Mary J. Blige Launches Strength Of A Woman Community Fund In Hometown

The Strength Of A Woman Festival and Summit takes place in New York for the first time this year.

Mary J. Blige attends Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit Gospel Brunch at City Winery Ponce City Market on May 08, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit

Mary J. Blige is giving back to her hometown in a major way.

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul and Pepsi have extended their partnership for the Pepsi x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Community Fund, providing $100,000 available as grants to local organizations whose work elevates and educates underserved women in Yonkers.

The effort comes as the beverage company returns as a co-presenting partner of MJB’s annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, which is set to take place in New York this year for the first time in May.

News of the funding was shared on Thursday (April 25), recognized as Pepsi x Strength of a Woman Community Day at Westchester Community College. Along with a full day of service, attendees heard from Dr. Kimberly Crawford and Shona Pinnock on wellness, confidence building, and economic empowerment. Additionally, the event included a shopping trip to provide the women with business essentials for workplace preparedness.

Mary J. Blige attends the Pepsi and Mary J. Blige announcement of a $100,000 fund to support women in her New York hometown at Westchester Community College on April 25, 2024 in Yonkers, New York.

Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Pepsi)

“Pepsi has been an incredible partner for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit since the start. Now, with their support, being able to come home to Yonkers to give back to and invest in the community I grew up in is all I’ve ever wanted,” detailed the “Just Fine” performer in a statement.

“We hope to provide resources for local organizations striving to support and uplift women for even greater impact this year.”

The fund, created in partnership with United Way of Westchester and Putnam, is open to Yonkers-based non-profit organizations addressing the needs of women who are underserved, marginalized, or living paycheck-to-paycheck. If selected, money will be distributed via grants between $5,000 and $20,000 to qualifying organizations supporting programs in education, financial stability, and food security.

PepsiCo’s Kent Montgomery and Mary J. Blige speak during the Pepsi and Mary J. Blige announcement of a $100,000 fund to support women in her New York hometown at Westchester Community College on April 25, 2024 in Yonkers, New York.

Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Pepsi

“We’re excited to deepen our partnership with Mary J. Blige by investing in the very community that has shaped her remarkable journey,” explained Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President of PepsiCo Industry Relations and Multicultural Development.

“The launch of the Pepsi x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Fund exemplifies our shared vision with Mary to empower women, by enabling organizations to continue their valuable work.”

View details on how to apply by the June 1 deadline on the official website.

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