ATLANTA, November 2025 —The AWF Impact Award, presented annually by the Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF) at the Numbers Too Big To Ignore Luncheon, recognizes a current or former grantee partner whose leadership and measurable results are creating lasting change for women and girls. The Rising Star Award honors a girl or woman whose personal journey reflects what becomes possible when that support takes root.

Together, these awards remind us that when we invest in women and girls, we strengthen families, neighborhoods, and the entire Atlanta community.

This year, AWF is proud to recognize Cool Girls, Inc. — a multi-year partner in AWF’s All Girls Forward: Girls Empowerment Program — and their 2025 Rising Star, Destiny Daniel, whose remarkable journey shows what can happen when one girl is given the support, safety, and opportunity to see the horizon of her own potential.

Cool Girls, Inc.: Creating a Continuum of Confidence

Among the ten nonprofits funded through AWF’s All Girls Forward: Girls Empowerment Program, Cool Girls, Inc. was selected for this year’s Impact Award in recognition of its long-term, holistic model that empowers girls in communities where opportunities have historically been limited.

For more than 30 years, Cool Girls has helped young women develop leadership skills, build confidence, and access educational and post-secondary pathways through programs such as the Girls Club for elementary students and Cool Scholars for teens. From safe after-school spaces to mentorship, life skills, and college readiness, Cool Girls provides a continuum of care that equips girls to thrive.

“The support from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation is transformational,” said Tanya Egins, CEO of Cool Girls, Inc. “Beyond funding, AWF provides resources, education, and trained board members through its Inspire Atlanta program. AWF’s investment allows us to serve more girls, deepen our programs, and give girls like Destiny the chance to change the world.”

“Once a Cool Girl, Always a Cool Girl.”

Destiny Daniel embodies the Cool Girls motto: Once a Cool Girl, Always a Cool Girl.

She joined Cool Girls in the third grade, growing up in a household marked by instability, limited access to opportunity, and the challenges that come with economic hardship.

“Most days, I came home from school, turned on the TV, and escaped into dreams of living a different life,” Destiny recalls. “I was smart, curious, ambitious, and eager to lead, but without role models or mentors, I had no clear vision for how to turn those hopes into reality. Even at that age, I could see how easily the weight of our environment could steer us off course. Joining Cool Girls shifted that reality.”

Through Cool Girls, she found what every child deserves: safety, structure, opportunity, and the unwavering support of women who believed in her.

“Through their programming, I found safety, sisterhood, mentorship, and a new vision for my life,” she says. “Cool Girls helped me believe that not only could I dream bigger, but that I could become a young woman capable of changing her own world and one day, the world we share.”

A Journey Marked by Determination and Firsts

As a first-generation high school and college graduate, Destiny faced barriers few her age could imagine. Cool Girls not only opened doors to academic opportunities but also met essential needs along the way — from school supplies and holiday support to mentorship and wellness resources. Her Cool Sister mentor, Nadia, took her to her first concert and play, modeling what it looks like when women intentionally invest in each other.

Through Cool Scholars, Destiny built critical skills in scholarship writing, leadership, and career exploration. A pivotal moment came during a Cool Girls college road trip to Howard University, Destiny’s first time on a college campus, where she felt that she truly belonged.

Even during the pandemic in 2020, Cool Girls showed up for Destiny, literally driving by her home with signs, car horns, and gifts to celebrate her graduation,  a moment that reminded her of the community that had supported her for more than a decade.

Destiny went on to graduate from Howard University with a 3.9 GPA, earn her Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University, complete nonprofit internships across countries, and founded Being My Destiny, a global initiative supporting Black maternal health and empowerment.

Watch Destiny’s Story

Watch the 2025 AWF Impact Award video to see how AWF and Cool Girls are helping girls across Atlanta dream big, lead boldly, and move forward with strength and confidence.

A Ripple Effect of Empowerment

Destiny’s story is a vivid illustration of what AWF’s investment in girls can make possible. When girls receive consistent, high-quality support from childhood through young adulthood, the ripple effects extend across families, communities, and even future generations.

Thanks to programs like Cool Girls, Inc., funded through AWF’s All Girls Forward initiative, girls gain the skills, support, and confidence to lead, achieve, and create promising new futures.

The Atlanta Women’s Foundation: Moving Girls Forward

The Atlanta Women’s Foundation’s mission is to be a catalyst for change, with a vision to see women and girls prosper and live vibrant lives across metro Atlanta. Through its All Girls Forward: Girls Empowerment Program, AWF is helping break cycles of generational poverty by expanding educational access, strengthening socio-emotional development, supporting mental and physical health, and promoting pregnancy prevention.

AWF’s approach is comprehensive, collaborative, and rooted in long-term impact.

Reach, Learn, Act, Succeed: How AWF Measures Impact

AWF evaluates progress across four key outcomes that demonstrate how girls grow, develop, and lead:

1. Reach

Girls gain access to safe, supportive programs that provide academic support, mentorship, health resources, and leadership opportunities.

• In 2024, AWF partners reached 783 girls.
• In 2025, partners aim to reach 2,291 girls across metro Atlanta.

2. Learn

Girls build skills, knowledge, confidence, and motivation through programming focused on academic growth, mental and emotional well-being, financial literacy, and STEAM exploration.

3. Act

Girls put learning into practice:  strengthening attendance, improving health behaviors, engaging in service and leadership, and deepening their connection to peers, mentors, and community.

4. Succeed

Girls achieve milestones that shape long-term economic mobility and opportunity:

• Progressing to the next grade on time
• Strengthening persistence in school
• Building early financial stability
• Accessing post-secondary pathways

AWF’s annual investment of $500,000 across 10 organizations ensures that programs remain accessible, accountable, and responsive to the needs of girls in communities where resources have historically been limited.

Learn More & Get Involved

Explore AWF’s All Girls Forward Initiative: https://www.atlantawomen.org/what-we-do/grants/all-girls-forward-grants/

Understand AWF’s issue areas and read research reports: https://www.atlantawomen.org/what-we-do/issue-areas/

Support AWF’s Mission: https://atlantawomen.org/donate

Learn more about the Numbers Too Big To Ignore Luncheon:  https://www.atlantawomen.org/what-you-can-do/numbers-too-big-to-ignore-luncheon/