Causes

Youth development Gender equity & justice Human services

Posted by

Christy M.

Director of Development

Our mission

PEARLS improves the quality of life and strengthens our community one girl at a time by empowering young women with self-development tools, guidance, and support to strive for better, brighter futures by living out PEARLS values: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership, and Support.

What we do

Any Milwaukee girl in grades 5 to 12 may join PEARLS. Most PEARLS girls live in neighborhoods and homes that reflect the devastation wrought by bad relationships, substance abuse, crime, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement - and most of all, a lack of hope. They lack positive role models to guide them through the roiling emotions, physical changes, and social upheavals of that all adolescents experience. They have learned to survive, but not to thrive.

PEARLS offers girls a way past the complacency and despair that surrounds them. We offer proven interventions and introduce voices of hope, encouragement, and high standards to support their success. When others say, "you can't succeed," we say, "you can, and we'll help you learn how."

Our approach incorporates a research-based curriculum, best practices in trauma-informed care, girl-driven programming, and structured goal setting to help girls in their positive self-development.