03 Mar March 8: A Day for Women
Last year around International Women’s Day (March 8), we made a video telling the story about the power of women in real estate from our point of view. Since first receiving the Women’s Choice Award in 2018, Coldwell Banker has created platforms and programs around women in leadership. With a broker and leadership team comprised almost entirely of women, this was a natural story for us to share, and we were thrilled to learn Coldwell Banker was again recognized for the Women’s Choice Award in 2020.
This year, we are celebrating International Women’s Day through the lens of our Caine Cares platform, the philanthropic arm of Coldwell Banker Caine. Part of our effort with #CaineCares is to bring awareness and education to our agents of the needs in our community. We recently partnered with a local nonprofit called Jasmine Road, created in 2016 to heal survivors of sex trafficking and prostitution so they can begin new lives.
Jasmine Road provides a safe haven for those participating in the two-year program. The women currently enrolled began their journey with therapy, exercise opportunities through a partnership with the Caine Halter YMCA, and healthcare through a partnership with Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. They work on educational gaps (one recently celebrated the completion of her GED) and begin charting a future beyond the world they knew before.
Essential to the mission of an organization like Jasmine Road is offering social enterprise opportunities that teach a variety of life and employment skills while providing income back to the operating budget. Jasmine Road began this process through small scale endeavors like making candles and jewelry. However, the ultimate goal has always been to lead their efforts with a cafe, which opened in February.
To support the efforts of Jasmine Road, our agents purchased survivor-made candles for their clients and gathered around a community table at Jasmine Kitchen (located at 503 Augusta Road) to share a meal and learn more about the mission.
The Jasmine Kitchen restaurant features a healthy lunch menu focusing on soup, salad, and sandwiches. It includes an apprenticeship program, where the women can rotate through all of the job functionalities of a restaurant to gain experience they can apply to future careers. Inspiration and creativity for the restaurant’s look, feel, and menu was provided through a partnership with local restaurant Kitchen Sync’s owner, Kevin Feeny.
If you are looking for a way to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, our agents would highly recommend supporting Jasmine Road by sharing a meal together at Jasmine Kitchen.
