On May 21^st 2017 members of Girls Who Grant walked in this year’s Southern Maine Heart Walk in Portland to honor Wayne McCarthy, member Krystle McCarthy’s father. Krystle’s father was the victim of a heart scare which is why she and her family are so passionate about supporting the American Heart Association. GWG presented Wayne with the $500 grant in his name at the walk which went towards sponsoring a team.

“It was an honor to walk with this group of women. I am forever thankful to girls who grant for choosing the American heart association to donate in my name. Much love to all you wonderful, generous, giving ladies.”- Wayne McCarthy

Earlier this week we met up with Sanford natives Marlene and Brian Flanagan to give them our next grant. Their son, Brady Flanagan will be running the Boston Marathon on April 17th to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of his Dad.
Brady’s parents accepted this grant as Brady is busy training diligently for this huge undertaking. Please join us in supporting this fight by donating to Brady at: Team Brady

Good Luck on Monday Brady #GWG will be routing for you!!

It is hard for young children to attend school all day, but harder still when they only have soda and chips to fuel their little bodies for the day.  In Lebanon the teachers have pooled resources to open a pantry that provides healthy alternatives for students.  Girls Who Grant was able to donate $500 towards this initiative.  Thank you to Mallory, one of our members who is the gym teacher at Lebanon Elementary, for getting us involved with such a great campaign and giving us a tour of the school!

We recently visited Sanford High School to grant the women’s lacrosse team $500.  We wanted to be able to give back to the Sanford sports programs that had done so much for us over the years.  Many sports require a lot of equipment and we hope that this donation will allow a young woman to play that may not have had the funds to do so before.

Riley Bodkin received the first annual Girls Who Grant scholarship. Applicants were asked to write a one-page essay on the following: What have you done and what WOULD you do to build a stronger community in Sanford? Riley and her mother Frances Dyer Bodkin joined the monthly GWG event where Riley read her winning essay.

Riley was a member of Key Club and the Environmental Club at Sanford High School. It was through these clubs that she was able to give back to the community.  “In order to alter this city into a modern, booming community, people must work tirelessly through community service.  It is our job, as young people, to make our mark on this city, just as past generations did.”

In the fall she will go to a four year school to study to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. “In this career, I would help rehabilitate stroke patients, help people overcome swallowing and breathing issues, as well as help children with speech and language related learning deficiencies. It would be my goal to work at the speech practice Springvale, a village within Sanford, to continue my journey of bettering Sanford in every way possible.”

GWG wishes Riley a bright future and will be looking for her to “make her mark” on our community when she returns. Congratulations Riley!!

Camp Kita  is a non-profit summer bereavement camp specifically for children that have experienced the suicide of a loved one.  The funds will be used to support a camper at their week long retreat created to give children a safe place to grieve and begin the process of healing.

We donated funds directly to the guidance counselors of Sanford High School to use at their discretion.  There are students that arrive back to school in the fall needing new shoes and warm jackets.  Our amazing, local guidance counselors always find a way to help their students any way they can!

Our second grant was made on behalf of a member that had recently used the services of the Barbara Bush wing at Maine Medical Center.  Sanford, as a community, has always been a huge supporter of the Maine Children’s Cancer Program and we were proud to be able to contribute to the pediatric unit as well.

Our first grant was given to a local grassroots non-profit Caring Unlimited .  Funds were used towards a new garden-to-table program at their emergency shelter, which will give the residents an opportunity to grow, harvest and cook their own food.  Studies have shown that gardening is very therapeutic for victims of trauma and abuse.  We were proud to be able to help an amazing organization working to strengthen and empower survivors of domestic violence.