In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to recognize Rayna DuBose as part of the WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile series.

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 speaks on how she overcame adversity and found her purpose through strength, power and community engagement.

"I have a passion for the youth in our community and the betterment of our community and world" said Rayna. "I believe that the children are our future so let’s give them all the tools and knowledge to prepare them for anything they go through in their lives."

When asked about her giving, she said "I started giving honestly after a tragic accident that occurred in my life ... when I truly learned and felt what it is to be blessed, grateful, appreciative, and  thankful genuinely."

Thank you for joining us in recognizing her by clicking on this image to read her full WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories" profile, and learning more about all of the amazing women who are part of  WGC "Our Giving, Our Stories"!

The WGC is is proud to partner with United Way of Central Maryland with a $5,000 multi-year grant to help support the new UWCM Family Center and in turn, support women and their families in need of quality, affordable childcare in Howard County.

Did you know childcare in Howard County for two averages about $2,000 a month? ​On average, across all income levels, Howard County families spend about 20% of their income on childcare − double the national recommendation of 10%.

"We know that child care is necessary for parents—particularly women—to work and earn an income, yet it has become an increasingly crushing expense for families with young children in Howard County" said Kari Staddon, Senior Director of Strategic Impact at United Way of Central Maryland. "We are grateful for the partnership and support of the Women's Giving Circle as we aim to provide quality, affordable child care for women and families in our community."

While Howard County is known for having one of the highest median incomes in the nation, it also has one of the highest costs of living, making it a difficult place for people earning low or moderate incomes to get ahead. Nearly 30% of households in Howard County can't afford the basics, like a safe, affordable place to call home; medical care to keep their families healthy; or a car to get to work or to the grocery store. And a vast majority of these households are families with children. Higher than average childcare costs in the area make it tough for families with children who are already struggling to make ends meet. For many of these families, childcare is their second-highest expense after housing.

The new United Way Family Center will provide parents who qualify with affordable, high-quality childcare at a cost below market rate. And all staff working 20 hours or more will receive full benefits and be paid above-average wages.

​"We are proud to provide this multi-year grant to support the new UWCM Family Center" said Barb Van Winkle. "As we work to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving, we see this as an important resource for women and their families seeking quality, affordable childcare in our county."

Learn more here

"Strong women ... May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them." #IDG2021

Today is International Day of the Girl, which focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders. An investment in realising the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanity is an equal partner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability.

Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that is relevant for them and future generations.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015, embody a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind.

Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 goals. Only by ensuring the rights of women and girls across all the goals will we get to justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining our shared environment now and for future generations.

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls: empowering women and girls and promoting gender equality is crucial to accelerating sustainable development. Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, but it also has a multiplier effect across all other development areas.

​(Excerpted from the United Nations Day of the Girl Child)

Learn more about the WGC's grantmaking focused on girls.

The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland, and the Community Foundation of Howard County are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2021 Changemaker Challenge! These 10 finalists will compete for the chance win up to $35,000 to bring their big ideas to life! Get your FREE ticket today to watch them Nov. 9 at the Changemaker Challenge live virtual event.