"The New Opportunity School for Women believed in me until I could believe in myself." Shirley, Graduate, 1998

Why Give? 
You Can Help Change a Life
Statistics from the Appalachian region underscore the growing need for the NOSW Foundation and family of NOSW programs:

• Poverty rates in the Appalachian region served by the NOSW Foundation are as much as 168 percent above the national poverty level. 
• Nearly 30 percent of households in Appalachia are headed by women, with nearly a quarter of the families living in poverty. U.S. Census show a connection between living the near or below the line, low educational attainment, greater health care concerns, and other life challenges.
• The five states served by the NOSW family of programs consistently fail in marks on overall health and life expectancy rates for women.
• Only 12.3 percent of the adult population in Central Appalachia graduates from college.

You can make a difference! Your gift will help change lives of Appalachian women in need, their children, and other family members. Please consider making a recurring donation to the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation today.  
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Who Gives to the NOSW Foundation?

• Individual donors,
• foundations,
• sponsors,
• churches,
• charitable organizations,
• women's organizations,
• professional associations
• civic and community groups, and
• others 

invest in the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation to help low-income Appalachian women in need rebuild their lives through education, job readiness, personal empowerment, and new life opportunities.

Join us to help low-income, high-potential Appalachian women in need to change their lives—to become

• more self-confident,
• better educated,
• more prepared for the workforce,
• more aware of and attentive to preventive and remedial heath and dental care, 
• more appreciative of their rich Appalachian heritage and culture, and 
• more self-sufficient!​​

Your contribution will help us to sustain and build capacity at the NOSW family of program sites and establish new NOSW program sites in more Appalachian communities. Greater capacity makes it possible to help more Appalachian women rebuild their lives and shape a fulfilling and successful future. By leveraging hope, we can make a difference together. Together we can help Appalachian women in need overcome the obstacles of poverty.  

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How Can You Give to the NOSW Foundation?
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Contribute to the New Opportunity Fund.

• The New Opportunity Fund is the primary fund essential to achieving the mission of the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation.
• Your gift to the the New Opportunity Fund makes it possible for the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation to sustain and increase the capacity of the current NOSW family of programs to reach more Appalachian women in need. 
• Your gift is also essential to the ability of the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation to grow the NOSW family of programs through the establishment of additional NOSW program sites in Appalachian communities.
• The increased capacity made possible with additional NOSW program sites is essential to reach, and improve the lives of, more high-potential Appalachian women in need.  

Sponsor one NOSW Woman Participant at any NOSW Program Site. 

• Women participants attend a three-week residential program at one of the distinct NOSW program sites for free—no tuition, no fees and no expenses for books or materials. 
• Your $3500 gift covers one woman's program expenses at any one of the NOSW program sites.
• We also welcome partial scholarships to help the NOSW program provide at no cost to a woman participant
  1. room and board ($600),
  2. counseling and self-esteem workshops ($300),
  3. childcare (up to $500, if needed), and
  4. books and supplies ($200) for each participant.

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​Make a Special Gift to the JOY AWARD. 

• In honor of Joy Allison, the mother of a Foundation board member, the NOSW Foundation annually provides the JOY AWARD to an NOSW graduate who has shown great courage in the face of difficult health issues.
• The award—a small jewelry item and monetary award—is presented at each NOSW reunion.
• The Foundation encourages the recipient to spend the award "for the joy of it."

Make a Special Gift to the Scholarship Fund. 

• The New Opportunity School for Women Foundation manages a scholarship fund for graduates of any NOSW program site.
• Scholarships are intended to assist NOSW graduates who are
  1. furthering their education, or
  2. training with the goal of becoming employed. 
• NOSW program graduates who are awarded scholarships may use the funds to pay for any expense related to education. This could include
  1. direct expenses (such as tuition, books or fees), or
  2. indirect expenses (such as childcare, transportation, or health insurance).

Become a Host, Sponsor, Organizer of Events
to Benefit the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation. 

• A variety of options, including sponsorship levels and volunteer opportunities, is available.
• The NOSW Foundation invites you to  support our mission by becoming
  1. a host,
  2. sponsor,
  3. organizer, or
  4. volunteer

of an event for a cause— to benefit the New Opportunity School for Women Foundation.

For more information on how you can become a host, sponsor, organizer, or volunteer,  please complete and submit the contact information below or send us an email.

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The New Opportunity School for Women Foundation is a public charity, approved by the IRS for tax exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are tax deductible. The New Opportunity School for Women Foundation is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, transfers and gifts.  ​

The donate button at the top of the page directs you to a PayPal giving page. Write in the amount you wish to give, and look for the credit card link to enter your information and confirm. This is a secure link for using your credit card, debit card, or PayPal account for donations of $10 to $1,000.  A  confirmation and receipt will  be sent immediately to your email.

If you prefer to make your donation by regular mail, please mail it to New Opportunity School for Women Foundation, P.O. Box 273, Berea, KY  40403.

Contact Us: New Opportunity School for Women Foundation, P.O. Box 273, Berea, KY 40403
email: [email protected] 
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Further Reading: Changing Lives in Appalachia, by Jane Stephenson