For more than 40 years, the Women’s Resource Center on the Gulf Coast of Florida has had the same mission: to empower women across all generations, races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds. By doing this, the center helps women navigate life’s transitions and build truly independent lives. As the center’s physical footprint has expanded over the years, so have the needs of its attendees. “One of Sarasota’s paradoxes is that while wealth abounds here, neediness does too,” says Ashley Brown, president and CEO of the Women’s Resource Center. “Nearly one out of every 10 residents of Sarasota County lives in poverty.footnote1”
Today, the Women’s Resource Center serves women across two counties and 13 separate municipalities. The vast majority are lower-income earners, and one-third are single mothers. To support them, the center offers such programs as employment coaching, mental health counseling, social and career networking, and financial education. “Our goal is for our clients to be financially self-sufficient and emotionally healthy and resilient,” Brown says.
When women visit one of the three main centers in Sarasota, Bradenton or Venice, the staff starts by identifying their specific needs, then creates a unique plan for them and connects them with local resources. Whether they are looking for career direction, struggling to meet the financial needs of their families or searching for clothes to wear for a work interview, the center has resources to help. “Simply stated, meaningful work can profoundly change the lives of women and their families forever,” says Brown. Many of the programs are offered bilingually to serve the region’s sizable Hispanic-Latina population.
The support for the Women’s Resource Center is an example of how, from entrepreneur funding and expanding homeownership to professional skills training and healthcare access, Bank of America continues to partner with innovative leaders to help communities implement solutions to society’s important challenges. “The most significant impact we make is getting people on track to earning a family-supporting wage and on a healthy path emotionally,” says Brown. “Funds received through grants like Bank of America’s allow us to deliver effectively on our mission.”
