Contacts:
Dara Britton, West Virginia Women Work, dbritton@wvwomenwork.org
Kristen Fraser, Truist, media@truist.com
Morgantown, WV, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Virginia Women Work (WVWW) is excited to announce a $30,000 grant from Truist Foundation to fortify our PartnerUp Mentoring Program. This pivotal funding will broaden our impact, empowering West Virginia women to overcome educational and employment barriers.
The grant will focus on mentor training, resource curation, and community outreach. It will also provide free access to specialized WVWW trainings. Dara Britton, Financial & Program Development Manager, said, “PartnerUp is about lasting change. This grant moves us closer to empowering women for economic success, benefiting them and future generations.”
The primary beneficiaries are unemployed or underemployed women in West Virginia, especially those facing barriers to education and employment. Designed to be inclusive, the program will serve women from diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses.
This funding addresses critical challenges, including mentorship gaps and the need for region-specific resources. It also paves the way for a scalable PartnerUp model, laying the groundwork for potential expansion beyond West Virginia.
Success will be measured through key metrics: number of mentors trained, mentee enrollment rates, and resource networks developed across the state. The completion of a scalable model and positive changes in mentees’ statuses will mark significant milestones.
“We’re proud to support West Virginia Women Work and its PartnerUp Mentoring Program,” said Patrick O’Malley, Truist market president. “At Truist, our purpose is to inspire and build better lives and communities, and this grant will provide critical support for women, helping them overcome educational and employment barriers.”
About West Virginia Women Work
West Virginia Women Work, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, strives to help women in West Virginia earn a living wage. The primary focus of the organization’s activities is to help women explore, train, and secure employment in nontraditional occupations, especially the skilled trades. WVWW provides support programs, career coaching services, education services, and workshops to prepare women for employment in high skills, high wage nontraditional careers. These services align with our mission of Supporting and advocating for the education, employment, and economic equity of all women.
About Truist Foundation
Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.
