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  WGC Donors and Friends,
As we all know, 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year, and we have been focused on doing what we can to provide funding and support to women, girls and families in our community through our nonprofit partners on the ground. We are proud to welcome four new WGC Advisory Board members who will help to guide our efforts in the coming year. Welcome to Candace Dodson-Reed, Mireille Grangenois, Lynne Schaefer, and Nette’ Stokes. READ THE FULL eNEWSLETTER HERE As we enter the season of giving and look forward to Thanksgiving this year, all of us at the Women's Giving Circle want to say thank you for all you have done to be a part of our collective efforts to support our community this year. And, we are making plans for 2021. One of the things we are planning for is our 2021 Virtual Annual Celebration - "Celebrating (S)heroes Among Us" on Monday, March 8, 2021 - International Women's Day. Our keynote speakers will discuss “Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving”. Hear from national philanthropic leaders Valaida Fullwood and Sara Lomelin how the landscape of philanthropy is shifting, and how collective giving is continuing to play a transformational role in bringing in many more — and more representative — women donors to the table to create more equitable communities, and make a difference through the power of giving, together. And, we will be highlighting “(S)heroes Among Us” this year during our Annual Celebration. All women are (S)heros in their own ways - women admired for their courage and outstanding achievements. This year we will be honored to acknowledge the many ways women are supporting our community through our (S)hero Snapshots - stay tuned for how you can highlight your (S)heroes! We are excited to offer a number of terrific sponsorship opportunities for individual women and businesses of all sizes - take a look at our online Sponsorship Center. I would love to talk to you about the chance to sponsor the WGC - please don't hesitate to contact me. Many thanks to the numerous sponsors who have already chosen to invest in our 2021 Annual Celebration! It takes a special individual or business to understand the value of investing in women and girls - thank you. Happy Thanksgiving. Warm Regards, Barb Van Winkle WGC Chair  By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Executive Director, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County
For Her Mind Magazine “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Maya Angelou “It’s 8 am and you’re waking up just in time to get breakfast and the kids in front of their iPads for school. While they learn online, you escape to your makeshift office, which used to be the guest room, to start your workday. What was once two places of home and work has been shortened from 20 miles apart to 20 steps. We hear you superwoman, you need another place away from your space! The 3rd will be a place away from working at home and the needy children and life partner (whom you love dearly.) This will be a place where you can rest your cape and develop your entrepreneurial ideas with like-minded superheroes. You need a 3rd place where you can breathe, create, exist, and thrive!” Do you like how this sounds? You are not alone. The 3rd is a new space that is opening in Columbia where community members can “chill, work, eat and shop all while supporting Women of Color entrepreneurs.” Founded by CEO Laura Bacon, The 3rd’s mission is to build a space that fosters dreams, creates community, and provides mentorship, which enables Women of Color to turn their ideas into economic power and freedom. “We want to provide the keys to open doors women of color entrepreneurs have been denied access to – the keys to resources, education, and skill-building are only a few benefits to being a part of The 3rd” said Bacon. “In addition, we will develop a community of sister-friends through collaboration and partnerships in a chill environment.” As a recent The 3rd Facebook post highlights…“Imagine an open space with beautiful furniture and tons of natural light…walk further into the cute little shop filled with goodies made by WOC entrepreneurs. Then head over to the café to purchase a delicious pastry and coffee right before sitting down and writing your kick-ass grant proposal for your nonprofit! Take it all in sister-friend, this will be you at The 3rd.” Asked why Laura decided to create The 3rd she said “I create spaces where people can show up as the best version of themselves. My talent is in putting all the right people in a space to make something special.” Want to support The 3rd this holiday season? You can do so, and purchase a homemade pie for the holidays! Laura is selling delicious homemade Sweet Potato Pies for $50 this Thanksgiving to raise funds. The pies comes unbaked and frozen. You can also buy a pie and give a pie. Spend $85 and you’ll get a pie and The 3rd will give one away to our nonprofit partners at Columbia Community Care. Click the link below and order your Thanksgiving pie today! Purchase pies here. Pie pick-up will be in Columbia on November 23, time to be determined. I am grateful for efforts like The 3rd this holiday season – hope you are too. Happy Thanksgiving! You can connect with Laura Bacon at [email protected] and learn more at their website at www.the3rd.org. ___________________________________________________________________________ Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz is the Executive Director of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. She can be reached at: [email protected] and www.wgchowardcounty.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Executive Director [email protected] www.womensgivingcircle.org Columbia, MD, November 16, 2020 - The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is very pleased to announce the addition of four new members to our Advisory Board, as well as the full slate of Executive Committee and Advisory Board members for 2021. The newly elected Advisory Board members are Candace Dodson-Reed, Mireille Grangenois, Lynne Schaefer, and Nette’ Stokes. “I am thrilled to welcome these four talented women, each of whom bring diverse experience and unique backgrounds to the Women’s Giving Circle” said Women’s Giving Circle Advisory Board Chair, Barb Van Winkle. “Each of them has deep community knowledge and a passion for philanthropy, and we are fortunate to have them by our side as we work to shape the future for women and girls in Howard County through the power of collective giving.” The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County. The WGC bring women together to learn about issues impacting women and girls in our community, and pools our dollars to fund programs that address those issues so we can have a greater impact together than we might otherwise have alone. The WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County. Joining the WGC Advisory Board to help us meet our mission are:  Candace Dodson-Reed is an experienced executive with a 20 plus year successful career in the public, education, and nonprofit sectors. Skilled in media relations, grassroots organizing, government relations, crisis communications, inclusion and equity work, public policy and community/public affairs, Candace currently serves as the Chief of Staff and Executive Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). In 2012, Candace founded the African American Community Roundtable of Howard County and just prior to that launched the twentyfivefortyfive Giving Circle at the Community Foundation of Howard County. Candace also co-hosts a podcast—Elevate Maryland. In 2020, she was named a Maryland Top 100 Woman by The Daily Record. Mireille Grangenois, formerly Publisher of the Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Chronicle of Higher Education, serves on the board of Verité, a global advocate for fair labor, and the Community Foundation of Howard County. On the latter, she is chair of a new committee focused on equity, racial justice, diversity and inclusion. A journalist with an undergraduate degree from New York University, Mireille spent much of her career in business-side leadership roles at preeminent news organizations, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, and The Baltimore Sun. Lynne C. Schaefer has served as Vice President for Administration and Finance at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) since 2005. In her role as chief business officer at UMBC, she is responsible for financial management, budget, reporting and control for annual operations of nearly $500 million. She previously served as Vice President for Finance and Administration at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and as Budget Director and Vice President for Administrative Services at Wayne State University in Detroit. She has been named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women, and one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Metropolitan Detroit. Nette’ Stokes founded and currently works at JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. as the Executive & Community Engagement Director. She has a heart for all people, especially for women heading up their households alone as single parents. She believes in giving and creating opportunities for those who have a strong personal desire to lift themselves out of impoverished circumstances. Nette has strategic and executive management experience combined with a solid vision for operations and providing a creative approach to organization operations, marketing and development and community outreach. She worked for 15 years at IBM and 10 years in the government at the US Department of State and the Department of Justice as a Senior Program and Project Manager. She was named as a 2020 HerMind Community Hero in Howard County, MD for her advocacy work in child care and heart disease in women. The full 2021 slate of WGC Executive Committee and Advisory Board members are: Executive Committee Officers:
Advisory Board Members
 Many thanks to everyone who took action and donated to help families in our community this Thanksgiving. We asked, and our network of women philanthropists responded - and in about three hours we collectively raised $2,500, and counting - thank you! We are going to leave the opportunity to donate open through the weekend to support our partners at the Community Action Council.
This is the power of a giving circle. In the 16+ years we've had the Emergency Response Network women have responded to our call to action and have given together to meet and/or exceed every single request, resulting in over $100,000 to directly support over 100 women and their families in Howard County. “It’s hard to imagine that poverty is a problem in an area like Howard County, but one-in-four neighbors are struggling to make ends meet every day,” said Bita Dayhoff, CAC president. “Our vision is to enhance the quality of life for our neighbors so they may share in the promise and opportunity of our community, but we cannot do it alone. It is only with the help of our community partners, supporters and volunteers that we are able to meet the ever-growing needs of the clients we serve every day.” Here is the Emergency Response Network Request that you responded to - thank you! If you have any questions about the WGC or our Emergency Response Network, please email [email protected]. Thank you for being a part of the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County and this powerful network supporting women in our community! Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director www.womensgivingcircle.org WGC Emergency Response Network Request - $2,500 - Can You Help Feed 50 Families This Thanksgiving?11/11/2020
Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving - Join Us!11/11/2020
 HoCoRespond Has Already Granted $407,500 in Support of Housing, Food Security, Childcare and Healthcare Columbia, Md. - The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, and United Way of Central Maryland are sustaining their strong partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic and announcing another $200,000 in available funds to support nonprofits working on the frontlines in Howard County through HoCoRespond. Howard County nonprofits can apply for this round of funding beginning Monday, November 2. Organizations must apply by midnight on Monday, November 23, 2020. Grant applications can be submitted here. HoCoRespond will host two virtual Q&A information sessions for those interested in applying for funding on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9:30 - 11:00 am and Thursday, Nov. 12, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. RSVP to receive zoom details to [email protected]. New, coordinated grant funding is urgently needed to help Howard County residents as unemployment insurance supplements have ended and eviction protections are at risk. Many vulnerable families in Howard County are increasingly unable to pay for food, rent, childcare and healthcare, and nonprofits in the county are helping address those challenges. Under the umbrella of HoCoRespond, the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland and Women's Giving Circle of Howard County have been working together since March to assess community needs, accept donations and provide funding to Howard County nonprofits providing frontline support, with a focus on food security, housing, childcare and healthcare. With the goal to maximize impact and equity through HoCoRespond, Howard County funders have awarded a total of $407,500 since March to 31 nonprofits. "This public health crisis has caused a wave of challenges for our residents - people are facing unimaginable circumstances deciding whether to keep a roof over their head or food on their table," said County Executive Calvin Ball. "We're incredibly grateful to have such dedicated organizations to help look out for our most vulnerable, and HoCoRespond has already demonstrated effectiveness in collaboration. In a time when it's imperative to help those among us most in need, this is a perfect way to support your neighbors and community. I encourage those who are able to make a charitable contribution to support this emergency fund." As of November 1, the Maryland Department of Health reported 6,015 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Howard County and 146,995 cases across the state. “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 continue to be here to support our community as we navigate ongoing community needs this fall and into the winter.” A key focus of the collective grantmaking is to ensure communities of color are receiving equitable treatment. “We are proud that our collective grantmaking is working to advance equity by focusing on cultural, racial, ethnic, geographic and ability diversity in the organizations we are funding” said Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland. “We are working closely with our partners to continue to identify urgent needs on the ground.” HoCoRespond.org is continuing to accept donations. Those looking to help can donate to the following emergency funds supporting nonprofits that are assisting community members affected by COVID-19:
“The reality is that COVID-19 is continuing to harm our community,” said Nikki Highsmith Vernick, president and CEO of the Horizon Foundation. “We will continue to work closely with our funding partners to address critical housing, food, childcare and healthcare challenges in Howard County and provide emergency and ongoing support to those in need.” The Howard County funding partners are urging county residents, donors and the community at large to take action and support the nonprofits who are on the frontlines during the COVID-19 crisis. “We will continue exploring the path forward in providing relief to our community by leveraging our strengths and working with others to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone,” said Barb Van Winkle, chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. ##
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"Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving." - Jennifer Bodensiek, Chair
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