Girls For A Change is a national organization that empowers girls to create social change. We invite young women to design, lead, fund and implement social change projects that tackle issues girls face in their own neighborhoods. GFC provides the tools, resources, partnerships and support girls need to gain the voice, ability, and problem-solving capacity to realize their full potential. We welcome and serve all girls and focus our efforts on girls who live in low income communities.

GFC was founded in , California in 2002--and has since doubled the number of girls served. We expanded to the Phoenix Metro Area in 2005 (see Communities). GFC kicks off each year with a Girl Summit, a one day conference where more than 1,500 girls gather to learn about social change and are empowered to take action.Following the Girl Summit, girls form Girl Action Teams with two women volunteer Coaches. In partnership with women, the teams of 10 girls meet throughout the school year to identify an issue they want to change and then design and implement a social change project.

Imagine the possibilities if every year thousands of middle school and high school girls learn how to tackle community problems! Picture the huge number of powerful women leaders driving local communities and the world toward success and well-being.

This is our work.

Our mission:

• Empower girls to be social change makers by providing the tools, resources and support girls need to move from being spectators to being change makers.
• Catalyze professional women to support urban middle and high school girls to become social change makers and innovators, by training the women as social change makers and activists.

How we accomplish this mission:

1. GIRL SUMMIT: Each year 1,000+ girls and 500 women have the opportunity to attend an all-girl event that offers dynamic workshops, speakers, leaders, activists and performers who are all involved with the sole purpose of empowering girls as social change makers and celebrating girls and young women.
2. GIRL ACTION TEAMS: A thousand girls annually have the opportunity to participate in community teams. The girls identify challenges in their communities and design and implement creative solutions to address them as a team. Each team has two women coaches to guide and support the girls through the project.
3. “NEW GIRLS NETWORK”: GFC connects girls to a network of professional women and legislators who help them build their own web of contacts and mentors. This network aims to help girls accomplish their GFC project as well as their personal goals. It also builds a bridge to the rich opportunities of local communities, as many GFC girls live in lower income areas.

How GFC benefits girls:

In completing the GFC program, girls will gain an increase in four areas:

• Self-efficacy (belief in one’s personal power to produce an effect)
• Authentic relationships with women volunteers, called coaches
• Social Change skills (critical thinking, problem solving, resource development, and networking)
• The ability and confidence to express and implement their ideas