Six organizations received money from the Women’s and Girls’ Fund, a leadership initiative of Kern Community Foundation, as 2025-26 grant recipients were announced at its 20th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon.

A total of $100,000 was awarded, the highest amount granted in a single year, at the March 26 event, according to a foundation news release. Additionally, $20,000 was given outside of this cycle to the Borel Fire Relief Fund for families and children affected by the blaze.

“We are incredibly proud to award $100,000 in grants — an investment that will change lives, create opportunities and strengthen futures for women and girls in Kern County,” WGF Grants Allocation Committee co-chairwoman Carla Barrientos said in the news release. “This achievement is possible because of your generosity, your commitment and your belief in the power of education and empowerment.”

The foundation said the 2025-26 grantees and their funded programs include:

* Bakersfield Police Activities League — $10,000: “A Road to Success” is an after-school program designed to empower girls under age 18 from disadvantaged backgrounds.

* Taft College Foundation — $20,000: In partnership with Dignity Health, Adventist Health and West Side Health Care District Hospitals, this six-week internship program provides real-world experience for women in Taft College’s Allied Health Studies program.

* Girl Scouts of Central California South — $10,000: The Sensory Success Project creates inclusive spaces for neurodivergent Girl Scouts in Kern County by providing sensory tools such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools and calming lighting.

* Diamond in the Rough Events and Sports Inc. — $20,000: The EmpowerHer program, hosted at the Chevron S.T.E.A.M. Room, equips girls from underserved communities with entrepreneurial skills.

* Casa Esperanza Transition Home for Women and Children — $20,000: Journey to Success provides homeless women with children a combination of shelter and wraparound care.

* emPOWERment Dess Perkins Foundation — $20,000: The EmpowerHer Summer Camp is a two-week program for 30 underserved girls ages 12-18.