Supporters of the Treasure Coast Girls Coalition enjoyed a Girls to Greatness Luncheon at the Pointe West Country Club, eagerly backing the nonprofit founded by Shala Edwards, which is dedicated to educating, elevating and empowering girls to be the best they can be.
“This is a celebration of empowerment, opportunity, and the incredible young women who are discovering their voices and realizing their potential through the work of the Treasure Coast Girls Coalition,” said educator Deborah Long.
“When a girl grows up surrounded by people who believe in her, something powerful begins to happen. She begins to believe in herself. She finds her voice. She learns her strength. She realizes that her story is still being written and that she gets to help write it,” said board member Brooke Hall.
Mike Williams and his daughter Chastity shared the positive impact TCGC has had on their family, including his wife and the two other daughters enrolled in the program.
“As a father raising daughters in today’s world, you carry a certain responsibility. You want your daughters to feel safe, confident, and truly know their worth,” said Williams.
In their Culinary Arts program, the girls learn everything from the chemistry of food preparation to customer service with a Mobile Food Truck. Williams remarked on how seriously the girls took the responsibility of volunteering at a community event; showing up on time, talking to customers and working as a team.
“Watching that reminded me that growth like that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when young people are supported, trusted and believed in. This organization creates a space where girls are encouraged to dream bigger and given the tools to grow into who they’re meant to be. As a father, that means a lot,” said Williams.
Chastity Williams spoke of being exposed to some “amazing things,” such as flying on a plane for the first time to attend the National Society of Black Engineers conference in Chicago and learn about STEM career paths. “I’m proud to be a part of it.”
The guest speaker was Matt Tanner, executive director of United Against Poverty, whose crisis care, employment training, food assistance and personal empowerment resources help people overcome hardship and build stable futures.
Tanner said that like most parents, he wants his two young sons to have the skill and ability to take care of themselves and the desire to take care of others.
“That’s a huge reason why I feel so proud to share this leadership and the mission of Treasure Coast Girls Coalition, because they want the same thing for the young girls and women that they serve, as I want for my own children,” said Tanner.
He said TCGC encourages young women to have a vision for an elevated economic mobility and quality of life, including homeownership, financial independence, health insurance and retirement savings.
“There really cannot be a more meaningful cause here in the community, because an investment in this organization ultimately is an investment in all of us,” said Tanner.
After showing a brief video, Edwards stressed that the girls they saw on screen represent possibility, confidence, leadership, curiosity, resilience and, most importantly, the future of our community.
“Over the past five years, Treasure Coast Girls Coalition has worked alongside families, mentors, educators and partners to open doors that many of our girls never knew existed. What began as a goal vision has grown into a community. A community of people who believe that opportunity should never be denied by circumstance,” said Edwards.
She expressed gratitude for the support given over the past five years, and invited everyone to continue supporting a mission that is helping shape tomorrow’s leaders.
“Because when we invest in girls today, we are shaping a stronger future for generations to come.”
For more information, please visit GirlsCoalition.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
