September and October Outreach: Alternatives For Girls

Founded in 1987, Alternatives For Girls (AFG) is a southwest Detroit-based nonprofit organization. AFG’s mission is to help homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and help them to explore and access the support, resources, and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong, and to make positive choices in their lives.

Originally a small, volunteer-run program, operating a five-bed emergency shelter in a neighborhood church, AFG has evolved into a multi-service agency with over 50 employees. It is housed in a two-story brick building constructed in 2002.

AFG serves homeless and at-risk girls and young women through the following programs:

Shelter: Provides a stable home, counseling, support for getting their education back on track, job readiness and life skills training to homeless young women ages 15-22 and their children.

Prevention: Serves girls ages 4-21 who are at risk of gang involvement, abusing drugs or alcohol, early pregnancy, and school truancy. AFG engages them through mentoring, after-school programs, a college prep program, and a summer camp.

Outreach: Helps teens and women engaged in high-risk activities, such as street-based prostitution, drug use, and gang involvement, to understand the risks of such activities and transition to safe choices and healthy lives.

For our September-October outreach project, help us collect new underwear and new socks for girls and young women ages 4 to 22, as part of AFG’s “wish list.” Any sizes, types, brands welcome.

Your gifts will make a difference in young women’s lives. Financial gifts may be placed in the blue or yellow envelopes and labeled AFG. New underwear and socks may be placed in the Out-reach bin located in the hallway outside the lounge.

With many thanks,

GPCC Outreach Committee