Pace Center for Girls’ (Pace) Pinellas and Hillsborough centers received a $170,000 grant from The Schoen Foundation to support Pace’s mission to provide girls and young women an opportunity to thrive. By offering a variety of academic courses, counseling, life-skills training, career preparation and more for middle and high school aged girls at no cost, Pace focuses on providing wrap-around support to help girls recover from trauma and succeed in school and beyond.
“Pace is a critical resource to help girls overcome barriers and traumatic experiences that can influence their decisions and life journeys,” said Kathryn Schoen, Trustee of the Schoen Foundation. “We’re honored to support this next generation of women – empowering them to be productive, successful contributors to their communities.”
All girls, regardless of their story, deserve safe and supportive spaces to heal and develop into strong, compassionate and successful women. Pace’s nationally-recognized programs are designed specifically for girls to include strength-based counseling, case management and therapy services that yield successful results, with nine out of 10 girls having no involvement with the juvenile justice system within one year after completing Pace. Since 1997, more than 3,600 girls across the greater Tampa Bay area have enrolled in the Pace program.
“We are so appreciative to the Schoen Foundation for their support and for playing such a substantial role in the future of Pace Pinellas,” said Chantell Miles, Executive Director, Pace Center for Girls Pinellas. “As our operations expand to provide more girls with academic and social services, we are incredibly grateful for their continued generosity and shared vision.”
The Schoen Foundation’s grant supports the centers’ efforts to offer innovative recovery programs like the Growth & Change Behavior Modification system where girls celebrate milestones, learn new skills, and develop positive thinking that encourages personal growth and transformation. Program services like these require the majority of funding, representing 83% of Pace’s expenses.
“It’s because of generous donors like the Schoen Family that Pace Hillsborough can provide services designed to help our girls grow and develop,” said Davia Lerebours, Executive Director, Pace Center for Girls Hillsborough. “This contribution will support our incentive-based programs, helping girls discover hidden abilities, develop new skills and grow their knowledge to advance their confidence and self-worth.”
For more information about Pace Center for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org.
###
About Pace Center for Girls
Pace Center for Girls envisions a world where all girls and young women have power, in a just and equitable society. Founded in 1985, Pace provides free year-round middle and high school academics, case management, counseling, and life skills development in a safe and supportive environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds upon girls’ individual strengths. Dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and education needs of girls, Pace has a successful and proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading advocates for girls in need. For more information on Pace Center for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org.