Leaders of Bucks County Agencies Serving Women and Girls
Encourage Dialogue at Open Public Forums
The viable candidacy of a woman for the nation's highest elected office has sparked excitement and debate about "women's issues” among women across the country and here in Bucks County. As the candidates vie for women-friendly positions and the Pennsylvania primary approaches, the leaders of Bucks County agencies serving women and girls are encouraging women across the county to dialogue on these critical issues.
Public forums sponsored by the Bucks County Women's Fund to be held throughout Bucks County will provide opportunities for nonpartisan dialogue while also helping the Fund (BCWF) learn more about women's perspectives on the critical issues facing area women and girls today.
"There are many more immigrants in Bucks County today. Women in these families are struggling with many of the same issues as other women – finding work and childcare and transportation – but they have the added challenges of the language barrier and the isolation of being from a different culture. This shift in demographics will impact the lives of their children and, ultimately, everyone in our county. We need to consider how best to help,” said Audrey J. Tucker, Chief Executive Officer of Family Service Association of Bucks County, a past recipient of grant funding from the BCWF.
"Reaching girls with messages about self esteem is also a key priority for agencies serving Bucks County today,” said Linda Hahn, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Bucks County, another past recipient of grant funding from the BCWF. "This is an important strategy to help them make good choices about health, relationships, and careers as they grow up. To the greatest extent possible, we need people across the county to get involved in crafting and conveying these messages of strength and support.”
"We hope the Public Forums will bring to light additional shifts in women's circumstances and needs that can be addressed by future Women's Fund grants,” states Kathleen Welsh Beveridge, Executive Director of the Bucks County Women's Fund.
To enhance the dialogue and promote forum participation, these leaders are available for interviews prior to March 17, 2008.
Open public forums will be held on the following dates:
- Monday, March 17, 7-9 p.m., James Lorah House, 132 N. Main St., Doylestown, Memorial Auditorium;
- Monday, March 31, 7-9 p.m., Bucks County Free Library, James A. Michener Branch, 401 W. Mill St., Quakertown, Schweiker Meeting Room.
According to Beveridge, Univest National Bank and Trust Co. will sponsor the forums. "We appreciate Univest's support of both the needs assessment and our mission to invest in women's lives and girls' futures.”
The forums will provide a venue for Bucks County women and girls to share their experiences, learn about existing resources and identify gaps in services. The results will be shared in a report to legislators and community leaders. BCWF board members will use the lessons learned to develop grantmaking strategies for addressing gaps in service, with the ultimate goal of creating positive and lasting social change. The Bucks County Women's Fund is a nonprofit public foundation which invests in women's lives and girls' futures to achieve a society that values, respects and empowers all women. It is dedicated to raising money to fund and support programs and policies that impact, empower and improve their lives. The Fund also educates the community about the needs of women and girls, and is part of a global network of women's funds with this common vision.
The BCWF invites everyone in the community to participate in these open forums. More information and directions are available at www.bcwf.org. RSVP to 215-345-5440 or event@bcwf.org; walk-ins welcome.
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