Liz Prine Memorial Fund

The Liz Prine Fund provides DIRECT, IMMEDIATE, ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE to help a woman who is trying to improve her circumstances.

The Liz Prine Memorial Fund was created in 1982 by the family and friends of Elizabeth Erskine Prine, who died that year at age 44 after an eight month-battle with cancer. She served on the board of YWCA Greater Pittsburgh and was one of the youngest women ever elected to the YWCA USA board.

Liz was known for her aggressive, hands-on approach to empowering women. Rather than just providing housing and recreational facilities, she believed the YW must immerse itself in the economic, racial, and social problems that were depriving many young women of the opportunities that should have been available to them. The Liz Prine Fund honors the memory of a real woman committed to making real differences.

Over the history of the Fund, it has been used to support help women respond to the needs of the time. Since the COVID-19 crisis hit, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh has been flooded with requests for assistance. Many of the women reaching out to us after losing their jobs have never experienced hardship before. They are embarrassed, scared, and don’t know where else to turn.

A grant from the Liz Prine Fund can provide a critical car repair, a computer for online learning, support for a small business – the possibilities are endless . Often, a Liz Prine Fund grant is the last piece of the puzzle a woman needs to achieve financial stability and safety.

Amina was a single mom who had lived in the U.S. for 20 years. When she split up from her young son’s father, an American citizen, she began to worry about her status as a foreign resident. Her green card was coming up for renewal and Amina feared she could be separated from her child – but she didn’t have the money to apply for citizenship. Amina turned to the YW for help, and we were able to provide her with a grant from the Liz Prine Fund so she could pay for her $785 naturalization application. We also gave her a referral for free financial coaching so that she could begin to save for her first house! Amina was so relieved that she could rely on YWCA to keep her safe and secure.

It is the Liz Prine Fund Committee’s hope that each grant recipient will find themselves able to reach out and help someone else at some point in the future, and to keep alive Liz’s legacy of support for women in crisis and transition. If you find yourself able to give back in any amount, your gift will go directly to another woman in need. For information about applying for a Liz Prine grant, please call (412) 391-5100.

To donate to the Liz Prine Memorial Fund, select it under “Choose Your Impact” at checkout at the button below.