

Form 990 Filed? Yes

Basic Financial Information: as of  12/31/06

Total Income: $27,373             Total Assets: $1,000

Total Expenses: $31,686           Total Liabilities: $4,313.27

Board Members:

Eleanor Beth, President
Sharon Clauss-Zanger, Vice President
Barbara Conroy, Treasurer
Joyce Rickson, Secretary
Thomas Dresser
Kaye Flathers
Bonnie Marcus
Christine Williams

Background:

Because the cost of living on Martha's Vineyard is significantly out of scale with that of most mainland
communities (as reported in both the M V Times and Gazette April 12th and 13th, 2007 issues) many heads of household find themselves under financial and personal stress.  Because the Island offers few year around jobs with meaningful benefits and because many heads of houshold are single parents raising children, Women Empowered offers instruction in problem solving and basic life skills at no cost to its clients. 

As our clients become strong problem solvers, reliable decision makers and healthy around their financial issues they make a positive economic impact on the Island and are able to work themselves off social service programs. Please visit our web site and read some of their stories, "In Their Own Words".

The services are available to all who request them without regard to age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, income, religion, political persuasion or any other definig
characteristic.  We also offer follow up services so, when needed, former clients can check back into the program if emergencies or difficult situations present themselves.  In 2005 and 2006 our number of clients served was 98 and 101 respetively and as of March 31st of 2007 we have
already served 35 clients, indicating a projected increase of 39 over 2006.

All services are offered by trained volunteers.  Nearly 100% of our support comes from individual donors who recognize the need for the services we offer and are aware that we fill a niche market not currently being addressed.