Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced today that the Senate
Appropriations Committee approved $250,000 for the Women’s Sports
Foundation’s GoGirlGo! New York City Initiative in the FY10 Commerce,
Justice and Science Appropriations Bill to provide free curriculum
materials and technical assistance to schools, recreation agencies and
300 non-profit, girl-serving organizations that are committed to
addressing the needs of sedentary girls. Senator Gillibrand
aggressively lobbied members of the Appropriations Committee to include
funding for the project in this year’s spending bill.
“Young
girls today need every opportunity to be leaders for tomorrow,” Senator
Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will give the GoGirlGo
Initiative the resources it needs to engage more New York City girls in
sports and physical activities – helping to empower them with higher
confidence and good decision-making. We’ll help reduce unintended
pregnancies, achieve better grades and set more New York City girls on
a path to a bright future. I pledge to always be a voice for New York
City’s young girls, and work to make sure they have every opportunity
to succeed.”
The Women’s Sports Foundation is a New
York-based non-profit organization that engages young girls in sports
and physical activities to help keep them in school and on a path for a
bright future.
The
Foundation’s GoGirlGo New York City Initiative is a mentoring,
education and development program that targets at-risk teens to keep
more young girls in school and away from crime, violence and drug
abuse. The $250,000 federal investment will help the GoGirlGo
Initiative provide free curriculum materials and technical assistance
to schools, recreation agencies and 300 non-profit, girl-serving
organizations that are committed to addressing the needs of sedentary
girls.
Late yesterday, the Appropriations Bill for Commerce,
Justice and Science passed the full committee. The legislation will
head to the floor for a full vote before the Senate. The bill will then
proceed to the House-Senate Conference Committee, before final passage
in both chambers, and sent to the President to become law.