Happy Women's History Month and International Women's Day!

​The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to amplify the voices and stories of women givers in our community through our regular series "Our Giving, Our Stories".

Inspiring philanthropic leadership and increasing giving by amplifying the voices of women and girls are among the goals of this effort and we are committed to advancing this important work in our community.​

This month we are profiling Judy L. Smith in Honor of Women's History Month.

​Read Judy's full profile here

When did you start giving to issues that are important to you?

"For as long as I can remember, I have been giving to issues that are important to me.  As a child, I remember my parents providing opportunities for us to support our neighbors, community and local schools.  This behavior became a habit and carried on into my adulthood.  It was reinforced by the companies that I worked for through corporate outreach."

​Judy supports the following:
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"Other than the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, I support the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, Howard County Library System, and Howard Community College."

Learn more about the ​WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories" and nominate a woman today! We are always accepting the names of women throughout the year who may be profiled for their inspiring philanthropic leadership.

Happy Women's History Month!

We had a fabulous night on March ​4 at WGC's 202​5 Annual Celebration & Pink Party!​ 

It was wonderful to have so many of us together ​last night at Howard Community College to discuss how philanthropy can, and is, supporting women's health.

View photos from the event below​ and review the event slide deck here.

​WGC Events Committee Chair Jade McClary welcomed everyone and mentioned that Time Magazine report​e​d that dozens of congresswomen ​were planning to wear pink ​last night to the Joint Address to Congress to signal protest against policies that are negatively impacting women and families.​

As Jade said, "while pink is our branded color, and beautiful, it is also a color of power and protest, and one that​ the WGC will continue to embrace.​"

We honored ​former WGC ​A​dvisory Board Member ​J​udy Smith for Women's History Month, and we enjoyed delicious food from Chef Jamila, non-alcoholic drinks from Beth Harbinson and Sobar, and women-made wine from The Wine Bin.

WGC Chair Jennifer ​W​oods declared that the state of the WGC is strong​. She provided 10 ​data points about our impact the last 2​3 years​,​ and highlighted the role that WGC is playing ​locally, regionally, and nationally in growing the women's collective giving movement​:

• $1.2 million in grants
• $1.1 million endowment
• 1,700+ donors 

​As Jen said, "this is the power of our giving circle.​"

​WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz welcomed everyone and underscored the power of collective giving. She highlighted that we are more than donors—we are neighbors, advocates, and changemakers​, and as a people-powered philanthropic ecosystem, we are committed to engaging in conversations and partnerships that continue to leverage our collective voices and collective power to support our community. 

A​s Buffy said, "giving circles like the WGC are a movement, not a moment​."

In advance of ​our Annual Celebration we invited ​the community to let us know what you are thinking about women’s health, and ​Buffy provided a sampling of what we heard:

• “I have concerns about misinformation around reproductive health and rights.”
• “I am concerned about the lack of consensus on how to help women and their bodies during menopause.”
• “I am concerned that women won't be able to afford even basic healthcare in the future.”
• “Women's health is being managed by men.”
• “I am worried for myself, my family, my friends, and my community.”

​We then welcomed Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, PhD, MSc, Assistant Secretary, Population Health and Strategic Initiatives, Maryland Department of Health​, who attempted to address these concerns while discuss​ing gaps in the continuum of women’s health​, focusing on menstrual health, reproductive health, maternal health, and menopausal health in our community, and how philanthropy can, and is, providing support.

A​s Elizabeth said, "philanthropy can help by supporting policy advocacy, staying up-to-date with needs and issues as identified by key coalitions and organizations, and looking to maximize impact."
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​Candace Dodson-Reed, Vice Chair of the WGC, and Chair of our Grants Committee ​then mentioned ​how proud ​she is of the work we are doing in terms of investing our collective dollars in the community to support women and girls. ​She noted that it is a challenging time for women and girls, and we know that less than 2% of overall charitable giving in the US goes to organizations that support women and girls. This is something that the WGC - along with many other women’s giving circles and funders - are focusing on.​ She reviewed the WGC's State of Women and Girls in Howard County, and how we continue to utilize the data to inform our grantmaking and partner in the community​ and then provided four data points about the continuum of women's health and four examples of how WGC has recently provided funding.

As Candace said, "WGC has always walked the talk, and I am especially proud in this current environment.​"

Candace introduced Paula Seabright, Chair of WGC's "Break the Cycle" Period Product Drive to highlight some of the specific work WGC is doing to support menstrual health. Paula explained that "Break the Cycle" is our effort to highlight period poverty through education, fundraising, and grantmaking to support women and girls in Howard County. One part of this work is hosting seven amazing student interns who are supporting these efforts, all of whom spoke to attendees about their thoughts on their experience this year.

As Paula said, "I have had the honor of leading these young women on a journey to learn more about philanthropy, women’s philanthropy, and how an organization like the Women’s Giving Circle can make an impact on issues impacting women’s health. We have focused on period poverty because it's a need that is easily and often overlooked."

WGC Advisory Board Member​s Kashonna Marrow​ and Jade McClary ended the celebration with information on how to give and get involved in the WGC. After the Annual Celebration, many of you asked how you can get or remain involved in our collective work. 

Here are 10 ways to engage in the coming months:
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1. Sponsor the WGC Throughout 20​25
2. Drop off Period Products for our Break the Cycle Product Drive on April 26, 9:00 - 11:00 am, at HCC, Lot B
3. Participate in the WGC's 2025 Our Giving, Our Stories
4. Join the WGC and the Horizon Foundation for a Conversation to Discuss our New Report: Elevating to Evolve on March 27, 4:00 - 5:30 pm at ACS or April 1, 8:30 - 10:00 am at ACS
   
5. Participate in the Big Give 2025 on May 12 and May 19, 5:30 - 8:30 pm at Vectorworks
6. Join the WGC at the Community Foundation's 2025 Spring Party on May 15, 5:00 pm
7. Participate in WGC's “Leave Your Legacy Through Planned Giving” Virtual Lunch & Learn on June 16 at 12:00 pm
8. Attend the WGC's 2025 Black Philanthropy Month Happy Hour on August 5 at the Community Foundation
9. Participate in WGC's “Leave Your Legacy Through Planned Giving” Virtual Lunch & Learn on September 9 at 12:00 pm
10. Join Us for a Conversation on Menopause with the Howard Hospital Foundation on October 16, 5:00 - 7:00 pm at The Pearl Modern Spa 

Many thanks to all of our sponsors so far this year, those who attended the event, and to everyone who supports the WGC and all that you do to support women's rights in Howard County. 

As Kashonna said, "We women are using our collective voices, power, and financial resources to support women’s rights in many forms, and utilizing the power of collective philanthropy. We truly are stronger together."

Thank you for joining us!

Last fall we announced our partnership with the Horizon Foundation to fund a new report highlighting stories and wisdom from Black Women Nonprofit Leaders in Howard County.

The report, “Elevating to Evolve: Stories of Wisdom, Excellence, and a Call for Change from Black Women Nonprofit Leaders in Howard County” highlights Black women's experiences in nonprofit leadership in Howard County and how we all can better support them.

This new report highlights stories and wisdom from Black Women Nonprofit Leaders in Howard County who are currently or formerly in nonprofit leadership positions, those who have declined positions of leadership, and those in the potential pipeline for leadership in the future.  

The goal of the report is to elevate their stories and experiences, and to share perspectives on how we can better support women of color leaders as individuals, boards, and specifically as funders. With this report we hope to be better allies, better funders, and to be a more supportive community particularly to Black women in nonprofit leadership roles.
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We will soon release the report and provide information on how you can learn more about the report, and the action items for all of us within it.

Join the WGC and the Horizon Foundation for a Conversation to Discuss our New Report: Elevating to Evolve on March 27, 4:00 - 5:30 pm at ACS or April 1, 8:30 - 10:00 am at ACS - email [email protected] for further information.

Why I Do What I Do
By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director

I remember sitting at my kitchen table, watching my mother write a check to a local organization she supported. It wasn’t a big check, but it was always consistent—and always intentional. “You give what you can, when you can,” she’d say. “That’s how we help each other.”

That stuck with me.

Over the years, I’ve carried her wisdom into every space I’ve worked in—nonprofits, philanthropy, advocacy. Whether I was leading communications at a national philanthropic network or supporting grassroots initiatives right here in Howard County, I saw the same truth play out again and again: lasting change happens when people come together with shared purpose.

That’s why I do what I do.

At the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, I’ve found a home where values meet action. We’re not just writing checks—we’re building relationships, lifting up women and girls, and investing in the future of our community. Through our collective giving, we’ve supported dozens of local nonprofits, mobilized quickly in times of crisis, and helped shine a light on women’s leadership in meaningful ways.

And through it all, I’ve had the privilege of meeting people like you—people who care deeply, who show up, who ask hard questions and seek better answers. You may be a longtime donor or someone just starting to explore how to give back. You might be carrying your own mother's wisdom, or wondering how your voice fits into the broader story.

Wherever you are, I see you.

I do this work because I believe in women. I believe in community. And I believe that when we come together with purpose, we can create the kind of world our mothers hoped for—and our daughters deserve. If this speaks to you, I’d love to hear your story, too.

​There’s room for you at the table.

Join us at the Women’s Giving Circle—whether you're ready to give, want to connect, or are simply curious, we welcome you.