Fairfield County Giving Day 2021 is Thursday, Feb. 25

Powered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Fairfield County’s Giving Day is the region’s biggest philanthropic event and will be back for its eighth year on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021.

Fairfield County’s Giving Day is a coordinated, one-day effort to make a difference for local nonprofits that deliver vital services to our neighborhoods.

Participating Wilton Organizations

As of Wednesday, Feb. 24, here are the organizations located in Wilton that are officially participating in Fairfield County Giving Day (descriptions provided by organizations):

[Editor’s Note:  This list was compiled from the FCCF Giving Day website’s list of participating Wilton organizations. Any Wilton organizations that were not on that list but that are participating, please email the editor.]

Wilton Playshop:  The Wilton Playshop is a non-profit community theatre serving Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport and surrounding communities. Since 1937 its mission has been to further the performing arts by providing quality live theatre and, by doing so, provide an educational and growing experience for all involved.

This year’s objective is to invest in the design and implementation of multiple infrastructure enhancements that leverage existing momentum and current community engagement to advance the organization over the course of the next five years. The ultimate result will help prepare and celebrate The Playshop’s legacy 90th anniversary as one of the oldest non-profit theatres in New England.

Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps, INC.:  Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps (WVAC) provides 24/7 Emergency Medical Response coverage to the Town of Wilton. Each and every call represents an accomplishment. However, as an organization, Corps members are particularly proud of their services rendered during the recent (and ongoing) COVID-19 pandemic. WVAC members, all volunteers, put themselves at significant personal risk to provide support to the town throughout the crisis.

Stay at Home in Wilton: Stay at Home in Wilton offers seniors supportive services and resources, along with social and educational programs that unite its members as a community and enhance their efforts to remain independent, active and connected in Wilton.

The Wilton Land Conservation Trust:  The Wilton Land Conservation Trust—led by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees made up of Wilton residents—works to protect Wilton’s unique natural, scenic, and historical landscapes through conservation and stewardship. The WLCT is a community-focused land trust dedicated to preserving land for open space, protecting biodiversity, and promoting environmental awareness and education.

The WLCT views conservation through a community lens and proudly partners with our local Girl and Boy Scouts to steward open spaces and complete projects that benefit the greater Wilton community. To bolster community and enhance cooperation, the WLCT actively partners with local community-focused organizations to create public events, educational opportunities, recreational activities and better preserve the woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and watercourses located in Wilton in perpetuity.

One hundred percent of its operational funding derives from local citizens’ generous support, primarily through membership donations.

Wilton Singers: The Wilton Singers is a regional, auditioned chorus that attracts adult singers of all musical backgrounds.

This year, more than ever, Wilton Singers need community support! Like most arts organizations, the group had to cancel its in-person performances over the past year. With support, they hope to safely perform once again!

Every dollar donated goes towards both the Wilton Singers’ aspirations to enrich the public by sharing a wide variety of musical styles, from classic to contemporary, and its mission to support the next generation of singers with scholarships for dedicated members of the Wilton High School music program.

Trackside Teen Center of Wilton:  Trackside is Wilton’s teen center offering safe, supervised afterschool programs and evening and weekend events for Wilton’s high school and middle school teens. Its mission is to promote healthy, drug- and alcohol-free development for teens and pre-teens while they are at a vulnerable point in their lives. For high school students, this may be on Friday and Saturday nights when they may otherwise be tempted by peer pressure, and for middle school students, it is often after school where rather than be home alone, they have a place to go where they can engage in a wide variety of activities while gaining independence, building self-esteem and developing new interests and friendships.

At Trackside, teens can engage in a wide variety of activities free of charge. They can challenge their friends to video games, play ping-pong, pool, and air hockey, learn new tabletop games, watch movies and favorite shows, listen to music, develop and strengthen artistic skills and when the weather is nice head outside to shoot some hoops or throw a ball.

Trackside has been open since 2004 and is currently in the process of revamping its programs and events to engage this current generation of teens. With help of a new Programming Director, Dr. John Priest, and the Middle School Student Governing Board, Trackside has seen its after-school attendance triple in the past month. Organizers are also working with the high school student governing board to plan Friday and Saturday night events throughout the remainder of this year and next. At the same time, Trackside is working to ensure that the ‘Teen Only’ facility is able to service kids’ needs by remaining updated and modernized to their interests.

While the town of Wilton covers a portion of the staffing costs, Trackside must raise the majority of its funding needs to cover its operating expenses, facility upkeep and upgrades as well as for its teen programming. They are only able to offer these services to Wilton teens with the support of community members and individuals who help ensure that Wilton teens have a safe place to call their own.

Norwalk River Watershed Association: The Norwalk River Watershed Association, incorporated in 1996, is a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to improve the water quality and fish and wildlife habitats of the 40,000-acre Norwalk River watershed; to restore the riverbanks, meadows and forests through invasive plant abatement and promotion of native species; to encourage recreational use of the river, the surrounding open space and its trails; and to promote research, legislative advocacy, education, cooperation, and action on the part of the stakeholders in the seven watershed towns in CT (Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, New Canaan, Weston, and Norwalk) and NY (Lewisboro). The NRWA is working to help implement the Norwalk River Watershed Action Plan.

WHS Theater Arts Association Inc.:  Wilton High School has had an amazing tradition of Theater Arts opportunities for talented WHS students and is well known for the professional level of its theatrical productions. Family and friends are treated to Broadway-quality productions that are authentically costumed and staged. In 2019, parents came together to establish the WHS Theater Arts Association (TAA), a 501(c)(3) booster organization to support theater arts at Wilton High School. The purpose of the WHS TAA is to support the artistic director and theater department both financially and with volunteer hours.

This year is an extraordinary situation. In order to keep safe the production will be performing outdoors which requires different expenses than usual. Some of the expenses will include: renting an outdoor stage, lighting equipment, a generator, security, permits, COVID safety signage and directional materials.

Please consider making a donation to support making the spring musical of WORKING possible for the cast and crew of 45 students and production staff.

Woodcock Nature Center: The grounds and trails at Woodcock Nature Center are a classroom, a refuge, a gathering space, and most recently, a source of healing and hope. The ability to enjoy, explore and learn outdoors at Woodcock Nature Center is truly a gift.

Since the pandemic hit, Woodcock’s outdoor programs in environmental education have been attracting a growing audience. Summer camp is already nearly sold out and its community events and fundraisers have brought tremendous joy and togetherness during a time when all desperately need it.

Visitors to the preserve have increased 200% since March 2020?

More programs and more people at Woodcock means more reasons to increase on-site education for visitors and more reasons to create new places to gather safely.
The increased traffic seen at Woodcock also means the organization needs more funds dedicated to keeping its trails in good shape, its playground ready for fun, and its buildings safe for students and staff.

Here are just a few of the things Woodcock is hoping to accomplish with the funds raised on Giving Day:

• install a new storage shed for all the equipment
• make repairs to the bridges on the trails
• install more trail signage (for safety and for education)
• make some much-needed repairs to buildings (new front doors, gutter repairs, and electrical upgrades to name a few)
• purchase more heaters and more outdoor seating

Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited: The Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited is a community of more than 4,000 members and supporters who work together to protect and restore the rivers and streams in lower Fairfield County. It helps improve water quality and watershed habitat through:

• Dam removal projects
• Streamside tree plantings
• In-stream habitat construction projects
• Trash cleanups
• Community volunteer days
• Youth education programs
• And much more

By partnering with state, local and regional agencies and working side-by-side with a host of other nonprofits, Trout Unlimited connects people to hands-on ways they can make local rivers–and the Long Island Sound–cleaner and healthier.

Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County: Founded in 1912, Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County has served children and adults in the heart of Fairfield County for more than a century.

The community-based, non-profit agency provides professional home health and hospice care and an array of community health services.

Its mission is to provide clinically excellent, compassionate care to enhance the health, well-being, independence and dignity of community residents.

Services include preventive, therapeutic, respite, rehabilitative, counseling, home health and hospice care services so that individuals and families may function at an optimum level of health and comfort.

Health promotional services include screenings, immunization clinics, and health education programs throughout Fairfield County. VNHFC does not turn away anyone in need of essential care.

Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County is a non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors who live locally and ensure that our programs and services meet your needs. Its resources are local and its commitment to the community is enduring.

Ambler Farm: Ambler Farm is a place “where good things grow.” It celebrates the community’s farming heritage through hands-on learning programs, sustainable agricultural practices and an appreciation of its rich history. Managed by the non-profit organization Friends of Ambler Farm, the 200-year-old 18-acre farm is a dynamic place. It offers many popular educational programs (a student Apprentice Program, Summer Camp and field trips), social events, a successful organic production garden and farm stand, and a lovingly maintained, bucolic open space. Ambler Farm is about making connections – to the land, the animals and each other, bringing the community together.

Music on the Hill:  Thanks to past support, Music on the Hill was able to pivot for 2020-21 and offer online Monthly Singing Focuses, Outdoor Handbell Ensemble, Yoga for Everyone via Zoom, and more!

Its Giving Day goal this year is toward reopening: with outdoor programming in the Spring and Summer, and indoor rehearsals and concerts as soon as it is safe to do so. Music on the Hill looks forward to re-opening its ensembles and are excited to re-launch its Community Children’s Chorus!

Under the dynamic leadership of artistic directors Ellen Dickinson and David H. Connell, Music on the Hill provides focused opportunities for choral musicians and vocalists, handbell ringers and instrumentalists to participate in performances, workshops and festivals, and social events with fellow music-lovers. It makes beautiful music, with a diverse and thoughtful repertoire.

As an independent entity, Music on the Hill broadens community-based offerings and provides a fresh educational and artistic approach to choral singing and handbell ringing for ensembles of every size.

Its Vision is broad: A culture of high-quality music performance and education, embraced by adults and children, with a continuum of ways to engage with music.

Its Mission is deep: To encourage music performance and music education for all ages; to foster the artistic growth of participants and strive for excellence; to inspire and enrich the community with high-caliber musical offerings.

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation:  Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation is dedicated to ensuring people who are blind receive increased independence to improve their lives and the world around them.

Fidelco specializes in the breeding, raising, and training of its German Shepherd guide dogs. It is an internationally accredited nonprofit and has placed more than 1,550 guide dogs throughout North America.

Each guide dog takes two years, 15,000 hours and $65,000 to produce–and all services are provided to clients at no cost.

Fidelco pioneered In-Community Placement, a process that allows guide dog users to be trained by professional instructors in the communities where its clients live and work. Clients receive 24/7 support for the entire working life of their guide dogs–typically 10 years.

Circle of Care for Families with Cancer: Circle of Care for Families of Children with Cancer is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization that supports children with cancer and their families during treatment. Its mission is to provide practical, emotional and financial assistance to Connecticut families of children in treatment for cancer through programs and services that meet the unique and challenging needs of pediatric cancer treatment. Until no parent has to hear the words “your child has cancer,” Circle of Care will be here no matter where the journey leads.

Berni & Murcer–Friends for Life: The overwhelming challenges and hardships that COVID-19 has created for families dealing with a childhood cancer diagnosis has been staggering – delayed appointments, treatments and procedures, severe financial strain, academic disruptions and overwhelming anxiety, all exacerbated by social isolation.

Each month, approximately 1,400 families will continue to hear the words no one wants to hear – “Your Child has Cancer ” – in the midst of a global pandemic.

These families need support now more than ever. Childhood Cancer is not canceled and above all, Hope is not canceled. Please join the journey of bringing hope and healing to children diagnosed with cancer (and their families) through the Berni & Murcer–Friends for Life “Comfort Backpack” program.

This multi-dimensional therapeutic program is designed to improve the child’s overall social and emotional well-being. With the normalcy of imaginative and interactive childhood play, Berni & Murcer–Friends for Life generates a renewal of inspired hope and increase of energy in the child to fight his or her illness, gain the strength and desire to persevere through the rigors of treatment, and increase their coping ability to receive life-enriching after-care. Berni & Murcer–Friends for Life transforms children away from being “cancer patients,” to a recognition of their own self-identity, personal growth, and a healthy outcome.

Norwalk River Valley Trail: The Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT) will be the longest trail in Fairfield County–30 miles of trail connecting Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk to Rogers Park in Danbury, passing through Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding along the way.

NRVT will give all the chance to hike, bike, run, walk, stroll with a baby, or walk with a furry friend along the Norwalk River, along ponds, and up lovely Connecticut hills. This trail recognizes that good mental and physical health comes from spending time in Mother Nature.

The 10-ft. wide, predominately stone dust trail accommodates everyone and is handicap accessible. The NRVT 30-mile trail was researched in 2012. Currently, there are 8.2 completed miles to enjoy with an additional 3.4 miles in progress.

Prospector Theater: The Prospector Theater is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing meaningful employment to people with disabilities through the operation of a premium, first-run movie theater. Employees of the Prospector, referred to as Prospects, are encouraged to sparkle, shine, and transform their passions into professions. Approximately 75% of its workforce self-identify with a disability.

Prospects use education, entertainment, and employment to showcase their incredible talents, adding extraordinary value and sparkle to our business. Prospects are involved at every level of the Prospector’s mission both in the theater and remotely – selling tickets, popping popcorn, filming, hosting events, editing, programming, landscaping, service learning, marketing, information technology, strategic planning, graphic design, game design, writing grants, baking, costume-making, and more!

Currently, 85% of Americans with disabilities are unemployed. The Prospector Theater was built as a solution to this problem. Meaningful employment is vital to a person’s mental, social, financial, and emotional health. The Prospector is open every day of the year, improving the quality of life for hundreds of adults with disabilities, their families, and the community at large.

Participating Organizations that Serve Wilton

Domestic Violence Crisis Center: Domestic Violence Crisis Center’s mission is to provide effective services, support, and education for the prevention and elimination of domestic violence across the Connecticut communities of Stamford, Norwalk, Darien, New Canaan, Weston, Westport, and Wilton. Since 1980, Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) has provided counseling and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence. DVCC is the only state-certified agency recognized by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) serving the communities of Norwalk, Stamford, New Canaan, Darien, Westport, Weston and Wilton.  DVCC’s role is to help those experiencing any level of domestic violence and assist them in building a safer environment for the well-being of themselves and their families. Services include housing and financial advocacy; legal advocacy; trauma-informed individual and group counseling; emergency safe housing; and preventive education. All victim services are free and confidential, and all services offered are multicultural/multilingual. Donor support helps provide DVCC’s preventive education, trainings and workshops to thousands of local youth. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month–make a gift on February 25 and help teens get the skills they need to have healthy relationships and create a future free from domestic violence.

The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc.:  The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc. is one of lower Fairfield County’s primary hunger-relief organizations. It provides food to about 90 non-profit agencies and programs that serve low-income people in its six-town service area (Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, and Wilton) through bags of groceries and congregate meals. These include soup kitchens, food pantries, childcare programs, homeless shelters, senior centers, domestic violence safe houses, and rehabilitation programs.

During the year ending Dec. 31, 2019, The Food Bank distributed more than 1.2 million pounds of food to its member agencies and programs at a savings to them of more than $2 million over the wholesale cost of the food. These agencies reported serving over 5 million meals to about 200,000 individuals (unduplicated only within each agency) during this period.

The Salvation Army (Wilton Service Unit)

Silvermine Community Association Scholarship Trust: For over 60 years, the Silvermine Community Association has been awarding scholarships to deserving college-bound seniors living in the Silvermine sections of Norwalk, New Canaan and Wilton. More than 300 high-school seniors have been helped on their way to higher education through this unique neighborhood program.

Please join with Wilton neighbors and consider a gift this year. The Association relies entirely on the support of the Silvermine community for funding these scholarships.

Silvermine is an historic area of Connecticut comprising parts of Norwalk, New Canaan and Wilton. Neighbors have been helping neighbors for centuries in Silvermine. The area’s unique character descends from its roots as a farming community in the 1700s, then as a thriving 18th-century mill center, and finally as a famous art colony starting in the early 20th century.

Person-to-Person:  Person-to-Person (P2P) is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing individuals and families with essential resources to help them overcome daily challenges and put them on a path toward economic stability. P2P serves 28,000 residents in Fairfield County with the following programs: three food pantries (Darien, Norwalk, Stamford), clothing center, caseworker assistance, emergency financial assistance, and scholarships/camperships.

As long as there is a need, P2P is here to help. Food insecurity in the state has more than doubled to 23% since the start of the pandemic; this has led to a 60% increase in food demand with P2P. In addition, requests for emergency financial assistance, primarily for rent, has increased as much as 380%.

Established in 1968, P2P serves the communities of Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

CLASP Homes: Providing a lifetime of care and inspiration to 85 adults with autism and developmental disabilities throughout Fairfield County, CLASP Homes proudly operates 12 group homes, 9 apartments, and one community center. CLASP’s group homes and apartments are located in the towns of Westport, Fairfield, Wilton, Easton, Trumbull, Stratford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and Shelton. CLASP began as a grassroots movement, started by a group of parents. Three decades later it serves over 85 people.

Without CLASP many of the residents would be living in a nursing home, an institution, or even shelters. Many of the participants attending the day program would be staying at home, as special and individualized programs for them are non-existent.

With CLASP’s services, they are given opportunities to become valued, respected, and loved members of their community. With patient teaching, love and respect, each person CLASP serves will be given a chance to live a healthy and rewarding life.

CLASP is thrilled to announce the expansion of its day services to meet the ever-growing needs of Fairfield County families. With the love, generosity and “legacy planning” of a dear friend, Dan Offutt, The Daniel Offutt Art and Education Community Center is now a reality. This newly renovated, 9,500 sq. ft. space is the center of art, music, dance and education to lift the spirits and fill the void left by other more limited programs. Activities, programs and classes include gardening, pottery, healthy cooking classes, yoga, dance, computer lab, music, sensory and workout gyms, academics, daily living skills, movie night and much, much more.

The Rowan Center: The mission of The Rowan Center is to provide counseling and support services to victims of sexual assault and to eliminate sexual violence through community-wide prevention education. The Center’s wish is a world free from sexual violence.

On Fairfield County Giving Day, The Rowan Center is asking for to keep victims of violence in mind. Times of crisis, fear, and uncertainty increase the risk for perpetration of sexual and domestic violence, for women and children in particular. This pandemic has created unprecedented need for crisis services across the globe and here in Lower Fairfield County. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), “the reporting of sexual violence in disasters is often considered a ‘luxury issue–something that is further down on the hierarchy of needs’ for disaster victims.” This should be alarming, as it indicates that the uptick in sexual violence during states of emergency is actually much larger than thought. Please give to support those community members for whom Safe at Home isn’t working. The Rowan Center is the only agency providing free and confidential services to victims of sexual assault in the eight towns of Lower Fairfield County: Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport, and Wilton. All of the services are available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.

Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company: The Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company #1, Inc. proudly protects 4,500 people living in an area of 8.3 square miles, covering parts of three towns: Redding, Weston and Wilton, CT.

Providing fire/rescue services for over 80 years, the department is a public department whose members are all unpaid volunteers–the Chief, the drivers of the apparatus, and all of the firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians are neighbors.

Its members are mechanics, police officers, teachers, students, local business owners and stockbrokers, and each is also a highly trained, state-certified firefighter or Emergency Medical Technician dedicated to the health, safety and welfare of the people in the community.

Each year the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company responds to approximately 800 calls.

LiveGirl: Founded in 2014, LiveGirl, Inc. is a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization that builds confident, inclusive leaders. Its mission is to prepare the next generation of diverse, brave female leaders with the skills, community, and connections so that all girls may thrive and make a positive impact on the world.

The Vision:  To contribute to a world free from both gender and racial inequality.

The Approach:  Leadership, Sisterhood, Confidence, Career-Readiness

LiveGirl serves thousands of girls in grades 5 through college-age annually in its free-of-charge innovative leadership development and mentoring programs. Its programs are evidence-based and proven to build self-esteem and social-emotional intelligence, the building blocks of a confident leader. LiveGirl also provides girls with authentic opportunities to build bridges to people whose lives are different from their own, the key to becoming an inclusive leader.

LiveGirl’s organizational lens is centered on the needs and experiences of all girls, especially girls of color. Its leadership approach is skill-based, anti-racist, healing-centered, and gender-inclusive.

To date, LiveGirl has reached over 10,000 young women.

Star, Inc. Lighting the Way: STAR was established in 1952 by parents who believed that children with intellectual and developmental disabilities were entitled to the same basic opportunities as other children. Today,  STAR is a not-for-profit organization that has grown to include a full array of services for over 600 individuals with disabilities, from birth to their senior years and their families. STAR’s mission is to create opportunities for individuals to live full lives with independence, freedom of choice and personal growth by providing support, services  and advocacy. They inform and encourage the community to recognize and appreciate the value of all individuals. Services include early intervention services for infants and preschoolers; family support services; job assessment and training; recreation and leisure activities; and support to adults in group homes and apartments.

Family and Children’s Agency: For more than 75 years, Family & Children’s Agency (FCA) has been helping individuals and families throughout Fairfield County and beyond. Support allows us to provide strength-based, solution-focused services to children, families, adults, and seniors who are in need of our help.

FCA’s work:

• Supports children through after-school programming, foster care, and intensive psychiatric services
• Builds families through parenting education, family guidance, and adoption
• Stabilizes adults with mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, supportive housing services, and a homeless day center
• Cares for seniors by providing emergency alert systems, caregiver support, personal care attendants, and live-in assistance so they can stay in their homes

Child Guidance Center of Mid-Fairfield County

Ms. President US:

Ms President US motivates and prepares girls to aim for the highest leadership positions and know they can achieve them. The ultimate goal is to achieve equal representation of women in civic leadership positions.

Girls from 4th thru 8th grade acquire knowledge, skills, and confidence to help them aspire to and prepare for leadership positions in their school communities and beyond. Also served are the high school female mentors who, in helping deliver the program to younger girls, will also gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to help them aspire to and prepare for leadership positions in their school communities and beyond.

Ms President US: Ms President US motivates and prepares girls to aim for the highest leadership positions and know they can achieve. The ultimate goal is to achieve equal representation of women in civic leadership positions.

Girls from 4th-8th grade acquire knowledge, skills, and confidence to help them aspire to and prepare for leadership positions in their school communities and beyond. Also served are the high school female mentors who, in helping deliver the program to younger girls, will also gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to help them aspire to and prepare for leadership positions in their school communities and beyond.

Ms President US:

• Teaches girls the importance of female involvement in public service, the responsibility it entails, and the opportunity it provides.
• Imparts exemplary values in future leaders – values that unite, uplift and inspire regardless of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ability.

Implementation: Each cycle (October-March), girls from 4th-8th grade participate in eight monthly leadership sessions led by local, state, federal, and community leaders. Each session also includes high school girls (ages 14-18), who serve as Mentors. The sessions include a high school girl as a presenter, demonstrating to the younger participants that civic leadership is attainable even while in school.

Following a 30-minute formal presentation, the girls engage in an hour of interactive activity where they practice the message the presenter(s) delivered. Session topics include the importance of women’s involvement in Civic Leadership/Pubic Service; women leaders in local, state, and federal government; women’s history and leadership; public speaking, debate, and listening skills; communications and media; staying safe online; conducting fact-based research; and a field trip to the State Capitol to meet and greet elected officials.

The program culminates in a campaign and election where participants have the option to run their own campaign for Ms President US of their own town. The girls are coached by the Mentors on how to speak clearly and convincingly on topics that matter to them.

Wildlife in Crisis: Wildlife in Crisis is a volunteer-run, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to wildlife preservation and land conservation. Founded in 1988, each year WIC cares for over 5,000 injured and orphaned wild animals. WIC relies entirely on donations to care for debilitated wildlife.