Black Girls CODE is one of three finalists nominated for a $50,000 grant by Bank of the West

Oct. 25, 2012 - PRLog -- Black Girls CODE (BGC) is one of three finalists nominated for a $50,000 grant by Bank of the West’s Philanthropy Awards 2012 for their innovative approach to empowering girls from underrepresented communities to pursue career ambitions in an array of STEM-related fields during their launch of Summer of CODE campaign.  The voting process for Bank of the West’s Philanthropy Awards 2012 begins on Friday, October 19th, 2012 and will close on Wednesday, October 31st, 2012. The nonprofit organization with the highest number of votes will secure a grant for $50,000 to help them in continue their social impact.

Learn more about the competition on Bank of the West’s Philanthropy Awards Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/BankoftheWest/app_149818578490935

Since BGC’s Summer of CODE launch this summer, the nonprofit organization has educated over 500 young girls of color in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through their one-day workshops and week long summer camp sessions taking place in seven cities nationwide and in South Africa. By 2015, Black Girls CODE aims to educate 10,000 girls in computer programming on a global scale and host BGC chapters in different cities to help implement after school programs and weekend workshops in part of the mission to eradicate the phrase “Digital Divide” and truly change the face of tech.  

“We are very excited to announce that we have been selected as one of three finalists in the Bank of the West 2012 Philanthropy Awards! Being awarded the $50,000 grant from Back of West’s Philanthropy Awards is a pivotal step in the growth of Black Girls CODE. This generous grant from Bank of the West would allow Black Girls CODE to continue our work with introducing girls of color to technology and computer programming and take our program beyond the seven cities we currently serve.  We have requests for Black Girls CODE chapters from more than 30 cities/states across the United States and in Bermuda, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana.  This funding will allow us to expand our program offerings and expand our movement to meet the needs of these families and students worldwide.” - Kimberly Bryant, Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls CODE


Black Girls CODE workshops have proven to be extremely beneficial for both parents and their daughters. One parent commented, “As a parent, I am so appreciative of the insight provided, of the opportunity and potential within the IT industry.” She also noted that her daughter stated, “For once I felt I belonged.”

In four short months, Black Girls CODE  has already empowered 500 girls to become tech divas. With your vote BGC can continue to impact the lives of more young girls of color worldwide. This grant will help Black Girls CODE continue expanding their workshop to new cities and build a strong foundation on core initiatives that will help sustain their mission.    

About Bank of the West Philanthropy Awards

Bank of the West's Wealth Management Group and Community Affairs created the Philanthropy Awards in 2010 to recognize outstanding examples of organizations that are making a difference in their communities.  The Philanthropy Awards represents one component of the bank's dedication to utilizing its financial and human resources to improve its communities. The bank also targets loans, investments and contributions to directly support low- and moderate-income people and communities. In addition to the Innovation in Philanthropy Award nominations that are submitted by the public, two other award nomination categories – Community Impact and Team Member Commitment – are submitted by Bank of the West employees.

About Black Girls CODE

Since 2011, Black Girls CODE has been committed to providing girls from underrepresented communities access to technology and the 21st century skills necessary to become the tech leaders and creators of tomorrow. Black Girls CODE’s Summer of CODE campaign was created as vehicle to bridge the digital divide and change the face of tech in the United States. The campaign serves as an awareness program to future weeklong programs taking place in Chicago, Oakland, and Atlanta in the fall.

Contact email: future@blackgirlscode.com
Contact phone:  415-857-0637