Pace Center for Girls Receives $100,000 Grant from State Farm to Advance Career and College Preparation for Girls
May 01 2024 - 6:00PM
Pace Center for Girls, a nationally recognized model that provides
education, counseling, training and advocacy for more than 3,000
girls and young women annually, received a $100,000 grant from
State Farm Insurance to support career and college
preparation.
The funding supports Pace’s comprehensive vocational and
education program dedicated to providing girls, who have faced
adversity, with the necessary tools to obtain a high school diploma
or GED, long term employability skills and to pursue an education
past high school, whether at a professional training program, the
military, a community college or a four-year college or
university.
“One of the greatest responsibilities we have as a society is to
ensure all girls and young women have access to opportunities to be
successful as adults,” said Mary Marx, President and CEO of Pace
Center for Girls. “We are grateful to State Farm for investing in
Pace and providing us the opportunity to enhance our life-skills
training and career and college readiness pathways.”
Of the $100,000 investment, State Farm is awarding $42,000 in
scholarships to Pace girls. Girls like Alexis will represent 21
communities across the state of Florida and receive a State Farm
Scholarship supporting college, vocational school, or certificate
training. She will study psychology at Santa Fe College this fall
with a goal of becoming a therapist. “Every girl deserves to be
respected and heard. Pace not only supported me to make it to
graduation, but also gave me the extra help I need to succeed after
high school. My counselor helped me fill out my college application
and I will be the first person in my family to attend college,”
shared Alexis.
Pace has seen transformational improvements among girls
personally and professionally. Eight out of 10 girls graduate from
high school, pursue higher education or secure employment after the
program, and nine out of 10 have experienced overall academic
improvement.
“We are proud to support Pace in their commitment to provide
career and college opportunities to all girls,” said Jose Soto,
State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst. “Our State Farm agents
and employees enjoy volunteering at Pace Center career days,
speaking opportunities on different insurance and finance topics,
and other Pace Center community events.”
The partnership between Pace Center for Girls and State Farm
exemplifies the transformative power of collaboration in empowering
young women through education, career readiness, and mental health
support.
### About Pace
Center for Girls Founded in 1985, Pace provides free
year-round middle and high school academics, case management,
counseling, and life skills development in a safe and supportive
environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds
upon girls’ individual strengths. Dedicated to meeting the social,
emotional, and education needs of girls, Pace has a successful and
proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more
than 40,000 girls and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading
advocates for girls in need. For more information on Pace Center
for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org.
About State Farm®:For over 100 years, the mission of
State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday
life, recover from the unexpected and realize their
dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest
providers of auto and home insurance in the
United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000
employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts –
including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies
and financial services accounts. Commercial auto
insurance, along with coverage for renters, business
owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available.
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the
State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 44 on the
2023 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information,
please visit http://www.statefarm.com.
- Empowering Future Leaders
Kendall Toothe
Pace Center for Girls
904‑439‑3998
kendall.toothe@pacecenter.org