Organization: Lower Eastside Girls Club (New YorK)
Project: Sweet Things Company
Grant Years: 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005
Most recent award duration/amount: 1 years, $30,000 total

The Lower East Side Girls Club (LESGC) provides a place where girls grow, learn, have fun, and develop confidence in their ability to make a difference in the world. 3GF’s support of LESGC’s entrepreneurship programs has allowed the organization to gain enormous expertise in girls’ financial literacy. Drawing upon six years of experience running Sweet Things girls' baking company, LESGC has just launched two new social ventures: the Sweet Things Bake Shop and the Sweet Things Cafe/ community art gallery. These retail businesses train and employ girls and women in the community, and the revenue is expected to cover 75% of the businesses’ operating costs.

Now is a critical time for LESGC- having just launched the new retail businesses, they are now developing plans to build an 80,000 square foot multi-service facility for girls and their families. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2006, and LESGC’s entrepreneurial programs, including Sweet Things, will hold center stage in the new facility. 

3GF’s 2005 investment in Sweet Things, Co. is helping LESGC to formalize staff training and professional development for the businesses. LESGC has been a grant partner of 3GF since 1998. The Fund has invested a total of $108,000 in the organization.


Contact: Adriana Pezzuli, Director of Development
Adriana@girlsclub.org
(212) 982-1633  107
www.girlsclub.org