March is Women’s History Month, a time to explore the contributions that women have made to the arts, science, culture, and history of the United States. But it is also a great time to consider how to improve the well-being of women in your community today!

There are many fantastic nonprofit and volunteer organizations that are focused on making life better for the girls and women of NYC. Volunteer your time and energy this month to tackle breast cancer, fight against toxic masculinity, tutor the next generation of young women leaders, and fight for gender equality.

Related Reading: Women Artists in NYC: 5 Exhibitions to See Now

Women’s Health Organizations to Get Involved with in NYC

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the U.S., supports global research projects dedicated to preventing and curing breast cancer. To support BCRF, you can create your own fundraiser, participate in an existing fundraiser, or attend one of their many events throughout the city including the annual Hot Pink Party on May 15.

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) provides essential medical care, information, and public policy advocacy in support of women’s sexual and reproductive health. For many New Yorkers with limited access to high-cost medical centers, Planned Parenthood is a critical resource. Become an activist, make a donation, or sign up for updates to support PPGNY and its programs and initiatives throughout the city.

Educate Girls With These Local Female Empowerment Organizations

Girl Rising

Girl Rising aims to promote the education and empowerment of girls worldwide by sharing their stories. Most recently, the organization released a short documentary film entitled Brave Girl Rising, the story of a 17-year old Somali girl living in one of the world’s largest refugee camps.

Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code has a mission to close the gender gap in STEM education. The group sponsors summer camps, after-school clubs, immersion programs, and more. With a presence in all 50 states and Canada, Girls Who Code was recently named the #1 non-profit on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2019 list. Volunteers can start a new club, lead an existing club, or become a community leader with the organization.

Girls Write Now

Girls Write Now matches underserved girls with professional writers that mentor young women to build their skills, find their voices, and gain the confidence to approach the next stage of their lives. The pairs work together to expand boundaries, create portfolios, and share the results with the rest of the group as part of the Chapters Reading Series. Apply to be a mentor, or sponsor or attend an event through the Girls Write Now website.

Lower Eastside Girls Club

The Lower Eastside Girls Club operates a community center on Avenue D, open to girls from ages 8-18, running programs in art, civics, STEM, health, social justice, and entrepreneurship. The goal of the program is to nurture girls in ways that society often neglects to, and helps break the cycle of local poverty by providing education and training to the next generation of leaders. LESGC was founded in 1996 and all Lower East Side residents are eligible to get involved. Interested volunteers can submit an application today.

Break the Glass Ceiling with these Gender Equality Organizations

A Call to Men

A Call to Men works to promote a healthy, respectful version of manhood that values all human beings. The organization works with communities to provide training and educate men and boys on the violence against women, sexual assault, and harassment. From inside the workplace, to schools and the government, they examine ideas of toxic masculinity and shape negative energies into positive ones. To get involved, donate, or bring valuable programs to your community, check out the A Call to Men website.

Womanity Project

The Womanity Project is a non-profit organization that creates multimedia presentations and community workshops to highlight stereotypes, both cultural and gender-based and inspire connections based on respect and equality. The Womanity Project is not a one-gender platform, it is a movement for everyone to celebrate their experiences around gender, equality, and race.

Equality Now

Equality Now is a nonprofit network of lawyers and activists that has held governments responsible for legal inequality. Their work has helped fight sex discrimination worldwide, led to a 2012 UN resolution to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and resulted in the first U.S. law to criminalize sex tourism overseas.

Hosting an event or making a single, or monthly contribution to Equality Now helps the organization continue the fight for gender equality across the globe.

In a country where one-in-three women face sexual violence in their lifetime¹ and where four-in-ten employed women have faced gender discrimination at work,² there is plenty of work to be done in the fight for gender equality. By volunteering with these local women’s organizations you can make a difference in the lives of women both at home and abroad.

If you are interested in more volunteer opportunities in NYC, subscribe to NYXT for monthly updates on community engagement opportunities in New York City.

Our Sources:

¹ https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

² http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/12/28/10-things-we-learned-about-gender-issues-in-the-u-s-in-2017/