Pace Center for Girls provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy. Its holistic model responds specifically to the developmental needs of girls and is recognized as one of the nation’s most effective programs for keeping them in school and out of the juvenile justice system.
Pace operates 19 non-residential prevention and early intervention centers in Florida that work with girls and young women, ages 11–17, at risk of dropping out of school and/or becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. During an average stay of 15 months, comprehensive educational, social, and career-readiness services help them succeed at home, in school and in the community, with the goal of attaining self-sufficiency as adults.
OUR INVESTMENT
In 2013, WINGS received an EMCF Social Innovation Fund award of up to $3.5 million over three years and became a True North Fund grantee. EMCF followed that up with investments in 2017 that totaled $5.5 million.
These investments helped Pace:
- Grow from serving 2,030 youth in 2010 to 3,274 in 2019;
- Open five new centers, bringing the total to 22 centers across Florida; and expand its Reach program throughout the state;
- Begin its first out-of-state programming as part of the School Justice Partnership in Macon, Georgia; and
- Conduct a randomized controlled trial which found positive short-term affects for girls at risk of juvenile justice involvement, leading to increased academic engagement.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Learn more about Pace Center for Girls at pacecenter.org.