Women United

Brighter Future Fund

The Brighter Future Fund application period is open through Aug. 30, 2024. More information and application can be found here.

Through the creation of the Brighter Future Fund, Women United® shows its commitment to supporting United Way of Racine County’s goal of building a better community for all. This fund, which is separate from United Way’s community campaign, offers grant opportunities to programs aiding women and children. Annual grants are available to programs that have a focus on literacy, financial stability and mental health. Grant recipients are determined by the Women United® executive committee.

2024 Grant Recipients

• Academies of Racine Jerstad K-8 – Classroom Economy Program 
  • The "Classroom Economy" project aims to integrate financial literacy and career readiness into the 6th grade curriculum.  Students will participate in a simulated economy where they earn weekly paychecks for meeting classroom expectations and performing designated jobs. Through this simulation, students will learn critical financial concepts such as saving, budgeting, and understanding taxes, while also gaining insights into career planning and development.
  • https://www.rusd.org/o/jas

• Academies of Racine Mitchell Community School – 6th Grade Seminar Programming  
  • Our prescribed course for 6th graders teaches financial literacy to students.  The class economy allows the students to work towards financial goals while also being responsible for bills and savings.
  • https://www.rusd.org/o/ms

• BeLEAF Survivors – SCAN   
  • The Stop Child Abuse & Neglect (SCAN) program of BeLEAF Survivors provides school-based child abuse awareness lessons to children in Racine County, including programs for preschool and kindergarten, elementary, and middle school students.
  • https://beleafsurvivors.org

• Bethany Apartments – Financial Empowerment Fund 
  • The Financial Empowerment Fund will assist residents with the small financial concerns that arise in daily life but that can be devastating when money is not available. Funding covers personal vehicle repairs, public transportation costs, childcare fees, and more.
  • https://www.racinedominicans.org/boards-resource-center/bethany-board.cfm

• DeKoven Center – Building Foundations, Teaching Job Skills
  • Provide a complete educational program to local agencies with daytime populations of people with disabilities and who struggle with providing educational opportunities for their clients. By equipping people who have disabilities with the fundamental skills employers seek, this program empowers people to more confidently pursue additional life experiences and entry level job opportunities.
  • https://www.dekovencenter.org

• Faith Hope & Love – Duffels for Kids
  • Duffels for Kids, provides a duffel bag filled with: fleece blanket, stuffed animal, storybook, coloring books/crayons, flashlight, and personal hygiene items; foster care bags receive pajamas as well. Faith, Hope, & Love works with law enforcement, foster care, homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, and local schools.
  • https://fhlforkids.org

• Goodwill of SE WI – Goodwill CNA Training Program Racine Expansion Pilot
  • This project provides Racine County residents a no-cost, 5-week CNA Training Program to assist inner city, low-income residents with barriers to meaningful employment obtain credentialing through accessible instruction and targeted barrier-reduction services.
  • https://www.goodwillsew.com

• John 23 – Educational Center Programming
  • John 23 Educational Center runs an After School Program Monday-Thursday for 5-12th grade students, collaborates with local schools with an Academic Support Program, facilitates Social-Emotional Learning small group sessions at local schools through an Outreach Program, and offers opportunities for parents through Juntos student/parent workshops and ESL classes.
  • https://www.john23educenter.org

• Racine Literacy Council – Adult Basic Education Programming
  • Our Adult Basic Education program allows people to improve their reading, writing and comprehension skills or prepare to take the GED series of tests to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Most of the adults preparing for the GED are working women who wish to secure better jobs or a promotion.
  • https://www.racineliteracy.org

• Racine Zoo – COZI Program
  • The Racine Zoo Community Outreach Zoo Initiative (COZI) program aims to visit three identified sites Bethany Apartments, HALO, and the Racine Friendship Clubhouse once per month over the course of 7 months at no cost to site residents/members. With a different theme each month, each visit will last approximately one hour and will include learning opportunities through up-close encounters with various animals, as well as educational crafts or activities, all related to the monthly theme.
  • https://racinezoo.org

• River Bend Nature Center – Kindergarten Field Trip Program
  • "Building Blocks of Nature" is an environmental science field trip for kindergarten students, aligned with curriculum and Next Generation Science Standards, held entirely out of doors in the forests, prairies and ponds of River Bend Nature Center. The program is sensory based.
  • https://riverbendracine.org

• The Salvation Army – Pathway of Hope
  • Pathway of Hope is a program designed to provide targeted case management services to families who are motivated to improve their self-sufficiency. Eligible families must have at least one child under the age of 18 and be willing to collaborate with The Salvation Army to better their circumstances. While participation is voluntary, families are expected to commit to regular contact with a trained case manager.
  • https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/racine

• Women's Resource Center – Moving Ahead Program
  • The Moving Ahead Program is for women survivors who have experienced domestic violence and have suffered financial abuse and/or have limited financial skills and knowledge. Frequently women who flee domestic abuse are hindered in their ability to move forward because of financial instability and a lack of knowledge about finances.
  • https://www.wrcracinewi.com

Power of the Purse

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 6th annual Power of the Purse.  It was a huge success - we raised just over $17,000 to support women and children in Racine County.  The 7th annual Power of the Purse will be May 2, 2025, stayed tuned for registration details.  Visit the Power of the Purse page for more information on how to bid and to sign up to be notified when registration opens.

At Women United's annual Power of the Purse luncheon, we auction purses, handbags, beauty products, certificates to local business, and more to support the Brighter Future Fund. If you're interested in contributing purses or funding, please fill out the Donate Purses, Items or Money to Power of the Purse form.

For more information, please contact Tracie Feest at 262-898-2242.