The WGC is participating in #GivingTuesdayNow - a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec 1, 2020 #GivingTuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

We have three ways to give on #GivingTuesdayNow:

1. We have established the WGC COVID-19 Fund where donors can double the impact of your gifts through the generosity of Cyndi and Ron Gula, who are matching donations dollar for dollar up to $25,000 to address unprecedented COVID-19 community needs. These donations will go directly to support our Howard County nonprofit and community partners through our HoCoRespond funding partnership with the Community Foundation of Howard County, United Way of Central Maryland and Horizon Foundation.

2. You can support the recent WGC Emergency Response Network requests we've sent:

• You can continue to give to the Community Action Council here
• You can continue to support Columbia Community Care here
• You can continue to give to the Teen Parenting Program here

3. You can support all of our Emergency Response Network partners by donating to the WGC Emergency Response Network COVID-19 Showcase Fund that will be split among each WGC ERN nonprofit partner and sent directly to them.

There are many ways to help! WGC donors and members of the community are invited to donate to the WGC on this global - and local - day of giving. 

​Please join us!

The WGC's Young Women's Giving Circle of Howard County will complete their 2019/2020 Journey virtually this week - what a year! 

They started the year in September with twenty young women in 7th - 12th grade participating in the 2019/2020 class, who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need.

They met monthly to learn about each other, learn about the community, and determine a joint philanthropic project for the year. Through a Shark Tank-like presentation effort with community judges, the girls decided to organize a Feminine Hygiene Product collection effort from January - March 2020. They decorated collection boxes and engaged over 20 local businesses and our Howard County Library System to serve as collection sites. And, they ran a fundraising campaign to purchase additional products.

The result? They learned about philanthropy, giving circles and collective giving, and organized lots of product and monetary donations to support women and girls in Howard County!

The YWGC Feminine Product Drive ended in March and boxes around the county continue to be stuffed full of donations. Given the challenges of picking up products due to COVID-19 related closings and restrictions, the YWGC is waiting to collect many of the product donations from our collection partners until it is safe to do so. 

The YWGC was able to donate some of the products that the YWGC was storing to the Community Action Council to distribute to those in need. And, the YWGC also donated $1,500 to the community.

They raised $1,006, which the WGC supported with an additional $500. While the YWGC is waiting until it is safe to pick up and distribute the donated products, in order to assist during this challenging COVID-19 time, WGC/YWGC has used these funds to provide HopeWorks with a check for $750 and the Community Action Council with a check for $750 to purchase feminine products to distribute to those in need now, and we are continuing to accept donations. 

We want to thank all of the organizations and businesses that have generously been serving as collection sites for the YWGC's Feminine Product Drive!

"The power of collective giving helping people in our very own community was the focus of the girl's philanthropic efforts this past year" said Lee Draminski and April Force Pardoe, WGC Advisory Board members and leaders of the YWGC. "We are so proud of the learning and growth the girls experienced this year, and the measurable results they have seen from their efforts."

We aren't yet sure about our plans for the 2020/2021 YWGC class due to COVID-19 concerns, but we will inform the community once plans are finalized.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact us at [email protected].  We look forward to the collective impact we will make together in Howard County in the years to come, and specifically in the lives of hundreds of women and girls.  

“We are so proud of these young philanthropists who are committing themselves to learn more about the community and raising money to fund programs that are meaningful to them” said Barb Van Winkle, WGC Advisory Board Chair.

The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC) has given over $56,000 to nonprofits on the frontline of responding to the COVID-19 urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities in Howard County.  

In addition to $60,000 in grantmaking earmarked in 2020 for programs that benefit women and girls, the WGC is responding to emergency needs in our community through our long-established Emergency Response Network (ERN) and by partnering with our local funding community to rapidly raise and deploy critical resources to nonprofits focused on assisting with food security, housing, childcare and healthcare. 

The WGC's Emergency Response Network was created over 15 years ago and is typically utilized for donations up to $1,000 to help an individual in need through our nonprofit partners. However, to address the escalating and unprecedented coronavirus public health crisis, we broadened the scope of our grantmaking.

"We made the swift decision to broaden the scope of our grantmaking at this critical time in order to be as responsive as possible to growing community needs" said Alice Giles, Chair of the WGC's Grants Committee. "We will continue to leverage the strength of our Emergency Response Network to learn of and highlight needs, accept donations, and provide emergency funding to our nonprofit partners right away."

The WGC has organized four successful ERN requests that have allowed us to give over $23,000 in support to the community so far to address COVID-19.

• Community Action Council: Partnering with approximately 130 donors, we have given $20,000 to the CAC to fund the Food Bank. We continue to accept funds that will go directly to CAC through this Emergency Response Network request.

 

• Teen Parenting Program: Partnering with 13 donors, we have given $1,000 to support this program at Wilde Lake High School to purchase diapers and wipes for teen moms, dads and their babies. We continue to accept funds that will go directly to the Teen Parenting Program through this Emergency Response Network request.

 

• Columbia Community Care: Partnering with over 40 donors through two Emergency Response Network requests, we have purchased and delivered approximately $2,500 worth of food and other basic necessities to assist families in need through this grassroots effort. We continue to accept funds that will go directly to CCC through this Emergency Response Network request.

And, the WGC’s Young Women's Giving Circle, made up of girls in grades 7-12, supported the community through their Spring Feminine Product Drive. They collected products all over the county for two months, and raised $1,500 which they immediately gave to the Community Action Council and Hope Works for women and girls in need during this challenging time.

“We are able to invest in our community quickly because of the support of so many who are looking to make a measurable difference for women and their families right away” said Barb Van Winkle, chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. "We will continue to leverage our unique strengths as a giving circle to have a bigger impact together than we might otherwise have alone."

Additionally, in March 2020 the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County partnered with the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, and United Way of Central Maryland to establish HoCoRespond.com to support Howard County nonprofits on the frontline of support, focusing on assisting with food security, housing, childcare and healthcare. ​

An initial $100,000 fundraising goal has been met and exceeded and $205,000 in grant awards have been made for the first round of funding from HoCoRespond COVID-19 Emergency Funds.  Find the list of grantee partners here. 

The application process for the second round of emergency grants opened on Monday, April 20 and applications are due on Friday, April 24, 2020. Nonprofits can apply here.

HoCoRespond has also launched its second fundraising challenge, with a goal of raising $200,000 in five days. As part of HoCoRespond, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County has established the WGC COVID-19 Fund, looking to add additional funds to the $32,000 WGC has already contributed to HoCoRespond. Donors can double the impact of their gifts through the generosity of Cyndi and Ron Gula, who are matching donations dollar for dollar up to $25,000 to address unprecedented COVID-19 community needs. 

Additionally, the WGC is taking part in #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5 and inviting donations on this global day of giving and unity that is an emergency response to COVID-19. 

“We know the needs are continuing to grow, and we will continue to leverage the strength of our partnerships with our donors and funding community partners to support nonprofits with emergency funding in these challenging times” said Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, executive director of the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County. “We are in this together, and working in partnership, we will get through this together.”

##

The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County, Maryland. We bring women together to learn about issues impacting our community, and we pool our dollars to fund programs that address women and girls. The WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County. www.womensgivingcircle.org

The Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland and Women's Giving Circle of Howard County have announced $205,000 in grants to 13 Howard County nonprofits addressing COVID-19 needs. The collaborative effort, called HoCoRespond, has also launched its second fundraising challenge, with a goal of raising $200,000 in five days. The application process for the second round of emergency grants opens today, and applications are due on Friday, April 24, 2020.
 
"This pandemic is going to continue to cause many challenges for our residents of Howard County and we're incredibly grateful to have such dedicated organizations to help look out for our most vulnerable," said County Executive Calvin Ball. "HoCoRespond has already demonstrated how effective their collaborative effort can be, and I encourage those who are able to support their emergency funds to respond to this crisis."
 
These four local philanthropies quickly established HoCoRespond.com in March 2020 and recently exceeded its first goal of raising $100,000 in 10 days to support Howard County nonprofits with emergency funds in response to the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, $205,000 in emergency funds have been awarded in the first round of grants, going to the following nonprofit partners on the frontline of support assisting with food security, housing, childcare and healthcare:
 
●      CASA: $10,000 for COVID-related needs of immigrant, Latino and working-class Howard County residents including information and referral hotline services, benefit and loan assistance, employment assistance, and advocacy support.
●      Chase Brexton Health Services: $10,000 to provide urgent access to food and rental assistance to Howard County patients experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 Crisis.
●      Community Action Council of Howard County: $25,000 to support the increased demand for services at the Howard County Food Bank.
●      Equity4HC: $25,000 to support emergency relief efforts that support disadvantaged students, families and seniors by providing healthy food, hygiene assistance and essential supplies through a partnership with Columbia Community Care.
●      Foreign-born Information and Referral Network (FIRN): $15,000 to provide access to food, financial support and culturally appropriate information to foreign-born Howard County residents affected by COVID-related needs.
●      Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center:  $25,000 to support the increased need for crisis and homeless services in Howard County as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
●      Hope Works of Howard County: $20,000 to assist in maintaining full operations of the 24/7 emergency shelter and crisis intervention support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including human trafficking.
●      Howard County Autism Society: $5,000 to support individuals with autism and their families most in need through the financial assistance from the “Madhu Fund,” a fund providing one-time, emergency assistance to individuals with autism and/or their families who are experiencing an immediate need for financial assistance, and operational support for increased family navigator services.
●      Humanim: $25,000 to provide food and supplies to Howard County homeless residents sheltering in local motels through the City Seeds program, a social enterprise that provides catering and job training skills for people facing employment barriers.
●      Just Living Advocacy: $5,000 to support low-income Howard County families with support for child care costs and advocacy.
●      Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington: $10,000 to support food security needs with culturally sensitive food options for low- to moderate-income Korean and Chinese American residents of Howard County.
●      Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland: $20,000 to expand the Home Delivered Meal Program and Grocery Shopping Assistance Program serving low-income Howard County seniors.
●      Neighbor Ride: $10,000 to support the food delivery program partnership implemented during the COVID-19 crisis with the Howard County Food Bank and Howard County Office on Aging & Independence Congregate Meal Program to support the food needs of vulnerable Howard County residents.
 
"We are facing an unprecedented challenge that continues to require collective action and support for those in our community who are impacted the most, and we are committed to taking steps to address the coronavirus outbreak in ways that include deep considerations of equity,” said Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland. “We are focused on cultural, racial, ethnic, geographic, and ability diversity in the organizations we are funding.”
 
The Howard County Health Department has reported 538 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Howard County as of today, and 12 people have died. The number of cases is projected to continue to rise, putting great strain on front line nonprofits and health services across the county.
 
“We know the short and long-term impact of COVID-19 will continue to have lasting implications and disproportionately affect community members who are earning hourly wages, going without health insurance, needing child care and facing financial hurdles,” said Nikki Highsmith Vernick, president and CEO of the Horizon Foundation. "As we continue to monitor and address the needs of our most vulnerable residents and frontline health care workers, we are proud to be part of a community coming together to show support."
 
To continue to address the need, Howard County funders are continuing to coordinate to rapidly raise funds from generous donors and deploy critical resources to nonprofits in Howard County through HoCoRespond.com, with the goal of raising another $200,000 in the next five days. Applications for the second round of grants are now open for nonprofits to apply through Friday, April 24. More information about the applications and ways to donate can be found at HoCoRespond.com.
 
This rapid response effort is available because of the many donors who have supported this collective effort, including Cyndi and Ron Gula, the Kahlert Foundation, the Hittman Family Foundation, M&T Bank, Katherine Schulze, the Sierra Grace Giving Fund, and the Christopher P. Parr Charitable Fund, all of whom have stepped up to generously invest in HoCoRespond and encourage the community to give to address unprecedented COVID-19 needs.
 
“We are able to invest in our community quickly and efficiently because of the support of many donors who wish to make a measurable difference,” said Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “We know that in these unprecedented times, our community will continue to take care of one another, and I have no doubt that we will reach our initial goal of raising another $200,000 in five days in record time.”

Those looking to help can donate to the following emergency funds supporting nonprofits that are assisting community members affected by COVID-19:

●      The Community Foundation of Howard County has its established Howard County Community Relief Fund to address ongoing emergencies in Howard County. Members of the community and fund holders at the foundation are invited to donate.
 
●      The United Way of Central Maryland has established the COVID-19 Community Fund for Central Maryland to support the community, and in particular, support those who operate on the frontlines of providing help and resources to those in need. Community members are invited to donate.
​
●      The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County has established the WGC COVID-19 Fund. Donors can double the impact of their gifts through the generosity of Cyndi and Ron Gula, who are matching donations dollar for dollar up to $25,000 to address unprecedented COVID-19 community needs. WGC donors and members of the community are invited to donate.
 
“We know the needs are great, and we are proud to be part of a community of donors and funders that are stepping up to show support in these trying times” said Barb Van Winkle, chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. “We are in this together, and will get through this together.”
 
##

Howard County Nonprofits: Apply for Funding by Friday, April 10, 2020

The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County is one of four local philanthropies that established HoCoRespond.com and set a goal of raising $100,000 in 10 days to support Howard County nonprofits with emergency funds in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The goal has been exceeded and $100,000 in emergency funds are now available to support nonprofits on the frontline of support assisting with food security, housing, childcare and healthcare. ​

The opportunity for Howard County nonprofits to apply for this first round of funding will begin on Monday, April 6, 2020. Organizations must apply by midnight on Friday, April 10.

The Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland and Women's Giving Circle of Howard County are working together to assess where assistance may be needed, provide funding, and accept donations.

“Howard County Funders are coordinating to raise and deploy critical resources to nonprofits on the frontlines of responding to the urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities in Howard County” said Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “We are here to support our community.”

Organizations should be 501(c)3 nonprofits providing services in and to Howard County Maryland residents.

“Nonprofits that meet the basic needs of Howard County residents are eligible for operating support, including those that provide child care, food, housing, health care and mental health services, as well as those that support our local health care system and frontline health care workers,” said Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland.

HoCoRespond.com is continuing to accept donations and will soon announce a second round of funding for Howard County nonprofits. Those looking to help can donate to the following emergency funds supporting nonprofits that are assisting community members affected by COVID-19:

• The Community Foundation of Howard County has its established Howard County Community Relief Fund to address ongoing emergencies in Howard County. Members of the community and fund holders at the foundation are invited to donate.

 

• The United Way of Central Maryland has established the COVID-19 Community Fund for Central Maryland to support the community, and in particular, support those who operate on the frontlines of providing help and resources to those in need. Community members are invited to donate.

​

• The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County has its long-established Emergency Response Network (ERN) for donors to support specific needs in the community that the WGC will match in the coming weeks and months ahead.  

The Howard County funding community is working together to ensure that each fund has maximum reach and effectiveness, and are urging donors and the community at large to look for opportunities to support the critical needs of nonprofits they wish to help. 

“We will continue exploring the path forward in providing relief to our community and look forward to leveraging our strengths and working with others to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone” said WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle.

As Howard County works to respond to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, these organizations will continue to collaborate to assist community stakeholders, business leaders and public sector leaders to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive response.

"These are unprecedented times, and we are grateful for both our nonprofit community coming together to provide critical support, and for donors stepping up to respond” said Nikki Highsmith Vernick, president and CEO of the Horizon Foundation. “This is Howard County at its best."

##

It goes without saying that it is a very challenging time for our country right now. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by COVID-19. We are truly in unprecedented times.

As we try to adjust to the new daily realities for ourselves and our families during this public health crisis, it is heartening to see funders come together to harness the power of philanthropy to make a difference in our communities. 
 
The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland is not alone in wanting to do the most good by leveraging the things that make our circle an empowering way to give. Giving circles all over the country are using their unique strengths to make a difference.
 
We have focused on communicating regularly, being nimble and flexible, broadening our grantmaking scope, collaborating with other funders, seeking information and resources from trusted partners, and leveraging our large network of donors to have a greater impact together than we might otherwise have alone - all hallmarks of the strength and draw of giving circles.
 
Here are ten ways the WGC is utilizing our strengths to respond to COVID-19. We:

1. Quickly planned with our Advisory Board to communicate with our donors, nonprofit partners, and the community that we were taking this public health crisis seriously, canceling events, and continuing our work remotely.
2. Decided to set aside additional funds to focus on our nonprofit partners and the broader community in the coming weeks and months.
3. Determined we would broaden the scope of our grantmaking and Emergency Response Network at this critical time to stay nimble and flexible in order to be as responsive as possible to growing community needs.
4. Focused on leveraging the strength of our Emergency Response Network to learn of and highlight needs, accept donations, and provide funding quickly.
5. Engaged our Young Women's Giving Circle to support our nonprofit partners through their Spring Feminine Product Drive.
6. Committed to regular communication, transparency and amplifying our collective voice – among our leadership, donors, prospective donors, funder and nonprofit partners, the media, and the broader community, through both traditional and social media.
7. Joined forces with local funding community partners – The Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, and United Way of Central Maryland - to rapidly raise funds and deploy critical resources to nonprofits in Howard County through the newly created HoCoRespond.com - with the initial goal of raising at least $100,000 by early April and giving grants by mid-April.
8. Prioritized connecting regularly with our statewide funding community through our regional association of grantmakers, Maryland Philanthropy Network, to learn and share together.
9. Looked to regularly connect with national funding resources focused on the coronavirus, including our collective giving partners at Philanos and Philanthropy Together, and our national regional association partner United Philanthropy Forum and the Council on Foundations.
10. Have chosen to participate in #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

 
The WGC is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County, Maryland. We bring women together to learn about issues impacting our community, and pool our dollars to fund programs that address those issues. We’ve been part of the Howard County community for 19 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given over $500,000 through over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community.
 
We continue all of this work today, and we’ve done it together – as a giving circle. 
 
“We will continue exploring the path forward in providing relief to our community and look forward to leveraging our strengths as a giving circle and working with others to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone” said WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle.
 
“We are all in this together.”
 
Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz is the Executive Director of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland. The WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County, Maryland. You can reach her at [email protected] and www.wgchowardcounty.org

April 1, 2020

Her Mind Magazine

By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Executive Director, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County

It goes without saying that it is a very challenging time for many of us right now.

As we try to adjust to the new daily realities for ourselves and our families during the unprecedented coronavirus public health crisis, it is heartening to see Howard County come together to harness the power of philanthropy to make a difference in our community.

The  Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC) is proud to be coordinating with other funders to rapidly raise funds and deploy critical resources to nonprofits in Howard County through HoCoRespond.com, with the goal of raising $100,000 by early April.

We are working closely with the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, and United Way of Central Maryland to assess where assistance may be needed, accept donations and provide funding to nonprofits on
 the frontline of support, focusing on food security, housing, childcare and healthcare. And, we are coordinating with peers in philanthropy, government and business to respond to the urgent health and economic needs of disproportionately impacted communities in Howard County.

Nonprofits that meet the basic needs of Howard County residents will be able to apply for operating support in early April.
The WGC has been building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County for the last 19 years. We bring women together to learn about issues impacting our community and pool our dollars to fund programs that address those issues.

We will continue to explore the path forward in providing relief to our community and look forward to working with others to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone.

Won’t you join us?

​We are all in this together.