Each summer, nearly 16,000 young women participate in an American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program in their home state. In 2019, four of those high school students were given the chance to attend thanks to the generosity of the John and Patricia Bowell Foundation and the nonprofit status of the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation.

ALA Girls State is a weeklong program dedicated to developing leadership skills, confidence, and action-based understanding of the government process in female high school juniors across the nation.

Maryland Unit 296 wanted to gift four local girls the opportunity to experience this program. They were able to do so by securing a $500 donation from the John and Patricia Bowell Foundation.
Though the unit was awarded the gift, members were unable to receive it due to the unit’s 501(c)(19) status. Thankfully, the ALA Foundation has the ability to receive donations as a 501(c)(3) and reallocate the amount in its entirety back to the Auxiliary unit.

Knowing this, Maryland Unit 296 applied for a subgrant from the ALA Foundation, and shortly thereafter, received the $500 to make this dream a reality.

Courtney Adams, Abby Blanchet, Lyndsie Carr, and Madison Loker were all able to attend ALA Maryland Girls State in June and gained valuable, hands-on insight into government systems.
“I feel as if I have learned so much about the Maryland state government from a perspective Advanced Placement (AP) Government could never teach,” Adams said.

But awareness of the government process is not all ALA Girls State has to offer young high school girls.

“We have learned how to be patriotic citizens, how to promote ourselves and others, and most importantly, how to be a successful leader,” Loker said.

“Thank you again for this opportunity and for giving me not only the means to develop crucial skills, but to meet all of the wonderful women I have here at ALA Girls State.”

Is there a foundation or corporation that would like to support your American Legion Auxiliary unit’s project but they donate only to a 501(c)(3)? Have them make the donation to the ALA Foundation, and apply for a subgrant to receive the donations you have worked hard to secure!

Learn more at http://www.ALAFoundation.org/Grants.