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.

2017 Grants Awarded to:

The Advocacy Center of Davie – $3,000: Funding will be used for Assistance for Women Living at or Below the Poverty Level, who are in danger of eviction or utility cutoff. Many women are not eligible, (or just partially) for assistance through government or local agencies to prevent homelessness. Clients are referred by other agencies to bridge the gap where other asistance may not be enough to keep these women and their children in their homes.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Services Inc. – $500: Funding will assist the Big Buddy Program, a year – long after school program at South Davie Middle School, targeting sixth graders, who would benefit from a mentor relationship with chosen eighth graders.

Davie County Schools – $4,500: Funding will assist the Healthy Davie Preschool Initiative to provide supplies and educational materials for parents and children. Eighteen underserved and economically disadvantaged four to five year-old children will be given access to high quality preschool in this school year.

Davie Domestic Violence Services & Rape Crisis Center – $2,500: Funding will be used for Bilingual Victim Support and Outreach for Victims of Domestic Violence and will provide a bilingual translator to assist with victim advocacy, court support and community outreach.

The Dragonfly House Children’s Advocacy Center – $3,300: Funding will be used for Trauma-Informed Schools Implementation, a program that addresses children who have experienced trauma and who have a negative reaction in the school setting, providing a safe place to become regulated.

Family Promise of Davie County – $8,000: 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 UMC Summer Food Bags – $3,500: Funding will be used for Summer Food Bags, a project to distribute food to at-risk K-5 students who live in food insecure households with summer weekend meals. The project addresses the realization that students who receive free breakfasts and lunches through the yearly school sponsored programs have few resources during the summer weekends.

Hillsdale United Methodist Church – $3,000: Funding will be used for Heavenly Bags, a program to purchase food and deliver to residents within low-income, food insecure neighborhoods on a weekly basis. Additionally, Heavenly Bags delivers weekly weekend food backpacks to Elementary Schools for children in need during the school year.

Just HOPE, Inc. – $ 5,200: 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 – $4,800: Funding will be used for Nurturing Parenting Program, a project to assist families with intervention and prevention of child abuse and neglect.