Portland, OR. U.S. Bank recently gifted Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest a $50,000 Community Possible grant to help expand its Eureka! program. The grant is part of U.S. Bank’s new annual $1 million fund focused on organizations driving economic development across the country in the areas of workforce preparation, affordable housing, and arts and culture.
“Eureka! is a five-year STEM program that motivates girls to pursue post-secondary education and careers in STEM fields,” said Elizabeth Nye, executive director of Girls Inc., of the Pacific NW. “Our goal is to promote greater representation of all women in STEM fields and to increase the potential for women to access higher-paying and more secure employment. Eureka! girls graduate with the knowledge, skills and confidence to enter higher education and see themselves as an important part of the workforce of the future. We’re excited that U.S. Bank has joined us in building a more equitable future for girls in Oregon.”
Girls Inc. Pacific Northwest will use the funds to expand its Eureka! program focused on engaging girls in STEM-related fields. Through the new annual Market Impact Fund, U.S. Bank invests $50,000 grants to 20 nonprofit organizations across the country. The new Fund is in addition to U.S. Bank’s Community Possible giving platform focused on grant cycles in the areas of Work, Home and Play.
“Establishing this new Fund allows us to further focus our efforts on supporting those organizations such as Girls Inc., which are working to close historical economic gaps in the areas of greatest need,” said Stacey Dodson, Portland and Southwest Washington market president for U.S. Bank. “Our communities are stronger when people have jobs, stable housing and when their communities are connected through the arts, recreation and play. Our goal is to give larger grants to create meaningful local impact working with and through market leaders and nonprofit organizations who know their communities the best.”
At Girls Inc., girls participating in the Eureka program discover their ability to excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Women earn just 18% of all computer science and engineering degrees in the U.S, even though these paths provide great earning potential and represent top jobs of the future. This investment from U.S. Bank helps ensures that girls in Portland are building the skills and gaining the confidence to pursue education and careers in STEM and thus ensuring girls have opportunities to be financially independent and exercise control over their futures.
Learn more about its social responsibility work here: www.usbank.com/csr2018 or www.usbank.com/community.
About Girls Inc. Pacific Northwest:
Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. Our comprehensive approach to whole girl development equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. These positive outcomes are achieved through three core elements: people – trained staff and volunteers who build lasting, mentoring relationships; environment – girls-only, physically and emotionally safe, where there is a sisterhood of support, high expectations, and mutual respect; and programming – research-based, hands-on and minds-on, age-appropriate, meeting the needs of today’s girls. Join us at girlsincpnw.org.
About U.S. Bank:
U.S. Bancorp, with 74,000 employees and $488 billion in assets as of September 30, 2019, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with mobile and online tools that allow customers to bank how, when and where they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial and corporate, and investment services customers across the country and around the world as a trusted financial partner, a commitment recognized by the Ethisphere Institute naming the bank a 2019 World’s Most Ethical Company. Visit U.S. Bank at usbank.com or follow on social media to stay up to date with company news.
