WGC Emergency Response Network Request - We Did It! Many thanks to everyone who took action today and donated to help two women in need right here in our community. We asked, and you, our network of women philanthropists, responded - and in a short period of time we raised $685. Thank you all! And, stay tuned for our next WGC Emergency Response Network request - in the last year or so we've had 10 ERN requests that have raised over $9,000 to directly help women and their families.
0 Comments
Exciting, and we are a part of it! The Women and Girl's Index: "Women’s and girls’ issues have received increased attention in recent years, but for a number of reasons, quantifying charitable giving to these causes has been challenging. Until now. With the creation of the Women & Girls Index, which identifies 45,000+ organizations in the United States dedicated to women and girls, the Women’s Philanthropy Institute can measure giving to these organizations from individuals, foundations, and corporations." ![]()
Don't forget - get your tickets today!
WGC's 2019 Annual Celebration: A Tale of Two Women and Their Rise to Equality - Shattering Glass Ceilings in Howard County Monday, October 14, 2019 5:30 - 7:30 PM With Keynote Speakers Lisa Myers and Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County's first female Police Chief and first female Fire Chief, on Monday, October 14 at Howard Community College's Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. See you there! We had a fantastic WGC Happy Hour at Success in Style in partnership with Feldspar Studio & Gallery!
Many thanks to everyone who attended tonight, donated and bought clothing, and learned more about the WGC - including our newly launched IMPACT 2024 Campaign and focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion! #wgc #womensgivingcircles #dei What an afternoon we had today at the JustLiving Advocacy, Inc.'s Bridges of HOPE luncheon, where the Women's Giving Circle and WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle of Nancy Adams Personnel of Columbia were honored, along with Beverly White-Seals of the Community Foundation of Howard County. Thank you to all who attended the lunch, including WGC Board Members April Pardoe, Lee Rees Draminski, Kim Mann Agnor and Hina Naseem!
Thank you so much to the wonderful Nette Stokes of JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. for this honor, and for the incredibly important work you do in our community! And, many thanks to Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, for being there, are for these wonderful pictures, and lovely statement: "There are many members of our community who are suffering in the dark. It is why I was pleased to join Bridges of HOPE for their community Luncheon to recognize the individuals and organizations who effortlessly help our friends in need. We need to expand the flame of opportunity and feed the fires of hope. This only happens when we work together to spread the light to those around us. Congratulations to today’s honorees Nancy Adams Personnel, Community Foundation of Howard County, and Women's Giving Circle." The Bridges of HOPE Community Leadership Luncheon is an opportunity to recognize organizations and individuals that significantly contribute to the community through their philanthropic and life sustaining endeavors for individuals and families in need, as well as aid community businesses and organizations in their efforts to help change lives for the better in Howard County. Thank you! We had a great turn out at our YWGC interest meeting Wednesday night!
We are really pumped about our YWGC Impact Team 2020 Kick off meeting on Thursday October 17th at the Elkridge Fire Station at 7pm. If you couldn’t make the meeting Wednesday night and are still interested, contact us by October 4th! The Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC) is sponsored by the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County. Our group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. What does the YWGC do? We:
We are currently accepting applications for YWGC members for the 2019/2020 school year! We have three opportunities for girls grades 7-12 to participate in the YWGC as part of Impact Team 2020. The power of collective giving helping people in our very own community will be the focus of these philanthropic efforts with young ladies 7th through 12th grade. Join us to learn more! Are you interested in joining the YWGC? Here's several steps you can take:
![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, In late July the WGC launched IMPACT 2024, our new five-year, $500,000 fundraising effort and focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for women in Howard County. And wow, what a response we've had so far! Thank you to all of you who have donated and/or who have made a yearly pledge. I know we are going to hit our goal - and we must, if we are going to build on our past and enhance our future by increasing our grantmaking to programs that benefit women and girls, as well as strengthening our infrastructure to grow the circle. Check out this article on the national grant we just received to enhance our work. We are committed to enhancing our core values to better meet our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all of our work. Learn more and please considering joining us! I am excited that we are now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC), which is sponsored by the WGC. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. Interested? Plan to join us at our Wednesday, September 18 YWGC Interest Meeting, 7 pm at the Elkridge Library to learn more. We have many great things going on - I hope to see you at some of our upcoming activities: - September 23: I am so excited to be honored at the JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. Bridges of Hope Leadership Luncheon, along with Beverly White-Seals, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County - what a wonderful tribute for the foundation and the WGC, thank you! Did you know the WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation? We are working to make a difference together! - September 24: Join us for Happy Hour from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Success in Style Charity's First Pick at Historic Savage Mill, 8600 Foundry Street, minutes from Columbia - where else can you meet, drink, shop, donate, and learn more about women helping women through the WGC?! No cost to attend, please just bring a bag of clothes and/or jewelry to donate. Donations to WGC gratefully accepted - RSVP today! - October 14: Join us for WGC's 2019 Annual Celebration - A Tale of Two Women and Their Rise to Equality: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Howard County, with Keynote Speakers Lisa Myers and Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County's first female Police Chief and first female Fire Chief, at Howard Community College, Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center - Purchase tickets today! We are excited to again offer business and personal sponsorship opportunities. Last year we had 38 sponsors! If you sponsored last year, can we count on you again? And, if you didn't but are interested in joining this amazing group of women sponsors, please take a look and see what interests you - you can easily sign up online. Contact me if you have any questions! Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] As they have in past years, delegates who attended Journey Camp for Girls this summer, hosted their Annual Tea in August where they honored five local women role models.
This year's honorees are: Katherine Rensin, Malynda Madzel, Diane B. Martin, Cathy Hudson, and Kim Agnor. Journey Camp for Girls, or “Journey” is a week-long camp for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls in Howard County, MD that is run by Maryland Leadership Workshops and conceived of and funded by the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. The idea behind Journey is to bring girls, in their formative years together to learn about leadership, empowerment, and community. At Journey each student identifies her own leadership skills, strengths, and challenges in a supportive and fun environment that fosters self-esteem and confidence. Congratulations to the honorees and this year's Journey Delegates! ![]() Philanthropy Women Maggie May Posted on August 28, 2019 On August 20, 2019, an initiative to connect and catalyst the field of giving circles announced their intention to donate $32,000 to collective giving organizations. The funds, distributed in thirteen microgrants ranging from $500 to $5,000, will go toward circles and networks that “showcase, scale, strengthen, and sustain the field of collective giving. This initiative is born out of a yearlong co-design process spearheaded by the organizations Amplifier, Asian Women’s Giving Circle, Catalist, Community Investment Network, and Latino Community Foundation. Leading funders of the co-design process include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lodestar Foundation, and Bank of America. The goal of the microgrants program is to empower organizations and networks committed to the concept of collective giving: a process in which interested donors join together, pool their financial resources, and invest in programs or organizations that strengthen their communities.” Over the last year, these organizations identified four main strategies to amplify the field of collective giving:
The groups selected for the $32,000 in microgrants exemplify one or more of these four main strategies. The first group of grantees showcase the giving circle model. Through community outreach, press relations, and scaled donation systems, these organizations seek to call attention to organizations that epitomize the concept of a “giving circle.” Grantees include (from the press release):
The next group of grantees were selected to scale the model by creating more circles and networks. Leaning on celebrated traits that draw communities together, such as cultural practices, religious beliefs, and LGBTQIA+ support, these organizations will build giving circles and networks that support members’ philanthropic and personal beliefs. Grantees include:
The third group will strengthen existing circles and networks. These grantees are committed to diversity and inclusion, education and research, and the development of toolkits and curriculum that organizations can use to spread their message. These organizations hope to boost giving across the nation by educating the public about the benefits of philanthropic networks and giving circles. Grantees include:
Finally, the fourth group of grantees sustains the collective giving movement through a mix of fundraising and campaigning. Funds will boost fundraising efforts for a wide variety of campaigns and organizations. They will also go toward the creation of databases, surveys, research projects, and online platforms that make the process of giving easier, more efficient, and more effective to spread to wider audiences. Grantees include:
When it comes down to it, this $32,000 project is really one large giving circle promoting the efforts and campaigns of multiple philanthropic network. By pooling resources — and by giving out thirteen smaller grants instead of a couple of larger ones — the twenty funders can more effectively use their collective $32,000 to make an impact in several different communities. Many of the organizations receiving these microgrants contribute to philanthropy, giving circles, and the research and education related to them on both national and international levels. Together, these organizations will continue to expand and transform the realm of giving circles. The focus on collective giving as a way to align with your community around key values and strategies, is an important new direction in philanthropy being driven primarily by women. The effects of our actions, no matter how small, can have impressive and positive impacts. When we work together as a collective, we amplify the smallest of actions into something much larger. For more information on the giving collective’s microgrants, read their press release online. To learn more about giving circles, read about the impact of collective philanthropy as it spreads into an international movement. If you’re interested in getting more involved, sign up for “PowerUP!: The Spark that Ignites Change,” Catalist’s 2020 conference hosted in Seattle, Washington. *** Philanthropy Women covers funding for gender equity in all sectors of society. We want to significantly shift public discourse, particularly in philanthropy, toward increased action for gender equality. You can support our work and access unlimited and premium content with one of our subscriptions. Today is #WomenEqualityDay.
99 years ago, women finally received the right to vote. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote - but it only gave some women—namely, white women—that right. Almost 100 years since the 19th amendment was ratified and women are still fighting for their rights - not another minute should go by before we make this right. Today, on#WomensEqualityDay we must continue the fight for equality and pass the Equal Rights Amendment #ERANow #EqualityCantWait For Women's Equality Day, here are 3 things to know about the suffrage movement ![]() 13 microgrants awarded to connect and catalyze the field nationally August 22, 2019 As part of its campaign to strengthen, expand and diversify the movement of North American giving circles, a group of giving circle networks and leaders, representing thousands of individual contributors, has made 13 microgrants to a diverse set of collective giving organizations. The grants will support the creation of new giving circles — especially among communities traditionally underrepresented in philanthropy — and help existing circles and networks create resources and build capacity to benefit the field at large. The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County has received a grant that will support efforts to undertake foundational internal work to operationalize our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This work is part of the WGC’s new IMPACT 2024 Campaign. “We are building on our core values to enhance our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to and through our work - values that have always been important to us and that we are now prioritizing” says WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle. The microgrants are part of a sustained effort, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lodestar Foundation, Bank of America, and 17 other funders, to diversify and democratize the field of philanthropy by amplifying the power and reach of the giving circles. Hundreds of giving circle stakeholders have been engaged in a yearlong co-design process led by Amplifier, Asian Women’s Giving Circle, Catalist, Community Investment Network, and Latino Community Foundation that has identified four strategies to move the field forward: showcasing the giving circle model, building broad awareness of giving circles and their manifold benefits; helping the field scale by supporting a variety of efforts to start new circles; providing resources and capacity-building to strengthen existing circles and networks; and sustaining the field with collaborative initiatives, funding, and action-focused research. This effort comes as giving circles are exploding in popularity in America. A recent report from the Lilly School of Philanthropy found that the number of giving circles tripled to 1,500 between 2007 and 2017, and that giving circles have given as much as $1.29 billion in that time. Another recent study, by the Collective Giving Research Group, found that they offer a way to meaningfully engage people in giving and in engaging in their communities. Giving circles are characterized by innovation and experimentation - circles are nimble, close to their communities, and strengthened by the diversity of opinions, identities, and experiences of their members. These microgrants, totaling $32,000 to 13 circles and networks, offer an opportunity to a wide variety of circles and networks to experiment with new models, create new resources, and form new partnerships. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $5,000. Paula Liang, a member of the core co-design team and Chair of Catalist, a network of 70 women’s funds, foundations and giving circles with 17,000+ individual members, noted that "those of us who have been in the giving circle world for a long time, often depending entirely on volunteer efforts, know how rare and important external funding can be - so we’re excited to see the impact that these new investments can produce!” Mcrogrants were awarded to: Showcase the giving circle model
Scale the model by creating more circles and networks
Strengthen existing circles and networks
Sustain the collective giving movement
# # # Previous press coverage The Chronicle of Philanthropy covered our project in November 2018 in “Giving Circles Grow in Diversity and Get an Assist from the Gates Foundation.” That same month, The New York Times recognized the growing power of giving circles in “When It’s Time for Giving, Some People Circle Around.” Contact: Isis Krause, [email protected] ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, Have you heard? Two weeks ago the WGC launched IMPACT 2024, our new five-year, $500,000 fundraising effort and focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for women in Howard County. READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE We are fundraising to build on our past and enhance our future by increasing our grantmaking to programs that benefit women and girls, as well as strengthening our infrastructure to grow the circle. And, we are enhancing our core values to better meet our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all of our work.Learn more and please considering joining us! And, it's back! We are currently accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC), which is sponsored by the WGC. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. Interested? Plan to join us at our Wednesday, September 18 YWGC Interest Meeting, 7 pm at the Elkridge Library to learn more. We have many great things going on - I hope to see you at some of our upcoming activities: - TODAY! August 20: Join us after work for a Business Women's Network Happy Hour Mixer along with the Women's Bar Association of Howard County and the WGC from 4:00-6:30 PM at CURED Table & Tap, 10980 Grantchester Way, Suite 110 in Columbia. Mix and mingle with women who are making things happen - bring plenty of business cards, and cash for food & drinks. Enter to win fun door prizes! Event is FREE. Registration is not required, but is appreciated - let BWN know you're coming! - September 24: Save the Date for our next WGC Happy Hour from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Success in Style Charity's First Pick at Historic Savage Mill, 8600 Foundry Street, minutes from Columbia - where else can you meet, drink, shop, donate, and learn more about women helping women through the WGC?! No cost to attend, please just bring a bag of clothes and/or jewelry to donate. Donations to WGC gratefully accepted - RSVP today! - October 14: Join us for WGC's 2019 Annual Celebration - A Tale of Two Women and Their Rise to Equality: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Howard County, with Keynote Speakers Lisa Myers and Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County's first female Police Chief and first female Fire Chief, at Howard Community College, Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center - Purchase tickets today! Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] ![]() The Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC) is sponsored by the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. The YWGC raises money and makes grants to nonprofits organizations in Howard County whose missions support the needs of women and girls. We meet regularly, hold several fundraisers throughout the year, and have ongoing community service and volunteer activities. We have provided grants to a variety of groups, including Girls on the Run of Central MD and HopeWorks. We are currently accepting applications for YWGC members for the 2019/2020 school year! We have three opportunities for girls grades 7-12 to participate in the YWGC - as a full participant, as an ambassador or on a committee. Interested? Learn more here! We just launched WGC’s new five-year, $500,000 fundraising effort and focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for women in Howard County called IMPACT 2024!
We are fundraising to build on our past and enhance our future by increasing our grantmaking to programs that benefit women and girls, as well as strengthening our infrastructure to grow the circle. And, we are enhancing our core values to better meet our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all of our work. We invite you to get involved by investing in IMPACT 2024 and making a pledge today! Learn more here: https://www.womensgivingcircle.org/impact2024.html ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, As we enter the lazy, hazy days of summer, I am grateful for all we continue to do together to support women and girls! READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE Many thanks to everyone who took action last month and responded to our Emergency Response Network request to help a woman in need right here in our community. We asked, and you, our network of women philanthropists, responded - and in a short period of time we raised $1,000 through 27 donations. Thank you. We had a great time at the end of June viewing and discussing the film Girl Rising to salute the founding of the Columbia Film Society and HoCoPoLitSo - where we sponsored an afternoon that celebrates the education of girls, the beauty of story, and the power of collective action. Thank you to all who attended! And, it's back! We are currently accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC), which is sponsored by the WGC. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. I hope to see you at some of our upcoming activities: - August 20: Join us after work for a Business Women's Network Happy Hour Mixer along with the Women's Bar Association of Howard County. from 4:00-6:30 PM at CURED Table & Tap, 10980 Grantchester Way, Suite 110 in Columbia. Mix and mingle with women who are making things happen - bring plenty of business cards, and cash for food & drinks. Enter to win fun door prizes! Registration is not required, but is appreciated - let BWN know you're coming! - September 24: Save the Date for our next WGC Happy Hour from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Success in Style Charity's First Pick at Historic Savage Mill, 8600 Foundry Street, minutes from Columbia - where else can you meet, drink, shop, donate, and learn more about women helping women through the WGC?! No cost to attend, please just bring a bag of clothes and/or jewelry to donate. Donations to WGC gratefully accepted - stay tuned for more information! - October 14: Save the Date for WGC's Annual Celebration - A Tale of Two Women and Their Rise to Equality: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Howard County, with Keynote Speakers Lisa Myers and Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County's first female Police Chief and first female Fire Chief, at Howard Community College, Horowitz Center - stay tuned for more information! Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] ![]() The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County has received the following request to help with an immediate need in the community through our Emergency Response Network (ERN) – can you lend a hand? Our partners at Bridges to Housing Stability are requesting $1,000 to help a woman and her child in need. "Karen" (not her real name) and her teenage daughter were living in a local motel prior to coming to Bridges to Housing Stability’s Housing Connections program in September of 2018. The vast majority of the income received from her full-time retail job was allocated to paying the motel bill. A second job was tabled as Karen was concerned with leaving her daughter unaccompanied at the motel for the duration of an additional work shift. Bridges’ Housing Connections program helped find a landlord that would work with the family, and assisted Karen with a security deposit to move into her apartment. Several weeks after securing housing through Bridges’ Housing Connections program, Karen was hired part-time at a local restaurant. Rent was paid on time and Karen was feeling stable for the first time in a long time. The household suffered another setback within months when she began experiencing excruciating pain which impacted her work schedule. A decrease in hours led to a delinquent rent payment. The Housing Connections program assisted Karen with rent for a month as she continued to struggle managing household expenses while dealing with the inexplicable pain. A diagnosis has since been received - degenerative spine disease. One thousand dollars is needed for Karen to address the delinquent household bills including utilities and July rent while she’s still experiencing a reduction in work hours as she navigates a series of medical appointments. She expects a full time return to the workforce as soon as measures are taken with her doctor to assist in managing her pain. On behalf of our partners at Bridges to Housing Stability we are asking for $1,000 from the Emergency Response Network to help support this woman in need. Can you help? If so, please DONATE HERE. WGC will pool your contributions and send the funds directly to the nonprofit. We will only accept enough funds to cover this request. The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to directly help women in need. When our nonprofit partners are working with a woman or girl with an immediate need, they submit a request to the WGC. Thank you for your support of women and girls in our community through the WGC’s Emergency Response Network (ERN). We are making a bigger difference together than we might otherwise be able to alone – the reason for our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. The WGC is proud to be a sponsor:
GIRL RISING FILM & DISCUSSION - June 30, 2019 2:30 - 4:30 pm Smith Theatre, Horowitz Center Howard Community College Join in saluting the founding of the Columbia Film Society and HoCoPoLitSo with an afternoon that celebrates the education of girls, the beauty of story, and the power of collective action. This joint anniversary event features a talk by one of the writers of Girl Rising and a showing of the documentary film that inspired global awareness about the importance of education for girls. Novelist Aminatta Forna wrote the portion of the film about a girl from her home country, Sierra Leone, and her dreams of education and independence. Forna will also read from one of her novels that pertains to social justice around the world. After the author talk, there will be an intermission, refreshments, and a book signing, followed by a screening of the film. The documentary Girl Rising, featuring the voices of actresses including Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Kerry Washington, Selena Gomez and Salma Hayek, focuses on the power of education for nine girls from Haiti, Nepal, Ethiopia, India, Egypt, Peru, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan, telling their stories through writers from their home countries. For early-bird tickets, available exclusively for Women's Giving Circle donors, visit http://www.columbiafestival.org and enter code FEST32 on the ticket purchasing page. The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is a sponsor of this program. ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, As we wrap up the first half of the year, I am grateful for all we've done together to support women and girls! READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE We had a great time celebrating philanthropy in our county two weeks ago at the Community Foundation of Howard County's Spring Party -we are proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation! We also had a great time last weekend volunteering and helping to support the Girls on the Run 5K! Great news - we have a few spots that have opened up for the upcoming Journey Camp for Girls. Please help spread the word if you know any rising rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls who may be interested in attending July 14-July 30. Additional information is below! And, it's back! We are currently accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC), which is sponsored by the WGC. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. I hope to see you at some of our upcoming activities: - June 30: Join us for a viewing and discussion of Girl Rising to salute the founding of the Columbia Film Society and HoCoPoLitSo - we are sponsoring an afternoon that celebrates the education of girls, the beauty of story, and the power of collective action. - October 14: Save the Date for WGC's Annual Celebration with Keynote Speakers: Howard County's first female Police Chief, Lisa Myers and first female Fire Chief, Christine Uhlhorn at Howard Community College, Horowitz Center - stay tuned for more information! Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] ![]() The Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC) is sponsored by the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. The YWGC raises money and makes grants to nonprofits organizations in Howard County whose missions support the needs of women and girls. We meet regularly, hold several fundraisers throughout the year, and have ongoing community service and volunteer activities. We have provided grants to a variety of groups, including Girls on the Run of Central MD and HopeWorks. We are currently accepting applications for YWGC members for the 2019/2020 school year! We have three opportunities for girls grades 7-12 to participate in the YWGC - as a full participant, as an ambassador or on a committee. Interested? Learn more here! WGC at the Girls on the Run 5K!
We had such a great time at the Girls on the Run 5K on June 1! We love partnering with this amazing organization! Journey Camp for Girls, or “Journey” is a week-long camp for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls in Howard County, MD that is run by Maryland Leadership Workshops and conceived of and funded by the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County.
The idea behind Journey is to bring girls, in their formative years together to learn about leadership, empowerment, and community. At Journey each student identifies her own leadership skills, strengths, and challenges in a supportive and fun environment that fosters self-esteem and confidence. Journey 2019 will be held July 14-July 20:
A week at Journey includes:
SCHOLARSHIPS IN MEMORY OF CINDY HANKIN The WGC is honored to have begun a program this year to provide scholarships in memory of former WGC Advisory Board Member Cindy Hankin. In 2018 the WGC provided $5,005 in scholarships. Funded by Cindy’s family, friends, and WGC donors, these scholarships are provided in her memory in perpetuity to qualifying Journey Camp participants. Cindy was a staunch supporter of the Journey Camp for Girls. A former teacher, and school principal, Cindy was beloved by her family, friends, students, and community and served as mentor, and long-time advocate for women and girls. Cindy brought a bright and wonderful spirit to the world, enriching it for all who knew her. “I am thrilled that we were able to increase our scholarships this year, which means we are achieving our goal of reaching girls from different demographic and socioeconomic groups across the county” says Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair. “We are honored to be able to give so much in the first year that we began offering scholarships in memory of our friend Cindy Hankin.” Support for Journey provided by the Women’s Giving Circle, a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County. Contact information for Maryland Leadership Workshops: 301-444-8623; [email protected]; mlw.org It was great to see so many WGC leaders and donors at the 2019 Community Foundation Spring Party at the Horowitz Center at Howard Community College on May 30 as they celebrated 5 decades of giving! ![]() The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County, and we are proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County as our partner in meeting our mission.
Great to see everyone promoting philanthropy in our community! ![]() The First Thursday Book Club of Howard County has come up with a uniquely appropriate way to memorialize the club’s beloved founder, Mary Margaret Kamerman, who died in 2008 after a stroke. On Mary Margaret’s birthday each year, the remaining members each contribute a dollar to the Women’s Giving Circle for every year since Mary Margaret’s birth. The money supports scholarships for girls who want to attend Journey, the camp founded by WGC. Mary Margaret was an original donor of the Women’s Giving Circle and nominated two girls in her neighborhood to attend the first Journey camp in 2006. At Mary Margaret’s memorial service, one of the girls’ mothers tearfully recalled Mary Margaret’s generous encouragement of her young daughter. The idea for the memorial contribution came from book club member Mary McGraw, who explained, “Mary Margaret had three daughters and believed strongly in opportunities for young girls to grow and find their true worth.” Mary Margaret’s daughters include Columbia residents Jacki Deblasio and Jill Belk and Virginia resident Jeannie Kinn. A Columbia resident since 1971 and a counselor at Long Reach High School at the time of her death, Mary Margaret started the book club in 1992, and the remaining members have been meeting monthly since then. In addition to Mary McGraw, club members include Sandi Berman, Kathy Flanagan, Phyllis Greenbaum, Helen Mitchell, Jean Moon and Francine Sheppard. For information about WGC, visit www.womensgivingcircle.org ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, We've had a busy and important Spring. We had our first Educational Happy Hour of the year on May 7: Nourishing Those Who Nourish Others: Tools to Keep Your Best Self with Dr. Jyothi Rao, of the Shakthi Health and Wellness Center. Thanks you to all who attended! READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE And, we have a number of opportunities for you to get involved in WGC activities coming up: - May 30: Mark your calendars and plan to celebrate philanthropy in our county at theCommunity Foundation of Howard County's Spring Party - we are proud to be a fund of the Community Foundation! - May 31: We are excited to fund Journey Camp for Girls each year, which is now accepting applications for another amazing week of leadership and empowerment for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls. Applications are due May 30 - please help us spread the word! - June 30: And, finally, join us for a viewing and discussion of Girl Rising on June 30 to salute the founding of the Columbia Film Society and HoCoPoLitSo - we are sponsoring an afternoon that celebrates the education of girls, the beauty of story, and the power of collective action - purchase early-bird tickets available exclusively for WGC donors, and enter code FEST32 - October 14: Save the Date for WGC's Annual Celebration with Keynote Speakers: Howard County's first female Police Chief, Lisa Myers and first female Fire Chief, Christine Uhlhorn at Howard Community College, Horowitz Center - stay tuned for more information! Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. I look forward to seeing many of you soon! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] We had a packed house tonight for WGC’s Educational Happy Hour - "Nourishing Those Who Nourish Others: Tools to Keep Your Best Self" with our wonderful Keynote Speaker Dr. Jyothi Rao - thanks to everyone who joined us!
|
WGC
|