The Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF) announced a $1.418 million community investment during its annual Community Investment Celebration, held Sept. 10 at Atlanta City Hall in partnership with the City of Atlanta.
The investment includes grants to nonprofit organizations, as well as research, leadership development, training, and other mission-driven work designed to improve wellbeing, expand economic opportunity, and strengthen communities across metro Atlanta.
The celebration brought together nonprofit leaders, AWF supporters, board members and alumni, Inspire Atlanta alumnae, and civic and community leaders to recognize the organizations advancing AWF’s mission.
“At AWF, we believe that investing in women and girls is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen our communities,” Kari B. Love, CEO of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, said “When women can succeed, families become more stable. When girls are empowered, communities grow stronger. These investments represent more than funding – they represent opportunity, possibility, and the power of collective action.”
Guided by commissioned research, community data, and the expertise of nonprofit partners, AWF identifies barriers facing women and girls and invests in evidence-based solutions that address them. This year’s investments focus on mental health and wellbeing, education and life skills, including family stability, educational opportunity, access to care, and the development of confidence, resilience, and leadership skills.
“[Across my team] we share in the Atlanta Women’s Foundation’s vision of a future where every woman and girl has a fair shot – where they are safe, healthy and educated and economically secure,” Mayor Andre Dickens said. “And these are not just women’s issues. These are issues that affect the entire city and require all of us working together to find solutions and then invest in those solutions.”
“As Mission Committee Chair, I have seen the care behind every investment AWF makes,” said Robyn Crittenden, AWF Board member and former Secretary of State of Georgia. “We examine the needs in our community, identify effective approaches and learn from the nonprofit leaders closest to the work. That partnership continues long after a check is presented as we listen, learn and work alongside our grantees to strengthen our collective impact across metro Atlanta.”
Two-Generation Initiative
Funded in partnership with the Liz Blake Giving Fund, AWF’s Two-Generation Initiative takes a whole-family approach by supporting caregivers and young children together.
The four funded organizations – Atlanta Children’s Day Shelter, Families First, Our House and Quality Care for Children – provide comprehensive services addressing housing stability, workforce development, childcare access, parenting education, mental health and early childhood development.
All Girls Forward: Girls Empowerment Program
Created in response to findings from AWF’s 2023 State of Girls in Metro Atlanta research, the All Girls Forward: Girls Empowerment Program invests in protective factors that help girls thrive, including confidence, resilience, healthy relationships, leadership and mental wellness.
The 10 nonprofit partners receiving support for the fourth year of the program are:
- Agape Youth & Family Center
- Cool Girls
- Families First
- Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta
- Girls on the Run Georgia
- Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta
- Global Village Project
- Los Niños Primero
- Ser Familia
- VOX ATL
Mental Health & Wellbeing Initiative
AWF’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Initiative was developed in response to the Foundation’s original 2026 research examining the mental health and wellbeing of women and girls across metro Atlanta.
The initiative supports organizations providing accessible, culturally responsive care while addressing the broader conditions that influence wellbeing, including trauma, housing instability, caregiving demands, healthcare access, and economic insecurity.
The seven inaugural grantee partners are:
- Center for Black Women’s Wellness
- Mosaic Health Center
- Our House
- @Promise Center
- The Drake House
- Urban Clinic of Atlanta
- Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence
Yashoda Reddy Education Award Honors Perseverance
The celebration also included the presentation of the Yashoda Reddy Education Award, a $5,000 investment in the education of a nontraditional college student navigating economic insecurity.
Established by Yashoda Reddy’s daughter, Dr. Sujatha Reddy, an AWF Board alumna, and her brother, Rohith Reddy, the award honors their mother’s strength, perseverance and belief in the transformative power of education.
This year’s recipient, Pue Meh, is a nursing student at Clayton State University. Born and raised in Thailand after her parents fled Burma, Meh came to the United States with her family in 2009. After becoming a mother while still in high school and later taking time away from college to support her family, she returned to school while working as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Northside Hospital.
Inspired by caring for patients, Meh is pursuing a career in nursing and hopes to specialize in labor and delivery or mother-baby care. Her long-term goal is to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and advocate for underserved communities.
A Community Investment Powered by Community
“Creating a stronger Atlanta means creating greater opportunity for women and girls – and that takes all of us,” said Tish Harrison, AWF Board Chair. “This investment reflects the generosity of our donors, the leadership of our nonprofit partners, and the commitment of a community that believes in what is possible when we work together.”
The $1.418 million investment was made possible by AWF’s community of donors, including the record-setting Inspire Atlanta Class of 2026, which raised more than $800,000, and the Catalyst Community, whose leadership investments help fuel the Foundation’s long-term work.
AWF recognized its Board of Directors, Board alumni, Inspire Atlanta alumnae, corporate and philanthropic partners, the City of Atlanta, and the nonprofit organizations that turn community investments into measurable impact.
“This event is a celebration of what’s possible when we listen to our community, invest in organizations closest to the work, and come together around solutions that create lasting change,” said DiShonda Hughes, Chief Mission Officer of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation. “Our nonprofit partners bring the expertise, trust, and deep community connections that make this work possible. Additionally, AWF’s support goes beyond funding — we bring nonprofit and community leaders together, provide training and capacity-building opportunities, share research and insights, and amplify our partners’ work so they can grow stronger and more sustainable in serving their communities. We are proud to invest in their leadership and to walk alongside them as they help women, girls, and families build brighter, more secure futures across metro Atlanta.”
“Atlanta is a group project. We’re all in, and we want to make sure that everybody’s all in when it comes to supporting women and girls,” Dickens said. “The Atlanta Women’s Foundation is a force. You identify organizations doing important work, and then you invest in them. That’s not just talking the talk – that’s walking the walk, putting your money where your mouth is.”
