Community Initiatives
Our focus area is Women Helping Women – providing access to essential services and professional development opportunities for women and families. The transition to this focus area is part of the League’s continued commitment to improving the lives of women and families in Northern Virginia.
In 2019, 12.8% of women in Virginia between the ages of 18-24 lived in poverty according to the United Health Foundation. These statistics predate the COVID-19 pandemic, which only exacerbated unmet needs for women across Northern Virginia.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on women in our community. Last year, the Loudoun Commission on Women & Girls found that ⅓ of women surveyed in the County had an unmet need ranging from childcare support, connections to employment, food or nutritional support, and domestic violence resources.
Working with partners the League is supporting local organizations that help families with the high costs of raising children. According to Northern Virginia Magazine, Virginia ranks as the eighth most expensive place to raise a child in America. Washington D.C. ranks as the most expensive place for families.
Many women are impacted by price hikes that make it difficult to access hygiene and period products. Through actions like period products drives and our campaign to establish Period Pantries the League hopes to alleviate this burden for many women in Northern Virginia. According to the National Organization of Women, on average, customers will spend about $20 on period products per cycle, and if there’s a family of multiple women, that can add up. By creating and running Period Pantries the League will provide free period products at no cost to the Northern Virginia community.
We are excited to take on the challenge of this focus area, Women Helping Women. Our community initiatives provide access to essential services and professional development opportunities for women and families as part of the League’s
continued commitment to improving the lives of women and families in Northern Virginia.
We invite you to check back often to see how our community initiatives are expanding.
