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"It's Because of You ..." for Her Mind Magazine

12/31/2020

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

“Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving​.” – Barb Van Winkle, Chair

As we head into the New Year, we reflect on the unexpected challenges for all of us - which the WGC has tried to navigate by developing creative solutions to ensure our work continued to make an impact throughout the year. 

We did this by:
​
  • Giving Grants – we gave $130,000 to support women, girls and their families to our nonprofit partners, and $608,000+ to support COVID-19 needs through our #HoCoRespond partnership with the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation and United Way of Central Maryland.
  • Engaging Members – we engaged and increased our membership through seven in-person and virtual events, including our new monthly “Membership Mondays” virtual gathering, and developed and reinforced our membership structure, with an enhanced menu of giving and engagement options moving into 2021.
  • Strengthening the Circle – we invested in and focused on our core strength by growing our professional staff, developing our volunteer leadership, and advancing and enhancing our diversity, equity and inclusion framework throughout all of our work! And, we amplified and elevated our voice through increased marketing and communications efforts.

You can read more about our 2020 efforts here.

Our work in 2020 has assured us that partnership and generosity is alive and well in Howard County and that philanthropic investment in our community is more important than ever as we continue to face the COVID-19 global pandemic and fall out.

Please consider a year-end gift to the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County so that we can continue to give more grants, engage more members, and strengthen the circle for the future. One option for an end-of-year gift is to sponsor our upcoming WGC Virtual Annual Celebration on March 8, 2021 – “Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving” – find sponsorship information here, starting at $100.

Also, the WGC is highlighting “(S)heroes Among Us” this year during the March 8, 2021 Virtual Annual Celebration. Please join us in thanking women in your life for their efforts by uploading a photo of your Howard County (S)heroes on our WGC (S)heroes Among Us Virtual Mosaic Wall. With your help, we are highlighting women across the county before, during and after our upcoming Annual Celebration!

Thank you for supporting women, girls, and families in Howard County. We are making a greater difference together than we might otherwise make alone.

It’s because of you .... Happy New Year!
​
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

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WGC Year-End-Donation and 2020 Year in Review

12/17/2020

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Friends,

This year has brought many unexpected challenges for all of us, which the WGC navigated by developing creative solutions to ensure our work continued to make an impact throughout the year. 

We did this by:


  • Giving Grants - gave $130,000 to support women, girls and their families to our nonprofit partners, and $608,000+ to support COVID-19 needs through our HoCoRespond partnership with the Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation and United Way of Central Maryland.

  • Engaging Members - engaged and increased our membership through seven in-person and virtual events, including our new monthly "Membership Mondays" virtual gathering, and developed and reinforced our membership structure, with an enhanced menu of giving and engagement options moving into 2021.
​
  • Strengthening the Circle - invested in and focused on our core strength by growing our professional staff, developing our volunteer leadership, and advancing and enhancing our diversity, equity and inclusion framework throughout all of our work! And, we amplified and elevated our voice through increased marketing and communications efforts.

You can read more about our 2020 efforts here.

Our work in 2020 has assured us that partnership and generosity is alive and well in Howard County and that philanthropic investment in our community is more important than ever as we continue to face the COVID-19 global pandemic and fall out.

Please consider a year-end gift to the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County so that we can continue to give more grants, engage more members, and strengthen the circle for the future.
One option for an end-of-year gift is to sponsor our upcoming WGC Virtual Annual Celebration on March 8, 2021 - “Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving” - find sponsorship information here, starting at $100.

​Thank you for supporting women, girls, and families in Howard County. We are making a greater difference together, than we might otherwise make alone. 

P.S. The WGC is highlighting “(S)heroes Among Us” this year during the March 8, 2021 Virtual Annual Celebration. Please join us in thanking women in your life for their efforts by uploading a photo of your Howard County (S)heroes on our WGC (S)heroes Among Us Virtual Mosaic Wall. With your help, we are highlighting women across the county before, during and after our upcoming Annual Celebration!
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3 Questions With ... WGC Student Intern Adora Brown

12/9/2020

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By Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director
​
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.

One of our stated goals is to increase the life skills of women and girls, which we are focused on through our grantmaking. We are are also working to meet this goal by hosting an HCPSS Student Intern this year, recognizing that internships can provide a real-world learning experience that can help increase the life skills of young women, open doors, and shape future paths in college and beyond. 


We recently welcomed our new Student Intern, Adora Brown to the WGC. Adora is a senior at Mt. Hebron High School, and already has a good deal of marketing, communications, and media experience as the Editor-in-Chief of the Mt. Hebron High School Newspaper, and through volunteer work as the PR Manager for the Delta Scholars, and other activities. 

One thing Adora is supporting this year is our WGC (S)heroes Among Us Virtual Mosaic Wall, where we are highlighting women across Howard County before, during and after our March 8, 2021 Annual Celebration that focused on “Democratizing and Diversifying Philanthropy Through the Power of Collective Giving”. We are excited to highlight (S)heroes across Howard County who make a difference in so many ways, every single day, and invite women in our community to nominate (S)heroes in the coming weeks and months. In fact, take a look at Adora's #WGCShero Snapshot here!

We are thrilled to have Adora supporting the WGC's Membership and Events Committee, and invited her to share some thoughts about interning with the WGC:

1. We are so excited you are working with the WGC this year! Why did you want to take time during your senior year to intern with the WGC?

"I wanted to pursue something out of my comfort zone for my last year of high school. I knew that the Women's Giving Circle would allow me to continue my passions, but in a new and more localized format. I have always hoped to create change in my community, and WGC allows me to do just that!"

2. Now that you've joined our Membership & Events Committee, what are you working on that interests you?

"I have been helping out with finding sponsors for this years' virtual event. It is truly a learning experience for me, and I am very excited to be challenging myself. I am also working on a socially distanced pick-up event for members who purchase gift bags. Hopefully, we can get a lot of passionate student volunteers to assist in this endeavor."

3. What is the most interesting thing you've learned so far about women's philanthropy and giving to programs that benefit women and girls? What would you like us to know?


"It has been really interesting to learn about the process of putting together an event. Finding sponsors, getting donations, spreading the word, and putting together the individual facets of the event are just a few of the necessary steps. It has been so inspiring to bring the final event to fruition while truly making a difference for women and girls in Howard County. The Women's Giving Circle does so much to help the Howard County community, and I am so grateful to be a part of it."

Thank you for experience, ideas, and hard work Adora ... welcome!

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Howard County Funders Announce $201,000 in COVID-19 Emergency Grants

12/8/2020

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HoCoRespond Has Awarded More than $600,000 to Howard County Nonprofits in 2020
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The Community Foundation of Howard County, Horizon Foundation,  United Way of Central Maryland and Women's Giving Circle of Howard County today announced $201,000 in emergency grants to 15 Howard County nonprofits addressing COVID-19 needs. The collaborative effort that began in March, called HoCoRespond, has now awarded 46 grants totaling $608,500 in the last eight months to 34 nonprofits meeting food security, housing, childcare and healthcare needs.
 
“Throughout this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has created great challenges and uncertainty for our residents, but our response has demonstrated how this county unites during its toughest times, looks out for one another, and commits to collective action,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “HoCoRespond continues to have a significant impact - supporting our most vulnerable neighbors in need who are facing the continued economic challenges of the pandemic. Howard County is truly lucky to have devoted organizations who are determined to ensure our residents have the food on their tables, money to pay bills, and vital support services during this time.”
 
The $201,000 in COVID-19 emergency grants will go to the following organizations serving Howard County:


  • The Arc of Howard County, Inc., $10,000, to purchase equipment and supplies to support fitness and mental wellbeing of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and frontline staff from impacts related to COVID-19
  • Bet Yeladim, Inc., $20,000 to support Bet Yeladim Preschool’s Child Care Tuition Scholarship Program
  • Bridges to Housing Stability, Inc., $5,000, to provide basic supplies, food and emergency financial assistance to client households that have been destabilized by COVID-19
  • Center for Children, Inc., $10,000, to provide telehealth services to 147 poverty level families currently enrolled in their Care Coordination Program in Howard County
  • Community Action Council of Howard County, $25,000, to provide utility assistance for Howard County residents experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID pandemic
  • Equity4HC, $15,000, supporting 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
  • Feed Howard County, $15,000, to support the initiative to help feed Howard County families who are food insecure, while at the same time supporting Howard County restaurants
  • Grassroots Crisis Intervention Services, Inc., $18,000, to provide motel shelter for unstably-housed Howard County families that are not eligible for traditional shelter services but are at risk of homelessness
  • Howard County Autism Society, $5,000, to support individuals with autism and their families through Respite and Emergency financial assistance, along with support for increased social and emotional supports for the Howard County autism community, especially for non-English speakers
  • Howard County Conservancy, $6,384, to support monthly Schools Out scholarships providing for a full day of programming and academic support during the Wednesday Schools Out Programs for 40 Howard County students
  • Indian Cultural Association of Howard County, $10,000, to support pop-up food pantries sustaining food insecure Howard County residents with food staples, fresh food options, and prepared meals
  • Just Living Advocacy, $10,000, to support child care sustainability initiatives for parents by providing Howard County residents with financial assistance for child care support
  • Legal Aid Bureau, Inc., $25,000, to provide education, advocacy and legal services to Howard County residents facing eviction due to financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Maryland Fuel Fund, $15,000, to provide utility assistance through the Maryland Fuel Fund for senior and single parent households in Howard County experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The Village in Howard County, $6,270, to provide financial assistance and technology support to Howard County seniors in order to assist in maintaining housing independence, along with social and mental health well-being

“The HoCoRespond Fund is a clear example of the power of partnerships to drive positive change. In this time of uncertainty and instability, collaboration is essential,” said Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland. “We’re proud to be part of this united effort to help Howard County nonprofits meet the immediate and long-term needs of the people and neighborhoods they serve.”

On December 6, the Howard County Health Department reported 8,815 confirmed cases of COVID-19. We are in a heightened state of alert regarding COVID-19 and the number of cases is projected to continue to rise, putting great strain on frontline nonprofits and health services across the county.

“We are not out of this public health and economic crisis yet. There is still a great need to support our community during these tough times,” said Nikki Highsmith Vernick, president and CEO of the Horizon Foundation. “We are working hard to respond to those needs and to uplift Howard County residents as best we can.”
 
The HoCoRespond funders are continuing to coordinate fundraising to provide critical resources to nonprofits in Howard County, and hope to undertake a fourth round of funding in the new year.
 
“The impact of COVID-19 on our community has been challenging for some, and devastating for others,” said Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “We can’t begin to thank enough, all of the generous members of our community who have invested in HoCoRespond to help and support those who are struggling with the impact of COVID. You are true philanthropists! Whether it’s food assistance, delinquent rental or mortgage payments, childcare, mental health or a plethora of other issues, we’re here to help. We are in an unprecedented crisis, but we are so gratified at how the community has come together to take care of one another.”

Those looking to help can donate to the following COVID-19 emergency funds:


  • The Community Foundation of Howard County has its 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  to address unprecedented COVID-19 community needs. WGC donors and members of the community are invited to donate.

“We are proud to be part of a community that has continued to step up to support our friends and neighbors during this very challenging year” said Barb Van Winkle, chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. “We are utilizing our unique strengths to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone.”
 
##

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  • Home
  • About
    • WGC Mission, Vision, Values, Goals
    • WGC Advisory Board
    • WGC Committees
    • WGC 2023-2026 Strategic Plan
    • WGC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • WGC is a Fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County
    • WGC - 20 Years at a Glance
    • WGC Herstory
    • WGC - Get Involved
  • Give
    • WGC's 4 Distinct Ways to Give >
      • WGC Community Member >
        • WGC In Her Honor >
          • In Honor and Memory of WGC Supporter Jackie Melonas
        • WGC Core Support
        • WGC Impact 2024
      • WGC Sponsor Member >
        • Thank You 2025 Sponsors!
        • Thank You 2024 Sponsors!
        • Thank You 2023 Sponsors!
        • Thank You 2022 Sponsors!
      • WGC Legacy Member
      • WGC Big Give Member >
        • WGC Big Give $1,200 Individual Donation
        • WGC Big Give $1,200 Team Donation
        • WGC Big Give Process and Grantmaking Guidelines
    • WGC's Emergency Response Network
    • WGC's "Break the Cycle" Period Product Drive
    • WGC's Barb Van Winkle Leadership Fund
  • Grants
  • Events
  • News
    • WGC's State of Women and Girls in Howard County
    • WGC's Our Giving, Our Stories Series >
      • Monthly OGOS Profiles
      • Black Philanthropy Month OGOS Profiles
      • OGOS Nominations
    • WGC's 20 Years, 20 Stories
    • WGC's (S)hero Mosaic
  • Blog
  • Contact