Thank you for joining us tonight at The 3rd to celebrate the start of Black Philanthropy Month!
Black Philanthropy Month (BPM) which is observed every August, with the primary aim of informing, involving, inspiring and investing in Black philanthropic leadership. We discussed our efforts to support Black Philanthropy Month, including WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories", and we provided an update on our grant partnership with The 3rd and The Highland Project for the development and implementation of a Leadership Development program for Women of Color in Howard County. Don't forget to read about the 31 women philanthropists in our community that we will highlight each day this month!
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WGC's 2022 "Our Giving, Our Stories" Series in Celebration of Black Philanthropy Month The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to continue our support for Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), observed every August! The primary aims of BPM are informing, involving, inspiring and investing in Black philanthropic leadership to strengthen African-American and African-descent giving in all its forms, for the benefit of our planet, our communities, our organizations and our lives. One way WGC is doing this is through WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories!" daily profile Series each August. Each day this month we are sharing daily profiles of incredible women in our community who are giving in so many ways - in celebration of Black Philanthropy Month. Today, we elevate the voice and story of philanthropist, Stephanie Wall: What moves you to give your time, talent and financial resources? I am driven to make the world a better place for women and families. I come from humble beginnings, which is why my drive comes straight out of something genuine in me- as someone who's been where they are! I want everyone else on this journey with us; those that have never had access or opportunity because they haven't known any different. Together we can change lives - one step at a time but also eventually far beyond what anyone could imagine possible. When did you start giving to issues that are important to you? I learned that my presence and willingness to serve are often - times worth more than the funds that I provide. I started giving back when I was not really in a position to give, and it was not trendy, but rather what was important for me – because there are few things more fulfilling than making a difference in somebody else's life! What advice do you have for those interested in giving back? If you want to give back, the best thing that can happen for your community is a donation. It doesn't matter how small or large it is - a little bit goes much further in helping others than just sitting on top of one's own problems. What efforts are particularly important to you?
Learn more about the WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories!" Series celebrating Black Philanthropy Month every day in August 2022. #givingcircles #collectivegiving #WGCBPM2022 #BPM2022 Tonight we kicked-off our new Big Give Membership for those members who want to learn more about grantmaking to women and girls through a hands-on learning and grantmaking experience! We had a great meeting at the beautiful Community Foundation of Howard County and heard from President & CEO Beverly White-Seals, WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle, WGC Membership & Development Committee Chair Melissa Curtin, Community Foundation Director of Grants and Community Outreach Dee Athey, WGC Grants Committee Co-Chair Alison Canning, and WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz about the history of the historic CFHoCo building at Athol Manor, philanthropy in general, community foundations, and giving circles. WGC Big Give members were asked "why do you care" and "what would you do if you had a million dollars"? The answers were inspiring, thoughtful and empowering! WGC Big Give members will spend the next three months delving further into grantmaking and the community, and will jointly award $20,000 in the fall. Stay tuned for more WGC Big Give updates!
The Community Foundation of Howard County, the Horizon Foundation, and the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County stand in solidarity with women across our community who are shocked and saddened by today’s Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This decision denies women the right to make health care decisions about their own bodies previously deemed to be a constitutional right for the past 50 years. The decision disproportionately impacts low-income women and women of color who historically lack equal access to health care. As philanthropists who have come together to speak out against injustices and who care deeply about women’s rights, racial equity and reproductive health as part of overall maternal and child health, we strongly condemn this decision. We will work to ensure all women in Maryland are able to access a full range of reproductive health services and will continue to stand in solidarity with all who oppose this rollback of women’s rights. Wow - what a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us in a sea of pink for our WGC 20th Anniversary Pink Party in the Park on June 15. After several years of virtual gatherings, it was wonderful to celebrate the WGC's 20th Anniversary Year together in person on a beautiful summer night on the outside patio at the Robinson Nature Center. We heard from:
We enjoyed individual charcuterie boxes from Chef Jamila of The 3rd, two specialty non-alcoholic drinks from Sobar - the "Party Pink" and the "Celebration", and pink wine and champagne from The Wine Bin. We invited everyone to wear something pink - and what a beautiful sight it was! We had a photographer snapping pictures and a selfie frame, and we are posting photos using the hashtag #wgcpinkpartyinthepark - check out our Pink Party in the Park Photo Album below. We listened to music from our ever-expanding women's empowerment playlist - let us know what we should add! And, guests left with WGC 20th Anniversary Committee commemorative glasses and a 20th Anniversary cookie from Sweet Nubbins Bakery. Many thanks to our WGC 20th Anniversary Sponsors - we appreciate your investment in the WGC, and thus women and girls in Howard County. Thank you all for joining us to celebrate what we have accomplished together the last 20 years by pooling our dollars so we can have a bigger impact together than we might otherwise have alone. This, is the power of a giving circle. Thank you for being a part of the WGC! The 2022 WGC Advisory Board Leadership Howard County, which seeks to empower leaders to strengthen and transform the community, graduated the Leadership Premier 2022 class and recognized community leaders and alumni for their service to Howard County at the organization’s annual awards and graduation. The event took place on Tuesday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m. at Ten Oaks Ballroom at 5000 Signal Bell Lane in Clarksville. Leadership Howard County presented awards to:
Leadership Howard County provides innovative programs designed to empower and connect community leaders and keep them engaged in the critical issues facing Howard County and the region. Drawn from private businesses, nonprofits and the public sector, Leadership Howard County participants share a common interest in learning more about their community and a commitment to making a positive impact. (www.leadershiphc.org) What moves you to give your time, talent and financial resources? "I have been volunteering all my adult life, though with my own children grown and flown, I have more time to devote championing the cause of LGBTQ+ young people and helping elevate their voices against their oppression ... ... Now that legislatures across our country are trying to pass laws to prevent these children from living their lives as their genuine selves, this work has become increasingly important." - Susan Gerb Learn more about the WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories", an ongoing series of giving profiles designed to celebrate women's philanthropy and amplify the voices of women and girls in Howard County. Double click the profile to the left to read it as a large PDF - enjoy! By Lucia Denmeade, WGC Student Intern This year, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County launched a year-long Feminine Hygiene Product Drive as part of our 20th anniversary. This drive is built upon the work of the Young Women’s Giving Circle in 2019 and 2020. Information about the drive can be found here. In short, we are collecting products and money to distribute to women and girls in the community who need them through the Community Action Council/ Howard County Food Bank. So far, we have collected $258.76 through our online donations. We are hoping to raise $2,000 by the end of the year. This money will go directly to the Community Action Council/Howard County Foodbank, and Columbia Community Care, to purchase items for women and girls in our community. Click here to donate, and learn about other ways to contribute. Additionally, we have collecting products at each of the six libraries in the Howard County Library System. A special thank you goes to the people who have been helping along the way to ensure our drive is as successful as possible. They are as follows:
We have been fortunate enough to receive lots of donations through the drop-off boxes, and are excited for the rest of the year. All donations were given directly to the Community Action Council/Howard County Food Bank. Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 12 at Bra-La-La for a fun and festive happy hour toast! It was great to network, socialize, and be together in person, while supporting a woman-owned business and women and girls through the WGC!
Check our Events Calendar for our upcoming events - hope to see you soon! 3 Questions With ... Philanthropist Sue Song in Honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month5/10/2022
Women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights. And we are all entitled to human rights. These include the right to live free from violence and discrimination, to be educated, to own property, to vote, to earn an equal wage, and to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. The leaked draft decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade will be a direct assault on the rights, lives, dignity, and personal authority of women in our country. We may soon find ourselves in a time where women and girls actually have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers had, in a country with the highest maternal mortality rate, no paid maternity leave, no universal child care, no continued birth parent care, and the need for increased mental health care. As highlighted in the WGC's State of Women and Girls in Howard County, many women and girls continue to face discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Gender inequality underpins many problems which disproportionately affect women and girls, including lower pay, lack of access to education, inadequate healthcare, domestic and sexual violence, and reproductive health. 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. With a vision for women’s philanthropy to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving, our goals are to:
We believe:
We also believe that we are stronger together. Read our Statement of Unity here. And, we believe women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights. We must and will continue to support the fight for women's rights ... now, more than ever. - The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County Advisory Board H/T: Amnesty International, Hillary Clinton, Tocarra Mallard
The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County is proud to continue our support for Black Philanthropy Month (BPM) which is observed every August. The primary aims of BPM are informing, involving, inspiring and investing in Black philanthropic leadership to strengthen African-American and African-descent giving in all its forms, for the benefit of our planet, our communities, our organizations and our lives. One way we are doing this is through WGC's "Our Giving, Our Stories!" Profile Series each August. On August 1 and each day in August thereafter, the WGC is sharing daily profiles on our website and social media in celebration of Black Philanthropy Month. The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County is currently seeking nominees to share their stories in celebration of Black Philanthropy Month. Since we started "Our Giving, Our Stories" in 2020, over 60 women have shared the stories of their philanthropic journeys with the WGC, and our community, and we invite you to help us elevate the voices of women who continue to give their time, talent and treasure for the benefit of our community. To nominate a woman who enriches the quality of life in our community through her giving, please see the process below. All information submitted will be reviewed by the “Our Giving, Our Stories (OGOS)” Committee and nominees will be contacted directly for more information and to assure they wish to move forward with the nomination. All information supplied by the nominator and the nominee will be strictly confidential. Nomination process:
We hope you enjoy the inspirational stories of these Howard County philanthropists in celebration of Black Philanthropy Month 2021 and 2020. Double click on each image to read the full profile! “Philanthropy is Deeper than Your Pocket.” - Valaida Fullwood, Architect, Black Philanthropy Month On Friday, April 22 we had a terrific conversation on WGC's new State of Women and Girls in Howard County.
We heard from WGC 20th Anniversary Co-Chairs Jennifer Bodensiek and Candace Dodson-Reed, principal Researchers Sabina Taj and Shaista Keating, and original WGC founders and funders of The State of Women and Girls in Howard County Barbara Lawson and Jean Moon, who discussed the focus of this new baseline compilation of data, the research methodology, implications for WGC's grantmaking, and our goals for use by the broader community. You can find a link to the full conversation here. WGC's Year-Long Feminine Hygiene Product Drive Aims to Ease "Period Poverty" in Howard County4/19/2022 By Lucia Denmeade, WGC Student Intern It is estimated that 500 million people who menstruate worldwide experience what is known as “period poverty.” This is a lack of access to menstrual products and education and it is a growing problem globally and in the United States. According to a survey of low-income women in large cities, almost two-thirds of women in the U.S. have had to choose between buying food or menstrual products at some point in their life. Period-products are not covered by government assistance programs like SNAP, and are also taxed heavily, in some states at the highest tax rate. Maryland has made many efforts to reduce period poverty, including the exemption of feminine hygiene products from sales tax requirements. At the Maryland General Assembly, a bill to provide free menstrual products in public schools was passed last spring (see HB0205). There is still a real need in Maryland, despite the efforts that have been made, to ease period poverty in the state. Menstrual health is more than just physical; it includes mental and social well-being. Women who have to find alternatives to safe menstrual products, and young girls who don’t have access to these products while in school do not have the positive environment to support their menstrual health, as defined by the Global Menstrual Collective. The issue of a lack of period products weighs most heavily on school-age girls and working women, who may struggle at school and work during their period. A lack of feminine hygiene products available to women and girls in these situations means that time is taken away from their education and career and put towards running around trying to find adequate products. It creates shame and impacts both their physical and mental health. Through our year-long feminine hygiene product drive, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County aims to ease the effects of period poverty in Howard County to help women and girls succeed without being set back by their period. Learn more and donate here
WGC Coffee Chat on The State of Women and Girls in Howard County - Friday, April 22 at 8:30 am4/4/2022 Join us for a conversation on the WGC's new State of Women and Girls in Howard County. Learn about the focus of this new baseline compilation of data, the research methodology, implications for WGC's grantmaking, and our goals for use by the broader community. Hear from WGC 20th Anniversary Co-Chairs Jennifer Bodensiek and Candace Dodson-Reed and Principal Researchers Sabina Taj and Shaista Keating. Joining the conversation also will be original WGC founders and funders of The State of Women and Girls in Howard County Barbara Lawson and Jean Moon. REGISTER HERE
WGC Co-Sponsors "Reading Human Rights" with the Howard County Office of Human Rights and Equity3/23/2022 The WGC was honored to co-Sponsor "Reading Human Rights" with the Howard County Office of Human Rights and Equity at the Howard County Library System Central Branch on March 22. It was a wonderful evening where WGC Advisory Board Members Lynne Schaefer and Jade McDuffie McClary joined others for the event and provided remarks about Women's History Month and the work of the Women's Giving Circle. Here's what they said: Good evening. We are Lynne Schaefer and Jade McDuffie McClary, Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County Advisory Board members. We are proud to co-sponsor tonight’s event with the Howard County Office of Human Rights and Equity and the Howard County Library System. We would like to give you some background on the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County. The Giving Circle was created to build a community of philanthropists and to establish a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.
The Circle has been doing this since 2002 and we are excited to be celebrating 20 years of impact in Howard County this year! Here’s a few numbers to illustrate what the Circle has done in those 20 years:
These numbers are a powerful illustration of how 20 years later, we have lived up to the mission created by our founders. In recent years, we have enhanced our core values to better meet our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all of our work through a measurable action agenda, with a goal to ensure all WGC activities reflect the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in practice, policy and governance. We encourage you to check out the many ways these actions are showing up in our work. This year we will give $200,000 in grants in honor of our 20th Anniversary year. This is more than we have ever given in one year and we are able to do this by providing an inclusive engagement platform that has 4 distinct ways for women to give to the WGC. We invite anyone interested to get involved with the Women’s Giving Circle - and you can find information about what we are doing on our website at www.womensgivingcircle.org and on social media. To provide some context a Giving Circle is a form of philanthropy where individuals with common interests come together as a group to pool their philanthropic dollars to have a greater impact together. Donors give funds collectively to issues and organizations that align with their interests. There are well over 1,000 giving circles in the United States and women make up the majority of members in about 70% of them. Collectively, an estimated 150,000 donors have given over $1.20 billion through giving circles to date. And as we celebrate Women’s History Month, you can see that one of the ways women are doing so is through their philanthropy. In fact, many believe that women’s philanthropy is one of the next phases of the women’s movement. We know that history helps us learn who we are ... but when we don’t know our own history, our power and dreams are immediately diminished. As we recognize women tonight, and continue to celebrate Women’s History Month in many forms here in Howard County, we are reminded that it is a time to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back to the founding of the United States. It's hard to picture that as recently as the 1970s, women’s history was virtually an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness, but it’s true. In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month” and since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. Recognizing the achievements of women in all facets of life – science, community, government, literature, art, sports, medicine – has a huge impact on the development of self-respect and new opportunities for girls and young women. And, that’s what we are here to do tonight! We are honored to join you, thank you for inviting us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to either of us tonight, and to learn more about the Women’s Giving Circle at www.womensgivingcircle.org and on social media. Thank you! Reading Human Rights is a monthly book discussion hosted by the Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity and Howard County Library System, where books that promote cultural awareness, diversity, equity are read and discussed.
It all began in the fall of 2000. Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz organized a meeting on behalf of the Maryland Philanthropy Network (formerly Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers) and asked Barbara Lawson, at that time the head of the organization that is now the Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHoCo) to invite local women to attend.
Yolanda Bruno, Jean Moon, and Linda Odum accepted that offer, and became fascinated by what they learned about the incredible power of collective giving inherent in the giving circle model. Read the full story here
WGC's March 8, 2022 Virtual Annual Celebration: Celebrating 20 Years of Impact Wow - What a Night! Thank you to all those who joined us tonight for the WGC's March 8, 2022 Virtual Annual Celebration on International Women's Day! We celebrated our 20th Anniversary year with Keynote Speaker Jeannie Infante Sager, Director of the Women's Philanthropy Institute, who discussed "Gaps and Growth in Philanthropic Support for Women and Girls". And then we followed with a conversation on our new State of Women and Girls in Howard County with Jennifer Bodensiek, Candace Dodson-Reed and Sabina Taj. Finally, we provided highlights of our last 20 years, and discussed what we have planned ahead. After announcing that we are giving $200,000 in grants this year, we were proud to make a surprise announcement that we are giving our 10 Emergency Response Network partners $20,000 in grants - $2,000 each in honor of our 20th Anniversary! If you were unable to join us you can view our 20th Anniversary Tribute video here, view remarks from County Executive Calvin Ball here, and for fun, watch the video we made on our 10th Anniversary here. If you are as inspired as we are to continue making a difference collectively, we hope you will get involved with all we have going on this 20th Anniversary year, including:
Thank you once again to our 60+ 20th Anniversary Year Sponsors - we appreciate your investment in the WGC, and thus women and girls in Howard County! We invite additional sponsors to join us now, and throughout the year - learn more here. We truly believe that women’s philanthropy is shaping the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving. Thank you all for being a part of it. Sincerely, Barb Van Winkle, WGC Advisory Board Chair Jennifer Bodensiek and Candace Dodson-Reed, WGC 20th Anniversary Co-Chairs Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director WGC 2022 Advisory Board |
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