Girls Incorporated of Southwestern Connecticut provides two workshops to Girl Scouts in Greenwich

Nov. 13, 2009 - PRLog -- Girls Incorporated of Southwestern Connecticut announces it will be providing a Greenwich based Girls Scouts of America troop with two crucial workshops this season. On November 20, Girls Inc. will meet with 20 fourth grade girls from Parkway School to discuss the importance of caring for and loving their bodies. The workshop, titled “Girls Inc. Knowing and Loving My Body” will encompass activities from Girls Inc. Growing Together®, designed to teach girls the importance of  healthy hygiene and understanding how their bodies work. On December 11, Girls Inc. will meet again with these 20 fourth grade girls to discuss self-esteem in a workshop titled “Girls Inc. Looks Aren’t Everything”. Activities implemented in this workshop will build girls knowledge of self-esteem, increase their understanding of how to build positive self esteem in themselves and others, deconstruct the messages they receive about being beautiful from American media, and decide for themselves what being beautiful really means. The workshops are a positive   extension of the efforts of Girls Incorporated’ s national corporate partner, Unilever, the Trumbull, CT based manufacturer of Dove beauty and hygiene products.

According to a research study in 2008 by The Dove Self Esteem Fund, “Real Girls, Real Pressure”, 7 out of ten girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members. This number and staggering, and Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut is committed to improving the lives of girls through research based, field tested, girl only programs. “Real Girls, Real Pressure” also found that girls are feeling that their parents’ words and actions play a pivotal role fostering their positive self-esteem.  This is why Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut has taken their work one step further with their “Girls Inc. Growing Together” workshop providing Southwestern Connecticut mothers and daughter with a series of six free workshops sponsored by the Newman’s Own Foundation to foster communication and strengthen bonds.

Jen Kannengeiser, Program Director of Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut’s Fairfield County territory will facilitate these workshops. Ms. Kannengeiser says, “We [Girls Inc. of SWCT] understand what it means to be a girl in today’s world. Our goal at Girls Inc. is to give girls direction and education which allow them to become their best selves. We are proud to have been selected by the Parkway Girl Scouts to provide such important information.”

“Girls Inc. Knowing and Loving My Body” and “Girls Inc. Looks Aren’t Everything” are extensions of the efforts of Unilever and The Dove Self Esteem Fund, partnering with Girls Incorporated, Boys and Girls Clubs of American and Girl Scouts of America. Dove's mission is to make women feel beautiful every day by widening today's stereotypical view of beauty & inspiring girls women to take great care of themselves.  Unilever’s east coast office is located in Trumbull, CT and Girls Inc. of Southwestern CT looks forward to continuing work that will impact girls in Fairfield County and other areas within Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut’s service territory.

For more information about Girls Incorporated of Southwestern Connecticut, or to bring Girls Inc. programming to your school or community center, contact Jen Kannengeiser, Program Director, at (203)536-3322 or JKannengeiser@girlsincswct.org.
Girls Incorporated is a national non-profit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart and bold. The organization’s roots date back to 1864 with the Southwestern Connecticut lead office in Waterbury, CT being the original building where it all began. Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut offers services from lower and mid Fairfield County to the Greater Waterbury area and provides vital educational and social programs to girls. Girls Inc.’s, innovative programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent, and fulfilling lives. The organization’s mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold.

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Girls Incorporated is a national non-profit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart and bold.