Girls For A Change (GFC) is a national organization that empowers thousands of teen girls to create and lead social change. GFC provides girls with professional female role models, leadership training and the inspiration to work together in teams to solve persistent societal problems in their communities. Explore our web site to learn more about how you can join our movement and how girls are transforming our world--and reinventing girl culture--through GFC!

We are proud to announce that 2008-09 was GFC's biggest year ever - with more girls and Girl Action Teams implementing social change in more places than ever before - over 100 Girl Action Teams created projects!

After our National Tour in fall 2008, which resulted in training 2,300 girls as change agents over 26 days, GFC launched a new site in Richmond, VA. Outside of Richmond, teams that were added nationally included schools in New York City, Philadelphia and Toledo. In addition, GFC reached girls in 6 different countries this year through our partnerships with Soccer Without Borders and Girls Helping Girls.

Check out the amazing social change projects created by girls throughout the country here! 

Our work is not possible without the hundreds of supporters each year that give time and support to GFC. Our GFC Coaches are the heart of our work. They meet weekly with girls to implement the GFC program. All Coaches are volunteers. We are deeply grateful to our coaches and wanted to share feedback from them about their year:

"Coaching and listening ... has transformed the way I communicate with my friends and family."

"In my own teaching, GFC has taught me strategies to help me to allow my classroom to be more student driven. I also have learned that empowering the community and education are more effective methods of social change, as opposed to charity."

"The whole coaching concept has changed how I approach people/life - asking powerful questions, deeply listening, giving permission to everyone to be honest and authentic, and  debriefing. The whole concept of being partners with the girls has spread to other parts of my life as has the integration of fun (activities)."

"Even after several years of my career spent as a project manager, working with the girls has really helped me think more about how to harness the energy of a group in pursuit of a goal.  The girls have so much energy, and it can go in a lot of different directions.  Using the activities, and finding ways to really allow the girls to own their project has changed the way I approach working with teams in my job. It's also made me think differently about my ability to impact the community around me."

"Personally, it has offered me an accomplishment outside of my family, that I can share with them.  Very self-fulfilling."

"My surprising success at relating to the girls and the girls relating to me reminded me of the things that really matter in life - human connection, unconditional acceptance and opening oneself to possibilities."

"I have learned skills with understanding, listening and leading a group that help me SO MUCH in the work place!! Being a coach makes me practice the skills I need to be an all around kind person and I'm so glad I got this opportunity."

In fall 2008, GFC started a new partnership with America Learns, the premier performance measurement and learning firm in the education and grantmaking sectors. The web based service was used this year by GFC Coaches from 100 Girl Action Teams in Silicon Valley, Phoenix, Richmond, New York City, Philadelphia and Toledo. Coaches reported out data on their team meetings that ranged from the number of girls who attended meetings to the current status of the social change project the girls were creating.

The America Learns partnership has been a valuable tool for GFC staff and coaches. One of the most popular services provided by the America Learns network is the sharing of best practices from volunteers and youth workers. Volunteers report in America Learns best practices they have created and implemented to overcome challenges they encounter. For the second time this year, GFC is proud to announce that a strategy from a GFC Girl Action Team has been selected as the Strategy of the Month! Meghan Arrigo, our Western Region Program Director, was also selected as an America Learns Staff Superstar in April.

Check out GFC's America Learns Network Superstars:

May 2009: Brandy Peterson and Lianna Woods are GFC Coaches in our Richmond site. They were honored this month for their fortune cookie strategy they used to encourage the girls on their Girl Action Team at Albert Hill Middle School. See the strategy here.

April 2009: Meghan Arrigo's interview with America Learns about how the network has been useful for GFC can be heard here.

January 2009: See Crystal C.'s "Burrito Hug" strategy here. Crystal is a member of the Girl Steering Committee in Silicon Valley and has participated in GFC Girl Action Teams at San Jose High Academy for two years. Her strategy was submitted by her coach.

Girls For A Change empowers young women to create change in their own communities with the guidance of adult women. About 5-10 girls and two women "coaches" make up a Girl Action Team. Teams design and implement a social change project that will make a lasting change in their neighborhood, city or school.

More than 100 Girl Action Teams have been meeting across the US and internationally this year. Check out how Girl Action Teams are transforming our world:

Phoenix

Richmond

Silicon Valley

(Projects for the current year are updated in the spring)

The Sephora Project, which presented the GFC National Tour in fall 2008, is supporting GFC's mission in stores with the Sephora Tote Bag and Change Purse. The Sephora Project is an initiative created to educate and empower women whose mission, like Sephora's, is to make the world a more beauty-full place.

"Girls For A Change is thrilled to partner with Sephora to help girls and women see themselves as power, brilliant and beautiful. By donating proceeds from the purchase of these items, Sephora will be helping us reach thousands of girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to learn how to create positive change in their communities and in their own lives," says Whitney Smith, CEO of Girls For A Change.

With The Sephora Project Change Purse you can change the world, one change purse at a time. Costing just $5, three dollars from each change purse will be donated to GFC. The Sephora Project Tote Bag, made from recycled bottles, let's you show off your support of GFC. When you purchase The Tote Bag ($12), six dollars from each bag will be donated to GFC.

Purchase these items in Sephora stores nationwide, online here or by calling 1-877-SEPHORA

Check out the change purse as featured gift in Lucky's Gifts that Give Back