Case Study
Sista Afya
Community Care
Fundraising, Communications, and Design
Photo courtesy of Sista Afya Community Care
How Women Unite! Got Connected
Sista Afya Community Care (SACC) applied to be a partner as part of our 2021–22 cohort. In the wake of a global pandemic and the death of George Floyd, SACC’s emphasis on Black women’s mental health made them a clear choice and the board unanimously approved their application.
Photo courtesy of Sista Afya Community Care
About Sista Afya Community Care
SACC is the nonprofit arm of the social enterprise Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness. Their mission is to build sustainable mental wellness communities by providing affordable and culturally-centered community mental wellness care and education. SACC’s programs boldly disrupt mental health inequity by removing cost, centering culture, and building community in mental wellness care.
Who They Serve
SACC primarily serves Black women in the Jackson Park Highlands neighborhood and surrounding South Side Chicago neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, South Shore, and Pocket Town. SACC programs are culturally focused and led by Black women, designed for Black women, and are physically located in the South Side’s vibrant Black community. In order to make therapy options accessible to the South Side community, their options for payment include insurance and Medicaid, sliding scale based on monthly income, and no cost.
Photo courtesy of Sista Afya Community Care
The Organization’s Need
As Executive Director of a new nonprofit, Camesha Jones hoped WU! could provide the guidance, direction, and support needed to take SACC to the “next level.” For Camesha, the next level included the components needed for a sustainable and impactful organization. Before the WU! partnership, Camesha had limited knowledge of what was required to grow a non-profit from the ground up, specifically in the areas of development and communications.
“WU!’s partnership has helped Sista Afya Community Care grow substantially as an emerging organization. From their expertise with grant writing, communications, and board development—we’ve been able to have the resources and support to serve Black women in Chicago with excellence.”
—Camesha Jones, Executive Director, Sista Afya Community Care
Women Unite!’s Impact
WU! used its grant research and management expertise to build on the grant work SACC had already begun. WU! created a robust grants pipeline of prospective foundation funders that is still used to expand SACC’s funding base, cultivate relationships with potential donors, and write and submit grant proposals for support. SACC’s partnership with WU! over the last year has translated into transformational opportunities for SACC.
WU! additionally partnered with SACC on key development projects such as:
Designing a beautiful new website
Coaching the SACC board on roles, responsibilities, and best practices related to fundraising
Collaborating on a revamped donor stewardship plan with a focus on increased donor retention and overall participation
Leading SACC’s annual appeal strategy and goals
Designing solicitation postcards and a slide deck presentation for the SACC Women’s Wellness Award Brunch
In 2022, Women Unite! secured more than $100,000 in grant awards. And already in 2023, we’ve secured over $260,000 in grant funding for Sista Afya Community Care.
“[T]he most helpful aspect of our partnership has been having consistent support in all areas of SACC. Liz and Catherine helped hold me accountable to the goals that were set. Their technical assistance with grants and communications enable us to sustain our organization. WU! supported us with being able to clearly show our impact, which in turn helped us to garner funding resources to support the mental health work we are doing in Chicago.”
—Camesha Jones, Executive Director, Sista Afya Community Care
Photo courtesy of Sista Afya Community Care
Mission Alignment
SACC’s dedication to supporting Black women’s mental health by providing high quality, affordable mental health services directly aligns with WU!’s mission to create a more equitable world. Black women face significant disparities in mental health care; fewer than 10% of Black Americans get mental health counseling or treatment, compared with more than 18% of white Americans. WU! is proud to work along SACC, helping increase access to essential health services for women on Chicago’s South Side.
“Since working with WU! we’ve garnered over $200k in grant funding, board development, and communications materials to support with communicating our impact in the lives of Black women.”
—Camesha Jones, Executive Director, Sista Afya Community Care