Pearls mission is to “improve the lives of women and children by building a community of female givers who provide grants to local programs and initiatives that address the root causes of social issues impacting women and children in Davie County.”
Pearls of Empowerment invite nonprofit organizations to apply for grants that directly benefit women and/or children of Davie County. Our goal is to empower Davie County nonprofits to provide assistance and/or services for these two critical groups in ways they have been unable to in the past. The Pearls grant application is available from June – August annually. Pearls grants are awarded each November.
In its tenth year, Pearls awards total $317,112!
2019 Pearls of Empowerment Grants total $40,100!
2019 Grants Awarded to:
Advocacy Center of Davie County – $5,600: Funding will be used for Housing Stabilization for Davie County Women and Children and to assist Davie County working residents who live at poverty level and have had a financial crisis interrupt their ability to pay rent/mortgage or utilities. The grant will also be used to assist senior citizens who own their homes but live on a fixed income that does not allow for basic repairs.
Cancer Services, Inc – $1,600: Funding will be used for Financial Assistance for Female Cancer Survivors in Davie County. Cancer Services provides a comprehensive range of financial, emotional and physical support services to patients facing any type of cancer.
Cognition of Davie County, Inc – $2,000: Funding will be used for the COGNITION Kitchen to purchase cooking utensils for use in classes. A basic supply of pots, pans, mixing bowls, serving dishes, plates, cups, and utensils will be purchased. This project will help children and families acquire knowledge in the kitchen! Healthy cooking camps and classes for children and families will be offered.
Davidson County Community College – Davie Campus – $500: Funding will be used for College and Career Readiness, which offers offers individuals who dropped out of school the opportunity to return to school (DCCC) and complete a high school equivalency or high school diploma. Many participants are the sole providers for their children and are unable to afford adequate childcare so they can attend school. The lack of ability to pay can usually be attributed to unemployment, underemployment (low wages), being a single parent, or other financial burdens (food, rent), etc.
Davie County – $1,000: Funding will be used for Davie County Care Management for Pregnant women and Children 0-5 years to prevent injury and death among infants and children in Davie County, the Pack-N-Play program, and for supplemental diapers. The Pack-N-Play program educates and assists parents and caregivers in proper safe sleep best practices. Parents and caregivers are expected to demonstrate correct use of the Pack-N-Play set up before staff can leave the Pack-N-Play in their home.
Davie Pregnancy Care Center – $1,500: Funding will be used for Just Earn While You Learn program, allowing clients of Davie Pregnancy to attend educational and financial planning classes to earn vouchers in exchange for items that include car seats, cribs and mattresses.
Family Promise of Davie County – $10,000: Funding will be used for Family Promise Case Management Program, a program to provide families with case management, transportation, job training, educational and budgeting classes, as well as permanent housing assistance.
Hardison United Methodist Church Summer Foods Bags – $2,500: Funding will be used for Summer Food Bags, a program that provides food to students during the summer who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Hillsdale United Methodist Church – $3,000: Funding will be used for Heavenly Bags, a program that delivers non-perishable food to food-insecure children, women, elderly and families door-to-door in Davie County. It will also provide the food-insecure school children who attend the 3 partner schools in Davie County with food through the weekend Backpack Program.
Just HOPE, Inc. – $ 6,000: Funding will be used for Women’s LEAD (Learn, Earn, Advance, Discover) Program, to assist with housing and utilities, training and education, materials, gas for mileage, and uniforms for work as women are trained to re-enter the workforce.
Smart Start of Davie County – $1,600: Funding will be used for Lena Home Program, to assist families with prevention of child neglect by encouraging parents to talk more to their children. The program consists of education sessions and recorder devices worn by children.
The Dragonfly House Children’s Advocacy Center – $4,800: Funding will be used for Resources for Cohort 1 Schools to implement Compassionate & Resilient Schools model prior to the 2023 school year. The Dragonfly House will work closely with each of the school Taskforce members to help determine what their strategies should be and what supplies and resources should be purchased to meet the needs of their students.