As a woman working to bring positive change to girls and women in Alabama and nationally, I support the Ms. Foundation for Women to provide local groups with the “more than money” resources they need to ignite change in the South. As a firm believer that philanthropy should be an extension of one’s interests, my support of the Ms. Foundation has enabled new Southern grantee partners to work together for the first time for teen pregnancy prevention and medically-accurate sexuality education in Alabama schools.

In December 2010, the Ms. Foundation brought sexual health advocates together to share progress, communicate their needs, create collaborative, achievable goals, and confront stigma around sexuality in local, “less than perfect circumstances.” As a newly elected and more conservative legislature takes control in Alabama and across the Southeast, these groups are preparing to face drastic cuts in social services with severely limited resources. In light of these changes, they need opportunities to strategize together now more than ever, and the Ms. Foundation for Women has the expertise to turn contributions like mine into valuable networking and hands-on assistance where it can make the biggest impact.

I am a confident investor in the Ms. Foundation because in its nearly 40 years, it has built the knowledge and expertise to impact the lives of women throughout the US. And as the Ms. Foundation has already demonstrated expertise in effectively supporting sexuality education advocacy in key states across the country, I am confident that my contribution to the Ms. Foundation will catalyze real change for the issues I care most about.

I am committed to reproductive rights and I believe in going to the root of the problem – and that is access to comprehensive sexuality education. I certainly never received any sex education growing up and my children never had it in school; I support this work so that my grandchildren and their peers will benefit from sex education, understand their reproductive rights, and lead safe, healthy lives.

Jane Stephens Comer was named Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by the Alabama Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is the founder of GirlSpring, an initiative that connects young girls, ages 10 to 21, with women, other girls and women’s organizations through quarterly gatherings. GirlSpring celebrates young girls and their accomplishments, and provides support, resources and information so that young girls and women can and will act on their passions to make our world a better place.