WGC Donor Private Tour – Undesign the Redline Exhibit
December 11, 2018, 5:00-6:30 pm Howard County Library Central Branch Please join us for a Private Tour for WGC Donors of the Undesign the Redline Exhibit at the Howard County Library Central Branch. Undesign the Redline is an interactive exhibit that explores the history of structural racism and classism, how these designs compounded each other from redlining maps until today, and how we can come together to undesign these systems with intentionality. We are fortunate to have this exhibit in Howard County, which will be led for us by former WGC Advisory Board Member Maura Dunnigan. There is no cost to participate. Please register here by December 10, 2018
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![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, We’ve had a great fall, after a wonderful Annual Celebration last month! And now we are not only planning for 2019, but organizing a number of upcoming opportunities for you to engage in WGC efforts that fall in line with WGC’s mission, vision, goals and stated values – one of which is that available resources should be directed to achieving systemic change in the political, social, and economic institutions that influence the lives of women and girls. READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE Mark your calendars for these upcoming WGC efforts: WGC will send an Emergency Response Network request this week to our entire donor base. I hope you will consider sending a donation in – of any size – to help us support this woman in need in our community – stay tuned. This year WGC will be participating again in Giving Tuesday on November 27, 2018. Giving Tuesday is a day that promotes philanthropy right after Thanksgiving, by providing an opportunity for people to be as excited about giving to causes and organizations that they love as they are about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I hope you will join with us on this important day! Please join us for a Private Tour for WGC Donors of the Undesign the Redline Exhibit on Tuesday, December 11, 6:30 pm at the Howard County Library Central Branch. Undesign the Redline is an interactive exhibit that explores the history of structural racism and classism. And, join us for our first event of 2019 – WGC is excited to present the play Making Waves by Rissa Miller, in partnership with Try it Out Theatre, January 6, 2019 from, 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Kittamaqundi Community Church. This play is about women in the workplace and should be a great opportunity to enjoy local theater while learning together. We look forward to a busy, fun, and most importantly, meaningful holiday season – together. Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] ![]() Wow, we met our #GivingTuesday goal of $1,000 … and then some! It was a day for us to be as excited about giving to causes and organizations we love as we are about shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thank you all! #GivingTuesday Dear WGC Donors and Friends,
Barb Van Winkle Remarks WGC Annual Celebration 2018 Wow – what a night on Monday! Barb Van Winkle Remarks WGC Annual Celebration 2018We celebrated “WGC by the Numbers – 17 Years of Growth and Impact” and we heard from our wonderful Keynote Speaker Rayna DuBose, who discussed “Strength, Power & Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community.” Rayna was an inspiration as she told us an incredibly moving story about overcoming adversity and finding her purpose. And, she shared with us her thoughts on giving in our community. Thanks to all of you who joined us – it was wonderful to see so many new faces, and long-time supporters! The room was full, and so were our hearts and minds. READ THE FULL OCTOBER 2018 WGC ENEWS HERE
Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] October 15, 2018
Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair – Remarks, Annual Celebration: “WGC By the Numbers” View the WGC “By the Numbers” Presentation Here Welcome Everyone! I am thrilled to see all of you! So many faces of long-time friends and supporters, and so many new faces – this speaks volumes about the Women’s Giving Circle, our past, present and future. Our “circle” continues to overlap and grow. Thank you for being here! My name is Barb Van Winkle and I am the Chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. I’ve been involved with the WGC for years, but this is the first year that I have the honor and privilege of welcoming you as the Chair. I want to thank Howard Community College and Missy Mattey for allowing us to use this beautiful space and have our Annual Celebration in the Horowitz Center! And a big thank you to Lupa for the delicious food we have all been enjoying, and Beth Harbinson of SOBAR for her delicious non-alcoholic drinks! I’d like to give you a little snapshot of the growth and strength of our circle today, by highlighting all of you – By the Numbers: 5 important numbers that are the catalyst for our growth:
Just look at the support in this room! This support is what has made the WGC what it is today – let’s take a look, By the Numbers. 10 important facts about who we are:
10 ways we’ve made a difference this past year:
I hope our 2018 WGC By the Numbers overview and these photos have inspired you as much as it has me – it fuels all of us to continue to work together to support women and girls in our community. I’m feeling the need to support one another perhaps more than ever this year. So, to that end, I celebrate with you, I thank you, and I’m inspired by you. WGC Annual Celebration 2018 – Strength, Power and Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community10/16/2018 Wow – what a night last night!
We celebrated “WGC by the Numbers – 17 Years of Growth and Impact”, highlighted by WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle, and heard from our incredibly inspiring Keynote Speaker Rayna DuBose, who discussed “Strength, Power & Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community.” Thanks to all of you who joined us – it was wonderful to see so many new faces, and long-time supporters!
The room was full, and so were our hearts and minds. #givingtogether #strongwomenstronggirlsstrongworld #WGCAM18 ![]() October 5, 2018 Janene Holzberg The Baltimore Sun Rayna DuBose owns six sets of prosthetics, but her favorite pair is her “girly girl legs.” The coach for Marriotts Ridge High School — whose hands and feet were amputated in 2002 after she contracted meningitis as a college freshman on a basketball scholarship — likes that they’re designed for 6-inch stiletto heels. DuBose, who also has prosthetic hands, is quite at ease discussing such personal aspects of her life, and sees no barriers to achieving her goals. “Without struggle, there is no progress. I say that a lot,” said the Columbia native, whose focus as an assistant football coach at Marriotts Ridge is teaching mental toughness. She’s also head coach of the Mustangs’ junior varsity boys basketball team. The Oakland Mills High School graduate is also comfortable addressing large gatherings, which she’ll do Oct. 15 at the annual celebration of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, a philanthropy founded in 2002 to benefit women and girls. DuBose will speak on “Strength, Power & Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community.” The fundraiser will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Howard Community College in Columbia. During a brainstorming session several months ago, DuBose’s name was suggested by a member of the Women’s Giving Circle who had heard her speak and viewed her as the personification of female strength and empowerment — two attributes integral to the nonprofit’s mission. “Rayna is such an incredible woman and we’re thrilled she is coming to speak to us,” said Barb Van Winkle, who became chairwoman of the philanthropy’s advisory board in July. DuBose’s 35th birthday falls on the event’s date, so Van Winkle has arranged for a cake to celebrate the occasion. The annual meeting is open to women who are interested in joining or finding out more about the organization. “This is about the power of collective giving,” Van Winkle said. “Our message is that women of all incomes and at all stages of life can be philanthropists,” said Van Winkle, noting that more than 1,000 donors have raised $1 million, half of which has been distributed through 100 education-based grants. Read the full article here … Many thanks to everyone who took action and donated to help a women and her family 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 $500 to help a woman in need reunite with her family! The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to 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. Emergency Response Network Requests:
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 the success of our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. ![]() We are back from a busy summer and gearing up for our Annual Celebration on October 15! Will you be joining us? I hope so! You can register here today! READ THE FULL ENEWSLETTER HERE Our Keynote Speaker Rayna DuBose will be speaking on “Strength, Power & Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community.” Rayna was a star athlete from Howard County who earned a full scholarship to play basketball at Virginia Tech. But after contracting bacterial meningitis, she woke up from a 3-week long coma to discover her limbs had been amputated. Now a motivational speaker, Rayna will discuss how she overcame adversity and found her purpose through strength, power and engagement, and her thoughts on growing and giving in our community. We are looking forward to a warm, inviting and wonderful Annual Celebration – we expect to sell out so don’t delay in purchasing your tickets! It’s been an exciting start leading our giving circle that has been part of the Howard County community for over 15 years, has raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and has given grants to over 100 nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. Thanks to all of you who have helped make this a restful yet busy and productive summer – here’s to a great and productive fall, together. Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] The year-end celebration of Journey Camp for Girls today was a wonderful event for the delegates and the 5 women they honored! The 5 honorees were Shirley Collier, Bessie Bordenave, Linda Joy Burke, Stacie Hunt, and Tahira Mussarat Hussain.
The Journey delegates did an outstanding job with their presentation, and the honored women gave wise advice to the delegates on how to pursue their goals, follow their hearts and passion, and pursue their leadership roles in the future. The Women’s Giving Circle is very proud of this partnership with MLW. And, we are extremely proud to have donated over $5,000 in scholarships this year to Journey delegates in memory of former WGC Advisory Board member Cindy Hankin! ![]() Dear WGC Donors and Friends, I hope you are enjoying the final days of summer! I typically think of summer as a time of year when we all slow down and take much needed time to rest and refuel with family and friends. And, while it is just that, it’s also a time when we at the WGC are hosting happy hours, visiting the WGC-funded Journey Camp for Girls, re-launching our enhanced Emergency Response Network, securing new funding for efforts like JA Rising Women, participating in fundraisers like the recent Women’s Twilight Golf League Tournament that benefitted the WGC, honoring local women at the upcoming Journey Camp Tea, and planning for our upcoming Annual Celebration on October 15 – make sure to mark your calendars! Click below to read all about what we’ve been doing – together. READ THE AUGUST 2018 ENEWSLETTER HERE it’s been an exciting start leading our giving circle that has been part of the Howard County community for over 15 years, has raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and has given grants to over 100 nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. Thanks to all of you who have helped make this a restful yet busy and productive summer! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] WGC Advisory Board Visits Journey Camp!
The WGC Advisory Board visit to the Journey Camp for Girls at UMBC in July – what an incredible experience! The 25 young women delegates attending Journey were incredibly impressive both individually and as a group together. The group bonded the 1st day of camp, and the Advisory Board could feel the strong ties that they felt with each other. This Journey Camp experience will influence the delegates for years to come in many positive ways – we are so proud to fund this wonderful leadership opportunity! #JourneyCamp18 ![]() Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Maryland has been granted $60K by the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County for its JA Rising Women program, which gives local young female students the opportunity to start their own companies alongside local women business mentors. JA Rising Women is the WGC’s multi-year grant supporting a 13 week after-school entrepreneurship program for girls grades 9-12, in partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland. 2018 is the fourth year of WGC funding JA Rising Women, having invested $100,000 to date, and this new grant will continue it forward. The Women’s Giving Circle is made up of philanthropists dedicated to creating opportunities that address the needs of women and girls in the Howard County area. “We are thrilled to continue our wonderful partnership with JA of Central Maryland on the JA Rising Women program”, said Barb Van Winkle, head chairwoman of the Women’s Giving Circle. “It’s exciting to be able to fund another 3 years of this exceptional entrepreneurship program for girls that has yielded clear results and has exceeded our expectations across the board. This funding partnership has been possible because of the support of our many donors, and in particular, the strong, meaningful leadership of WGC donors Bach and Bob Jeffrey. We are looking forward to three more years of this strong funding partnership, together!” The $60K donation will be distributed to Rising Women program over the next three years. $25K of the total grant will be coming from Bob and Bach Jeffrey, both heavily involved in JA of Central Maryland and the Women’s Giving Circle. “Having participated in JA myself as a student, I know firsthand the long-term benefits of practical, hands-on business education exposure at an early age. Bach and I are grateful to make it our priority to give the same opportunity back,” said Bob Jeffrey. “We’ve seen two Howard County Rising Women programs advance to the JA National Student Leadership Summit and are honored to help fuel this momentum. Every student should have a chance to introduce their innovations on such a large stage.” JA Rising Women has launched seven new student-run companies which have earned more than $3,000. These profits have been donated back into the community, benefitting local organizations such as the Howard County Food Bank, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Special Olympics, and the Linus Project. “We are incredibly honored and thankful for this generous donation from the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County and our long-time friends, the Jeffrey family,” said Jennifer Bodensiek, President and CEO of Junior Achievement. “With this continued support we can strengthen our Rising Women program and empower the next generation of women business leaders to inspire, innovate and excel.” The JA Rising Women program provides real-world experiences to help build entrepreneurial and business mindsets in young women and girls. To find out more, click here. About Junior Achievement of Central Maryland Junior Achievement of Central Maryland is part of the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JACMD provides hands-on programs that show more than 46,000 K-12 students each year the realities of how careers, money and business ownership work. JA experiences are proven to give students the edge in college completion, career readiness, earning potential, and business start-up. For more information, visit www.jamaryland.org. About The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County: The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is a community of women philanthropists who strategically raise money and pool funds to help women and girls in Howard County. The Women’s Giving Circle works to increase giving by women and build a permanent endowment fund supporting services that help women and girls develop life skills and personal authority. The Women’s Giving Circle fund is an endowed fund at the Community Foundation of Howard County. (womensgivingcircle.org ![]() Dear WGC Donor and Friends, How exciting, this is my first message to you as the Chair of the WGC! It is my honor to serve as Chair for the next two years, and to work closely with our wonderful Advisory Board, Community Foundation of Howard County leadership and staff, and WGC donors, partners, and grantees to improve the lives of women in girls in our community. I am so grateful to Alison Canning, Immediate Past Chair, for her incredible efforts to help move the WGC forward! READ THE JULY 2018 WGC ENEWS HERE As I said at our wonderful happy hour on Tuesday, it is exciting to start leading our giving circle that has been part of the Howard County community for over 15 years, has raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and has given grants to over 100 nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. What I reminded everyone there – all the old and new faces – is that the WGC:
Thanks to everyone who attended the happy hour – it was great to meet and speak with so many women who want to partner for change in our community. I’m looking forward to working with all of you to continue to nurture and grow our wonderful giving circle, and hope to see you soon at one of our upcoming events! Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair [email protected] JA Rising Women is the WGC’s multi-year grant supporting a 13 week after-school entrepreneurship program for girls grades 9-12, in partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland. 2018 is our fourth year of funding JA Rising Women, having invested $100,000 to date.
Check out their most recent blog post for the latest news and information on this wonderful program: 7/9/18When Chesapeake Charms CEO Barathi Aravindan joined JA Rising Women in 2017, she thought it would be “just another program” that her mother encouraged her to attend. Now, it’s something that has changed her career trajectory. “After participating in JA Rising Women, I realized business was the field for me. I discovered something that finally utilized my skills and interested me,” said Aravindan, who is headed to University of Maryland this fall to major in finance and participate in the entrepreneurship and innovation honors program. Aravindan and her 16 colleagues – fellow Howard County high school students – found a fashionable way to save the Chesapeake Bay through their business venture, Chesapeake Charms. The young entrepreneurs designed charm bracelets featuring three species native to the Chesapeake Bay, including the loggerhead sea turtle, Eastern Oyster, and blue crab, which sold out in less than two weeks from launch. After reaching their sales goals, the company donated $1,000 to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Chesapeake Charms was selected as one of 14 teams to compete at JA National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS) in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate their business acumen, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking on a national stage, while showcasing their companies to members of Congress and business leaders. “The NSLS competition is rough, but everyone is open to learning new ideas. The biggest impact for me was the FedEx seminar, where I realized how global connectivity is important for a successful business and it inspired new ideas of bringing Chesapeake Charms, at the very least, nationwide,” said Marketing Director Ashley Chen. “I also learned how the business world really does need more women.” As the only all-women student company represented at NSLS, Chen’s thoughts were echoed by her peers, who enjoyed aspects such as networking, educational workshops, and competitive events. For Erin Duncan, chief financial officer, the experience was unforgettable, even though Chesapeake Charms did not win. “NSLS gave me a chance to experience networking as a real businesswoman. Overall it was a fun business experience that most high schoolers never get the chance to experience,” added Duncan. “We also participated in multiple workshops with C-suite mentors on what it means to be an entrepreneur in your innovation, social responsibility, and global impact. I expect the lessons I learned from JA Rising Women and NSLS to lead me into a strong business-guided future.” With a year full of new experiences, JA entrepreneurs received an authentic look at the business world, but it’s impact is even greater. Kathy Tran, vice president of sales, felt her JA experience “played a large role” in her personal growth, particularly building her leadership skills. “JA Rising Women not only taught me about the business world and what it means to be an entrepreneur, but it also taught me to be more confident,” added Aravindan. “I hope to start my own business in the future that will give back to the community that has already given me so much.” While Aravindan prepares for her freshman year of college this summer, her colleagues have other plans including studying for SAT’s, internships, jobs, and returning to JA Rising Women next fall. To learn more about JA entrepreneurial programs such as JA Rising Women, contact Nick Anderson at [email protected]. What a night!
We had great food, drink, company and conversation at our jam-packed July Happy Hour, where we heard from newly-elected WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle about our recently enhanced WGC Emergency Response Network, and why and how you can participate. And, we heard from Jennifer Pollitt Hill, ED of Hopeworks, our first ERN recipient this year! It was great to see so many nonprofit partners, old and new donors, founders, and new faces. Many thanks to our 2018 Advisory Board, our hosts Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom by Fretz, and everyone who joined us. Check out pictures from the night here Mark your calendars for our Annual Celebration on Monday, October 15th! Many thanks to everyone who took action and donated to help a women and her family in need right here in our community.
We asked, and you, our network of women philanthropists, responded – and in less than an hour we raised $400! The WGC Emergency Response Network was created to provide an opportunity for WGC donors to 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. Emergency Response Network Requests:
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 the success of our giving circle! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. ![]() The 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 (MLW) and conceived of and funded by the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC). The idea behind Journey is to bring girls together in their formative years 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. The WGC is honored to have begun a program this year to provide scholarships in memory of former WGC Advisory Board Member Cindy Hankin. This year, the WGC has 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 Alison Canning, 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.” Journey 2018 will be held July 15-21 at UMBC and is completely full with 25 participants – we can’t wait for a great week! On Thursday, July 17th (time TBD) Journey campers and MLW will host a dinner and presentation at UMBC for WGC Advisory Board members, and any WGC donors who would like to attend and get first-hand experience with the program. If you would like to attend please send an email to incoming WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle at: [email protected]. The WGC’s Emergency Response Network was created 15 years ago in response to the desire of many women to provide direct help to other women in need, in our community. WGC donors have addressed the specific needs of women clients identified by our nonprofit partner agencies serving women and girls in Howard County. These agencies include Hope Works, Grassroots, Healthy Families, Elder Services of Family and Children’s Services and FIRN. Since its inception, and under the visionary leadership of former WGC Advisory Board members Arlene Sheff and Kim Flyr, the ERN has assisted over 70 women and their children who benefited from nearly $50,000 from donors who responded to a call to action through WGC’s ERN.
We have recently enhanced the WGC’s ERN to make it easier for our donors to respond, and easier for our nonprofit partners to receive funds by updating our processes and broadening our network. It’s easy, here’s how it is going to work for our donors:
We will soon be sending our first enhanced Emergency Response Network Request – stay tuned! In the meantime, learn more here. And, we will be speaking at length about the ERN at our upcoming Happy Hour on July 17 – join us! ![]() Dear WGC Donor and Friends, Wow, this is my last message to you as the Chair of the WGC. It has been my honor to serve as Chair the last two years, and to work closely with our wonderful Advisory Board, Community Foundation of Howard County leadership and staff, and WGC donors, partners, and grantees to improve the lives of women in girls in our community. I am proud to have helped bring people with common interests together to learn about issues impacting our community and to have lead our organization in engaging donors so we could pool our funds and collectively make larger grants together. READ THE FULL JUNE 2018 ENEWSLETTER HERE It has been an incredible experience to lead our Giving Circle that has been part of the Howard County community for over 15 years, has raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and has given grants to over 100 nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. I truly appreciate all current, past and future WGC leaders, donors and partners who will carry this effort forward, including our incoming Chair, and my partner the last two years, Barb Van Winkle. I know the WGC will continue to thrive under her leadership! If I can pass along one thing, it would be to continue to talk to our donors and others in the community about the WGC and who we are, what we do, and ways to get involved – it is truly the best way to grow the Circle and engage others in our important and meaningful work:
And we do all this together – as a Giving Circle. It takes all of us investing our time, talent, and financial resources in various ways to ensure our Giving Circle is having an impact, and I personally want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for joining me in this wonderful effort to improve the lives of women and girls in our community! I’ll still be a part of the WGC Advisory Board so please don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone on the Advisory Board with any questions. Thank you for your partnership and support, and please welcome Barb Van Winkle as our new Chair beginning July 1st! Warmly, Alison Canning, WGC Chair [email protected] ![]() 3 Questions With … Incoming WGC Chair, Barb Van Winkle! Each month we are speaking to our donors to learn more about how they are participating in WGC efforts, and why it’s meaningful to them. This month, please meet incoming WGC Chair, Barb Van Winkle: 1. How long have you been involved with the WGC, and what is your role now? I attended the very first Women’s Giving Circle meeting in 2002, and what I always remember is the incredible experience it was when I parked my car at Kahler Hall and went in with hundreds of other Howard County women all coming to the beginning of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County!!! It was a powerful and beautiful experience to be surrounded by so many women who had the same desire to be part of a group that was going to support women and girls directly in Howard County! I have been a long time supporter of WGC, and while I was serving on the board of the Community Foundation of Howard County, I asked to be the liaison to WGC, which is a fund of the foundation. I continued on the WGC Advisory Board as Chair of the Donor Development committee and Vice Chair, and I am incoming Chair beginning July 1. I have been honored to support Alison Canning, current WGC Chair, and I am thrilled to lead WGC as a premier funder in Howard County! 2. What is your favorite WGC grant or effort, and why? This is a very difficult question for me to answer because I truly love all the grants, programs and efforts we support through our donations and collaboration with our nonprofit partners! From the WGC-funded Journey Camp for Girls, which is a week-long summer leadership program for middle and high-school aged girls held in collaboration with Maryland Leadership Workshops, to our partnership with Howard Community College, where we provide scholarships to help women returning to the workforce, to our long-standing Emergency Response Network, which is returning as an enhanced program that provides opportunities for our donors to immediately give to help to women and children in dire situations. But I guess that as a long-time business owner, I have to say that I deeply love the JA Rising Women entrepreneurship program that has provided an opportunity for almost 300 high school women learn how to run a business, create a product, sell that product, and then donate their profits to a philanthropy of their choice. Four years ago, the WGC made it’s largest grant in our history – $80,000 to JA of Central Maryland to run this incredible program. These young women truly learn the successes and failures of owning your own business and in the end, they have all proved successful so far! 3. Why should women in Howard County give to the WGC and get involved in WGC efforts? Your donation to the WGC supports women and girls locally in the community that you live in! The power of a Giving Circle is that any donation, small or large, gets pooled with all other donations so we can collectively make a larger impact to help those in our community that need it most, for either life circumstances or to help empower women and girls in the journey of life! To become a member of the Women’s Giving Circle, all you need to do is make an online donation (www.womensgivingcircle.org) and sign up for our eNewsletter! You can also be a part of the WGC by attending our events. In fact, we have a WGC Happy Hour on July 17th at Sub-Zero and Wolf by Fretz from 5 to 7 pm and then our Annual Celebration is October 15th also from 5 to 7 pm. Our keynote speaker this year is a local Howard County woman, Rayna DuBose, whose story is absolutely incredible about the strength and ability to overcome a tragedy and become a huge success in her life! Also, let your friends know about the WGC and like us on social media, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and share our events with your friends! Finally, we are always looking to expand our committees and if you are interested in joining a committee, please contact us at: [email protected] Barb welcomes the opportunity to answer any questions about the WGC – feel free to contact her after July 1 at [email protected] Barb Van Winkle, Incoming WGC Chair, is President of Nancy Adams Personnel in Columbia, where her company has been for over 40 years. Her business specializes in providing top-notch candidates to all size companies for Administrative, Customer Service, Accounting and Office Support positions, both permanent and temporary. She has a BA degree in Sociology from Goucher College, is a triathlete and golfer, and has served on many nonprofit boards including HCCEF and Community Foundation of Howard County. She loves the Women’s Giving Circle and has been a strong supporter since its inception in 2002! We had a wonderful night on June 8 celebrating our partnership with Howard Community College and our newly named room in the Science, Engineering and Technology building.
WGC hosted a Pre-Event Reception for donors and friends before the Community Foundation of Howard County’s Spring Party at Howard Community College. We are proud to have partnered with HCC for over a decade to provide scholarships to women. As part of this important relationship, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for our newly named Women’s Giving Circle classroom at HCC during the reception! We had a lovely night celebrating our funding partnership! Stay tuned for official photos of the evening – great to see so many donors and supporters as well as some of our current, future, and past WGC chairs! ![]() The Women’s Giving Circle is proud to bring together people with common interests to learn about issues impacting our community and effective philanthropy. Our pooled funds allow us to collectively make larger grants together that will improve the lives of women and girls in Howard County. How are we doing this? We give grants to nonprofits in Howard County that focus on our mission. We raise money from donors to support our grantmaking and we have an endowment so that we will have money in perpetuity to fund programs that benefit women and girls. And, we host events and programs to engage donors and raise money to support our grantmaking. We’ve been part of the Howard County community for over 15 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given grants to over 100 nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. And we do all this together – as a Giving Circle. It takes all of us investing our time, talent, and financial resources in various ways to ensure we are having an impact. We hope you will continue to be involved, or decide to get involved – there’s lots of ways! In fact, here’s a few upcoming opportunities, that you can read more about below:
Don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone on the WGC Advisory Board with any questions. Thank you for your partnership and support! Sincerely, Alison Canning, WGC Chair [email protected] WGC Annual Celebration, October 15 – Save the Date!
Keynote Speaker: Rayna DuBose, “Strength, Power & Engagement: Growing and Giving in Our Community” Location: Howard Community College Date: Monday, October 15, 2018 Time: 5:00 -7:00 pm Keynote Speaker Rayna DuBose was a star athlete from Howard County, who earned a full scholarship to play basketball at Virginia Tech. But after contracting bacterial meningitis, she woke up from a 3-week long coma to discover her limbs had been amputated. Now a motivational speaker, Rayna will discuss how she overcame adversity and found her purpose through strength, power and engagement, and her thoughts on growing and giving in our community. We’ll provide registration information soon, but in the meantime, please Save the Date and plan to join the Women’s Giving Circle at our Annual Celebration! |
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