Birmingham City is home to many cotton planters, bankers and railroad entrepreneurs and one of the world’s premier industrial cities. Women benefit from the job opportunities created by the steel sector which plays a major role in the local economy. Women-owned small businesses are well supported too since they are important to the community.
The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham
The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham is a public non-profit organization that seeks to accelerate the economic opportunities for women in Birmingham. It creates a positive change in their lives through fundraising activities, facilitating partnerships within local communities, and advocating for their needs in the area. To achieve its mission, the organization identifies gaps in the services provided to women while strengthening the most vulnerable ones through collaborations and funding innovative solutions to common problems. The fund, therefore, specifically targets the issues affecting women as well as their children. Find out more at http://womensfundbirmingham.org/.
The Birmingham Business Alliance
This is the leading organization that fosters economic development in the City. It serves the seven County regions of Birmingham including Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker. BBA works to deliver services that create high-quality jobs and empowering women-owned small businesses in the City. In their mission, the organization intends to create a more inclusive by positioning communities for sustainable growth and inspiring women partners to collaborate while making investments and bringing prosperity to the city. Visit https://www.birminghambusinessalliance.com/ to find out more.
Job Training and Education
According to the Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham, education is key to ending poverty among women. For this reason, they have largely focused on imparting workforce readiness skills by offering training services to women. There is a huge gap when it comes to career training and a decent job with good salaries for women in Birmingham. The WFGB surveyed Birmingham and what the foundation found out was that single mothers in the area earn low wages and struggle to settle their bills. According to the survey, 62% of the respondents admitted that they work 40 more hours in a week while 66% reported that their incomes are very low. Some of the single mothers in the city work two jobs to sustain themselves. Finding quality and affordable childcare is a problem in Birmingham, the reason why they have to work extra hours. The Women’s Fund awarded Childcare Resources in the form of grants to single mothers which have been of great help to them.
Assistance Programs in Birmingham
Assistance programs in Birmingham help the low income, unemployed, and the most vulnerable women in the City. Churches, charity organizations, and government agencies support women in need through emergency financial assistance to help with the bills and paying the mortgages. The programs include:
- Child Care Central Birmingham. This program works to provide an affordable and quality childcare to single moms even as they continue with training and education activities. Find out more at http://dhr.alabama.gov/counties/daycare_agency_results.
- FirstLight Birmingham. First Light is located in downtown Birmingham and it offers shelter for homeless single mothers. Visit http://www.firstlightshelter.org/ for more information.
- Pathways Birmingham. This is a united agency that works to serve homeless women and children in the City by providing a safe place to stay and training to enable them to transition back into the community. You can apply for help through http://www.pathwayshome.org/.
- YWCA Central Alabama’s Housing Department. The department is dedicated to providing affordable housing to low-income single women with children within Birmingham. It ensures that variety of housing types to accommodate multiple needs are available. Find out more at http://www.ywcabham.org/housing.
- Subsidized Day Care Services. This program is funded by Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and is dedicated to providing affordable quality childcare to low and moderate-income women in Birmingham. Visit https://dhr.alabama.gov/services/Child_Care_Services/Subsidy for more information.
Women’s Business Assistance Program
Businesses owned by women are one of the fastest-growing segments of the small business community. The Women Business Assistance is a program of The Alabama SBDC Network, which is designed to develop independence, entrepreneurship as well as leadership skills. http://asbdc.org/womens_business_assistance_program/ provides a list of best options from the private sector. They are very competitive grants.
Single Mothers Empowerment Conference
This conference is held yearly in Birmingham City. It is geared towards supporting single moms and their children by proving them with information, resources, mentorship, and a strong network to support them. Visit https://birmingham.single-mothers-empowerment-conference-/ for more.
Conclusion
Birmingham City has proven its support for women by creating a progressive business climate where small businesses can surely prosper. Opportunities continue to rise as some of the most supportive organizations such as Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), Women’s Fund of the Great Birmingham, and government agencies struggle to make women succeed by offering training services that prepare them for decent jobs. Besides, Birmingham has been listed as one of the best places for female entrepreneurs due to friendly tax laws, licensing rules, and regulatory environment. It is the centerpiece of a thriving region that has fully embraced the spirit of innovation, creativity, and growth.