Girls Inc

Judy Vredenburgh. Judy Vredenburgh brings a lifelong passion for social justice and for supporting vulnerable girls and young women to her role as President and CEO of Girls Incorporated. Girls Inc. is the leading nonprofit provider of research-based programs focused on preparing girls from at-risk communities for lives of educational achievement and economic independence. Vredenburgh began her career in the retail industry,… See full bio.

Sep 27, 2011

Girls Inc. is honored to be included by Philanthropedia in this ranking and thanks our peers for this recognition of our exceptional service to girls. We also thank our current and past staff, volunteers, and supporters for their invaluable commitment… Read More.

Story: Girls Inc. delivers life-changing programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Research-based curricula, delivered by trained professionals, equip girls to achieve academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money; navigate media messages; and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. The network of local Girls Inc. nonprofit organizations serves 150,000 girls ages 6 - 18 annually at over 1,400 sites in 350 cities across the United States and Canada.

The Girls Inc movement started in New England during the Industrial Revolution as a response to the needs of a new working class: young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of newly available job opportunities in textile mills and factories.

Evidence of Impact Summary:

According to experts, Girls, Inc. has been effective in serving girls, primarily from low-income households, and supporting their positive development on multiple levels.
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Organization Strengths Summary:

Key strengths of Girls Inc include having a commitment to doing research on their programming and measuring their effectiveness fairly objectively.
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Areas for Improvement Summary:

The site-based model used by Girls, Inc., has proven to be a challenge to the organization's reach and finances. Girls Inc. may need to consider a more scalable model to maximize their impact.
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Judy Vredenburgh brings a lifelong passion for social justice and for supporting vulnerable girls and young women to her role as President and CEO of Girls Incorporated. Girls Inc. is the leading nonprofit provider of research-based programs focused on preparing girls from at-risk communities for lives of educational achievement and economic independence. Vredenburgh began her career in the retail industry, rising to Executive Vice President of Sizes Unlimited/Lerner Woman and CEO of Chess King, a division of the Melville Corporation. She created opportunities for advancement for female executives and mentored women in business, both professionally and as a volunteer coach. Her personal commitment to advancing the social good led Vredenburgh to the nonprofit sector. In her six-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of Revenue Development and Marketing at the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, she led revenue growth from $121 million to $181 million. As President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the evidence-based mentoring organization for disadvantaged youth, Vredenburgh led unprecedented growth. Between 1999 and 2009, the organization more than doubled the number of children it served annually, from 118,000 to 255,000, with commensurate revenue growth from $171 million to $290 million. Vredenburgh’s innovative leadership and track record of success have garnered broad recognition. She served on President Obama’s Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Advisory Council and was a member of the University of Pennsylvania Board of Overseers and on the Board of Directors of Independent Sector. Vredenburgh holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the State University of New York, Buffalo. She holds honorary degrees from Lynchburg College and Philadelphia University. Among her many accomplishments and honors, Vredenburgh considers it a special privilege to have had the opportunity to serve as a Big Sister to Sherice Holliman.

Sep 27, 2011

Girls Inc. is honored to be included by Philanthropedia in this ranking and thanks our peers for this recognition of our exceptional service to girls. We also thank our current and past staff, volunteers, and supporters for their invaluable commitment to our mission.