NEW YORK, NY, USA, March 2, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- STRIVE International, Inc. (“STRIVE”), a national leader in creating pathways toward economic mobility and empowerment for those facing societal barriers to employment, today announced a $100,000 grant from the Ares Charitable Foundation (the “Ares Foundation”), a 501(c)(3) qualifying organization sponsored by Ares Management Corporation. The grant will support STRIVE’s flagship Career Path program for 100 women in New York and Atlanta as part of its Women’s Empowerment Initiative. The grant will also support STRIVE to provide coaching for 100 alumnae through its Bridge to Resiliency mentoring program, which is also part of its Women’s Empowerment Initiative, and thereby better enable comprehensive case management for the alumnae as they seek quality employment.

“Our partnership with STRIVE to help women transition out of poverty through occupational training and ongoing support aligns with the Ares Foundation’s mission to help accelerate equality of economic opportunity,” says Michelle Armstrong, Executive Director of the Ares Foundation. “We award grants to deserving organizations that help ensure equitable access to the knowledge, resources and opportunities that people need to reach their full potential. Without question, STRIVE’s industry-driven career preparation, mentoring and lifetime upskilling services for alumnae reflect that vision.”

Since 1984, STRIVE has successfully prepared over 85,000 graduates for good jobs that offer access to career-building opportunities and upward mobility, and thereby empower individuals, families and communities to uplift themselves out of generational poverty. Career Path specializes in targeted occupational training for entry-level careers in Healthcare & Office Operations, Construction, Transportation and Logistics, among other in-demand, employer-driven industries that offer life-changing economic trajectories for individuals and their communities. STRIVE programs currently operate in 13 locations across the country, with the launch of STRIVE Birmingham slated for spring 2023.

“We understand from decades of program experience and outcomes that women consistently face additional barriers to employment due to societal demands and complications that come with juggling the multiple roles they play in their families and networks,” says STRIVE New York Executive Director Ayesha George. “I am excited for the impact these funds from Ares will have on the lives of the women we serve, their families, and their communities, for generations.”

In addition, STRIVE has integrated mobility mentoring – the evidence-based practice of partnering with individuals in need of support so that they can achieve economic empowerment – into its Bridge to Resiliency mentoring program. The program focuses on drivers of upward mobility: financial management, family stability, well-being and education/training. Economic Mobility Pathways (“EMPath”) developed the concept of mobility mentoring and STRIVE is currently the only national workforce development organization in EMPath’s Exchange Member Network.

“Despite economic growth in recent years, Atlanta continues to struggle with pervasive income inequality and is one of the country’s lowest-performing cities in terms of access to upward mobility,” says STRIVE Atlanta Executive Director Jomal Vailes. “Today, children born into poverty have less than a four-percent chance of reaching middle class in their lifetime. It’s unacceptable. STRIVE is working to change that narrative for good, and it starts with empowering the phenomenal women who enrich and hold our communities together, fueling them with the economic resources they need to build family sustaining careers.”

STRIVE (www.strive.org) is a national workforce development leader that for nearly 40 years has successfully provided services to populations facing significant employment barriers. STRIVE’s proven program model moves students into careers that lead to upward mobility and economic empowerment. Headquartered in East Harlem, New York and with operations in 13 locations, STRIVE has helped more than 85,000 individuals prepare for career success through employment programs geared toward adults, young adults, and those with involvement in the justice system.

The Ares Charitable Foundation (the “Ares Foundation”) is a 501(c)(3) qualifying organization sponsored by Ares Management Corporation ("Ares"), a leading global alternative investment manager. Established in 2020, the Ares Foundation seeks to accelerate equality of economic opportunity through grants to nonprofit organizations whose programming provides Career Preparation & Reskilling, encourages Entrepreneurship and deepens individuals’ understanding of Personal Finance. The Ares Foundation's vision – a world in which people benefit from equitable access to knowledge, resources and opportunities so that they can achieve their full potential – reflects Ares’ core values and staunch commitment to philanthropy