Disability EmpowHer Network Receives $10,000 from the Aerie Real Foundation to Support EmpowHer Camp 2024!
March 20, 2024 - Disability EmpowHer Network was awarded a $10,000 Aerie Real Foundation Community Grant to support young women with disabilities at EmpowHer Camp this summer.
Disability EmpowHer Network is a national organization led by and for girls and women with disabilities. EmpowHer Camp is Disability EmpowHer Network’s yearlong multi-stage skill-building, mentoring, and leadership program for transition-age girls and nonbinary teenagers with disabilities. EmpowHer Camp brings a diverse group of girls with disabilities together to camp with successful disabled women mentors in the Adirondacks for a week to learn disaster preparedness, survival, independent living, and leadership skills. The next summer, they reunite in Washington, D.C. to explore how they have grown as leaders. During the year between the first trip and the reunion trip, participants work on a community impact project with the help of their mentors. This is a life-changing program for participants and their families, as well as the disabled women mentors.
The grant will be used to create an inclusive community at EmpowHer Camp and support participants in building confidence and learning how to protect our planet. At the conclusion of the year-long journey, participants will be empowered with the skills and confidence to lead, and live to their fullest potential.
“We’re honored and grateful to be receiving the Aerie Real Foundation Community Grant,” said Stephanie Woodward, Executive Director of Disability EmpowHer Network, “We know that this support will give more disabled girls access to mentorship and new skills which will set a strong foundation for their leadership journey.”
Disability EmpowHer Network launched EmpowHer Camp in August 2021 with nine disabled teenagers and nine successful disabled women role models hailing from thirteen different states. Since then, fifteen participants have graduated from the program with an additional ten participants expected to complete their year-long journey in July. Graduates of EmpowHer Camp have made incredible impacts on their communities through their community projects, for example, one young leader successfully advocated for her school district to purchase evacuation chairs for every school in the district. Another participant created a guide for emergency services on creating emergency shelters that are accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities and nonbinary people. The current class of EmpowHer Camp participants will graduate from the program at the close of their D.C. Leadership Reunion Trip this July and the next class will begin their yearlong journey with the camping trip in August!
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Contact: Sophie Poost at Sophie@DisabilityEmpowHerNetwork.org