Goodman Community Center | Wishes for 2021

Here are a few things we hope for girls in the greater Madison area.

Girls Inc. National made a wish list of everything they hoped for girls in 2021 and beyond. We were inspired to create this list, pulling some from theirs but also adding our own. These are big dreams for girls in Madison, but each one of them is 100% attainable – with YOUR help.

Girls Inc. Wishes for 2021

We wish every girl understood how strong, smart and bold she is.

At the core of Girls Inc. is a message of individual empowerment. When they participate in Girls Inc., girls come to learn all the ways they are already strong, smart and bold, as well as learn new skills so they can grow in those three areas.

We wish every girl had the benefit of a strong role model.

When girls have access to models of success, peer networks and a safe environment, they create positive relationships and thrive. Compared to their peers, girls who have had the mentoring relationships that Girls Inc. provides are more likely to see adults as allies, as well as to see themselves as leaders.

We wish more girls felt inspired to lead.

Girls often face stereotypes that tell them that they cannot be effective leaders, and that leaders don’t look like them. This attitude is changing, but as a society, we still have a long way to go. At Girls Inc., girls have the opportunity to develop leadership skills in a pro-girl environment and step into leadership roles in their communities.

We wish more girls were prepared for the career they want.

As students catch up following the learning loss caused by the pandemic’s disruptions, we wish for more girls to develop the academic and life skills that prepare them for interesting work and economic independence. 83% of Girls Inc. of Greater Madison girls plan to or have visited a college, and 72% know where to find resources about attending college at their schools.

We wish more girls were equipped for a future of good health.

Girls’ confidence to lead rests on the foundation of their wellbeing. Girls Inc. is dedicated to making sure girls have the tools to be active participants in every aspect of their health—taking care of their mental health, maintaining healthy relationships, learning about nutrition and exercise, abstaining from substance use, developing a positive self-image, and more.

We wish more girls could experience the empowering programs Girls Inc. offers.

Nearly one in six American children is currently experiencing poverty, and in Dane County alone, thousands of girls do not have access to the supports and services they need to navigate gender, economic and social barriers. Girls Inc. is designed to fill that gap. At the heart of Girls Inc. is a comprehensive approach to whole girl development, which equips girls to grow up confident, healthy, educated and independent.

You can help make these wishes come true.

2020 brought with it a number of incredible challenges, and yet our Girl Inc. teams across the Madison area persevered. They will continue to do everything they can to reach our girls, and they’re looking forward to welcoming the girls back for in-person programming across the area. We need your help to make sure that programming is possible. Make a gift today and give girls a bright future.