It goes without saying that it is a very challenging time for our country right now. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by COVID-19. We are truly in unprecedented times. As we try to adjust to the new daily realities for ourselves and our families during this public health crisis, it is heartening to see funders come together to harness the power of philanthropy to make a difference in our communities. The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland is not alone in wanting to do the most good by leveraging the things that make our circle an empowering way to give. Giving circles all over the country are using their unique strengths to make a difference. We have focused on communicating regularly, being nimble and flexible, broadening our grantmaking scope, collaborating with other funders, seeking information and resources from trusted partners, and leveraging our large network of donors to have a greater impact together than we might otherwise have alone - all hallmarks of the strength and draw of giving circles. Here are ten ways the WGC is utilizing our strengths to respond to COVID-19. We:
The WGC is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County, Maryland. We bring women together to learn about issues impacting our community, and pool our dollars to fund programs that address those issues. We’ve been part of the Howard County community for 19 years, have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors, and have given over $500,000 through over 100 grants to nonprofits that support women and girls in our community. We continue all of this work today, and we’ve done it together – as a giving circle. “We will continue exploring the path forward in providing relief to our community and look forward to leveraging our strengths as a giving circle and working with others to make a bigger difference together than we might otherwise make alone” said WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle. “We are all in this together.” Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz is the Executive Director of the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland. The WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County, Maryland. You can reach her at [email protected] and www.wgchowardcounty.org
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