We are proud to be among the first organizations in Howard County to become #SobarCertified.

What does this mean?

It means we are committed to providing more equitable drink options to our donors, partners and community at WGC events by partnering with Sobar.

Sobar's mission is to encourage choice in how we celebrate by providing a variety of sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages to consumers and hosting alcohol-free bars and events.

We look forward to providing delicious, healthy, and exciting drink options in partnership with Sobar for the future. Learn more about Sobar here.
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Wow, we had a great night tonight at the WGC's Big Give 2022! 

​What is the Big Give?

It's for those WGC members who want to learn more about grantmaking to women and girls through a four-month, hands-on learning and grantmaking experience. Big Give participants used words such as "inspired, humbled, grateful, excited, proud, hopeful, honored, and thankful" regarding their experience.

"As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary year, we are proud and honored to engage WGC donors through The Big Give!" said Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair. "This opportunity to give collectively is another way WGC is meeting our mission of building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County."

This year's inaugural Big Give had 27 women participating - individually or as part of a team - who learned, shared, and together, collectively gave $20,000 to 3 WGC nonprofit partners - Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, HopeWorks, and the HCC Educational Foundation.

• Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center - $10,000

“Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center is honored to be a recipient of the Women’s Giving Circle’s first BIG GIVE funding.  This generosity from a long-time supporting organization will be used to purchase beds for women in our community who have been homeless and in crisis but are now successfully moving from the Grassroots shelter into a place of their own" said Dr. Mariana Izraelson, Executive Director of Grassroots. You can support Grassroots here.​

• HopeWorks of Howard County - $6,000

"HopeWorks appreciates the continuing support of the Women's Giving Circle. The support given to victims of domestic and sexual violence helps them overcome barriers to independent living and secure housing for themselves and their families.  The timely support given by WGC to our clients can be very hard to find from other sources.  It is a wonderful resource that we rely on time and time again" said Ngozi Obineme, Executive Director of HopeWorks of Howard County. You can support HopeWorks here.

• HCC Educational Foundation - $4,000

"Since 2002, the Women’s Giving Circle has been a lifeline to women in need at Howard Community College. We are grateful for the opportunity to present at The BIG GIVE event this evening and share how some of the simple things we take for granted in life can keep a student parent at HCC from completing their education and halting their journey along a career path that will provide them with a more stable income for their family. The funding from the BIG GIVE will help our Career Links students during a time of crisis, providing them with emergency funding so they can stay in school. -Missy Mattey, Executive Director, Howard Community College Educational Foundation, Inc." said Missy Mattey, Director of Development/Executive Director, of the HCC Educational Foundation. You can support HCC Educational Foundation here.

"We are excited about the response to our inaugural WGC Big Give!" said Melissa Curtin, WGC Membership and Development Committee Chair. "It's a new and exciting way for women to invest their philanthropic dollars so that they have a bigger impact together than they might otherwise have alone."

Here's how the Big Give worked:
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• BIG KICK: Philanthropy Overview - July 2022

WGC Big Give members gathered for two hours at the Community Foundation of Howard County to meet one another and learn about the community foundation, WGC, and the broader philanthropic landscape. 
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• BIG LEARN: WGC’s Grantmaking History and Future - August 2022

WGC Big Give members participated virtually in an overview of WGC’s history, grantmaking, the Status of Women and Girls in Howard County, and our grantmaking parameters, followed by review and discussion about the pre-vetted nonprofit partners who provide programs that support women and girls in Howard County. 

• BIG THINK: Giving Discussion - September 2022

WGC Big Give members engaged in the final discussion, asked questions, and voted for the final three nonprofit partners who made a final presentation in October at The Big Give. Each of the three nonprofits received a grant award, the amount of which was decided at the October 26 Big Give.

• BIG GIVE: Big Voting/Giving Event - October 2022

WGC Big Give members gathered to hear from the final three nonprofits about their proposed programs and voted on the grant award amounts. These women gave away $20,000 to three important nonprofit partners in our community - Grassroots Crisis Intervention, HopeWorks, and the HCC Educational Foundation at the end of this four-month journey of learning, sharing, and grantmaking. Then ... we celebrated, together!

"Being part of the Big Give was a truly humbling experience" said Jessica Terrazas-Moreno. "It was bittersweet to learn that so many amazing organizations in Howard County need extra funds, but they never stop fighting the good fight to help our neighbors."

Let us know if you’re interested in the WGC's Big Give 2023 - we already have women signing up! 

"We firmly believe that women’s philanthropy is shaping the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving​" said Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director. "WGC's The Big Give is empowering women to support other women in our community now, and in the future."

Wow, what a morning at our partner The 3rd! Run, don’t walk to this amazing, community building, gathering place!

The food, the atmosphere, the products made by women of color - all are unique, tasty, and beautiful. How lucky we are to have this gem in our community! Congratulations Laura Bacon + team ! ​

We are honored to partner with United Way of Central Maryland and so many others on the United Way Family Center - providing affordable, accessible childcare for those who live or work in Howard County.

United Way has a proven track record of helping families and their children succeed. We were honored to be with UWCM, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, Howard County officials, local executives and other partners as they opened the organization’s third Family Center in central Maryland, located at 7115 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia, Maryland. The Columbia Family Center will provide quality, accessible childcare and early childhood education to parents in Howard County.

Learn more here