WGC eNews - September 2019

Dear WGC Donors and Friends,

In late July the WGC launched IMPACT 2024, our new five-year, $500,000 fundraising effort and focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for women in Howard County. And wow, what a response we've had so far! Thank you to all of you who have donated and/or who have made a yearly pledge. I know we are going to hit our goal - and we must, if we are going to build on our past and enhance our future by increasing our grantmaking to programs that benefit women and girls, as well as strengthening our infrastructure to grow the circle. Check out this article on the national grant we just received to enhance our work. We are committed to enhancing our core values to better meet our mission by implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to all of our work. Learn more and please considering joining us!

I am excited that we are now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Young Women's Giving Circle (YWGC), which is sponsored by the WGC. The group is composed of girls in 7th - 12th grade who share the same passion: helping women and girls in need. Interested? Plan to join us at our Wednesday, September 18 YWGC Interest Meeting, 7 pm at the Elkridge Library to learn more.

We have many great things going on - I hope to see you at some of our upcoming activities:

- September 23: I am so excited to be honored at the JustLiving Advocacy, Inc. Bridges of Hope Leadership Luncheon, along with Beverly White-Seals, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County - what a wonderful tribute for the foundation and the WGC, thank you! Did you know the WGC is a fund of the Community Foundation? We are working to make a difference together!

 - September 24: Join us for Happy Hour from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Success in Style Charity's First Pick at Historic Savage Mill, 8600 Foundry Street, minutes from Columbia - where else can you meet, drink, shop, donate, and learn more about women helping women through the WGC?! No cost to attend, please just bring a bag of clothes and/or jewelry to donate. Donations to WGC gratefully accepted - RSVP today! 

- October 14: Join us for WGC's 2019 Annual Celebration - A Tale of Two Women and Their Rise to Equality: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Howard County, with Keynote Speakers Lisa Myers and Christine Uhlhorn, Howard County's first female Police Chief and first female Fire Chief, at Howard Community College, Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center - Purchase tickets today!

We are excited to again offer business and personal sponsorship opportunities. Last year we had 38 sponsors! If you sponsored last year, can we count on you again? And, if you didn't but are interested in joining this amazing group of women sponsors, please take a look and see what interests you - you can easily sign up online. Contact me if you have any questions!

Thank you for your support of the WGC! We are committed to growing a community of empowered philanthropists that are building on the past, and working today to shape the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving.

I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
Sincerely,

Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair
WGCChair@womensgivingcircle.org

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