This weekend, we celebrate International Day of the Girl on October 11. It’s a day when we collectively recognize the power of girls everywhere — and provides a platform to highlight, discuss, and take action to advance the opportunities for girls across the world.

Coincidentally, this weekend also marks the conclusion of our Closing the Dream Gap fundraiser — which provides young women with the resources to fund educational conferences she couldn’t otherwise afford, the mentorship to help her see new possibilities for her future, and the confidence to pursue leadership roles where she’ll inspire others to dream bigger.

The beautiful thing is that the end of this fundraiser is really JUST the beginning. It’s not the finish line; it marks the launching pad to continue helping talented young women get to the next step in their dreams.

When I founded 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), I was driven by a simple, profound belief: every girl deserves the chance to imagine, to aspire, and to claim her place in the world. Yet, there are so many barriers — especially for underserved girls. Many of these girls begin to narrow their dreams long before they even reach high school, simply because they cannot see the path forward.

Indeed, the “Dream Gap” forms early. By ages 8–14, girls experience around a 30% drop in confidence, while boys’ confidence holds steady. These effects compound over time — through a girls’ educational journeys and into the workplace. Women often lack mentorship and face systemic bias — and only 29% of senior leadership roles are held by women globally.

At 1DF, we believe in building a future where the next generation of women can soar ahead. We do this by:

• Providing micro-grants for education and resources
• Expanding access to mentorship
• Establishing opportunities with professional networks
• Breaking barriers so women aren’t as limited by systemic inequities

The young women we serve are bright, motivated, and resourceful. Yet many struggle with significant financial, academic, and emotional pressures.

How Your Support Makes a Difference

Your support in our Closing the Dream Gap fundraiser helps us create more solid footing to bridge hope and possibility for our next generation of women leaders and innovators. It is the reason she believes she can take that next bold step.

Every dollar is not just a number — it makes a significant impact on a girl. When we come together for this cause, we say to every girl: You are worthy. You belong. You are capable. You are the dreamer, the doer, the future.

International Day of the Girl is not just a symbolic nod — it’s a call to action. It asks each of us: How will we stand alongside girls today so that they don’t have to fight their dreams tomorrow?

We look forward to closing out our Closing the Dream Gap fundraiser on a high note — thanks to your generosity. If you’ve been considering helping the young women we serve, now is the time. Please share this message with others, too — your voice amplifies our impact.

Thank you — truly — for believing in the next generation of girls, and for believing in what is possible when we unite behind a dream.

With gratitude,

 

 

 

Christie Garton, Founder & CEO
1,000 Dreams Fund