Women's Endowment Fund Support

The Women's Endowment Fund administered at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba is a fund designed to generate financial resources for services that directly benefit women in Manitoba. Grants are made to registered charities only, and preference is usually given to innovative projects in the areas of community awareness and education, health and social services. The Women's Endowment Fund Grants Committee reviews all applications and has recommended grants supporting a variety of pervasive issues affecting women of all ages. Below are just a few of the projects supported by the Women's Endowment Fund:

ALPHA HOUSE is an organization that provides safe housing for women and children who have left abusive situations. This organization has been helped with the purchase of a fax machine, an encyclopedia set and other materials for their Children's Study Program, as well as a crib, high chair and playpen.

ELIZABETH FRY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA works for the advancement of justice by ensuring a fair and adequate treatment of women in conflict with the law. WEF provided assistance for their Educational Activities Project, which aims to educate women about various issues surrounding the criminal justice system in Manitoba.

JEWISH CHILD & FAMILY SERVICE provides services aimed at strengthening the individual and family life of its clients. They received funds to present two workshops: "Family Violence and the Immigrant Woman", and "Jewish Women Holocaust Survivors Support Group". The organization also received a grant for a project entitled "Positive Directions - Domestic Violence in the Jewish Community.

KALI SHIVA AIDS SERVICES is an organization which offers support programs for women and children who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. They received a grant for the Nine Sisters Community Collective, an economic development initiative which aims to provide work opportunities to low-income women infected with AIDS.

CANCERCARE MANITOBA & RESEARCH FOUNDATION -The Guardian Angel Breast Cancer Benefit Committee received support for specialized equipment called the Navigator Gamma Guidance System for Sentinal Lymph Node Biopsy.

THE PAS COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN IN CRISIS developed a project to encourage young women to be aware of their own abilities and skills, to foster positive self-esteem and promote healthy lifestyle and relationships. (The Committee later reported that this project, called "Treat Me Right - I Ain't No Barbie Girl" has been highly successful and is now being taken into outlying communities.) The Fund also provided a grant towards an exciting new project entitled "Mom and Me: Violence Free", a week-long recreational and educational program for moms and their children to promote positive parenting and non-violent strategies for coping.

WINNIPEG BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS INC. received a grant to support "Girls Night Out," a girls-only recreational/educational program that introduces at-risk girls to new and interesting sports and activities in a safe and supportive environment, allowing development of friendships and self-esteem.