Eastern Carolina Parent - April 2009 - (Page 8) Helping Hands As a mother of three, I have tried to teach Giving to others… an important lesson to teach! my children that ‘giving’ is one of the most important aspects of living a fulfilled life. Observe the “It’s mine!” battle between any young children, and you quickly understand that it is not necessarily our inborn nature to be selfless givers! But no matter what socio-economic level you consider yourself to be in, you can always be a “giver.” Not only can you give of your financial gifts, but you can also give of your time and talents. Women for Women has provided the Pitt County area with a mechanism to give in all three areas and has provided me personally with an opportunity to reinforce this “giving” lesson to my children, especially my daughter. Women for Women is a non-profit organization of women dedicated to joining their philanthropic resources to build a permanent endowment, providing supplemental funding for existing non-profits and organizations through grant distributions dedicated to meeting specific needs of the women and girls in our own backyard. It is a disturbing fact that while 51% of our nation’s wealth is owned by women, only 6% of all charitable dollars fund women-specific programs! Nationwide, the trend toward Women’s Funds, like Women for Women, is seeking to rectify this gross inconsistency. The support found among the Greenville community of women has been phenomenal. In less than four years, over 500 women have joined our efforts through annual memberships of $100 to $1,000. Additionally, fifty women joined as Founding Members in 2007, with donations of $2,500 each to the Women for Women 650 Firetower Rd., Suite H Winterville, NC 28590 myfavoriteplacenc@yahoo.com The Cutest Clothing & The Coolest Toys in Town! “Come See Why My Favorite Place Will Be Your Favorite Place TOO!” $5 OFF $25 o mor r e! $10 OFF or $50 ! more 252-329-TOYS (8697) The Bunny Trail Be gins Here! Hop on over for your favorite selection of Easter Clothing, Baskets, and Special Treats! Sprin g Summ & Cloth er ing! *Coupons cannot be combined. 15% OFF Endowment Fund. This support has allowed us to contribute nearly a quarter of a million dollars to our endowment to date. But the most exciting part of Women for Women’s efforts has been the numbers of lives impacted through our grant distributions. Each year grant applications are accepted from area non-profits and organizations. The Advisory Board of Women for Women determine what needs are most critical and which grants can impact the most womens’ and girls’ lives by: • Helping them to achieve economic selfsufficiency; • Preventing domestic violence; and • Promoting their health, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In only three years, Women for Women has given 25 grants totaling nearly $70,000 and has met the needs of 2,800 women and girls in our community. What we could never hope to accomplish alone becomes possible when we as women join together. The Power of the Purse luncheon is our chief fundraiser and an annual celebration of our success, as well as an opportunity to be inspired by nationally known women and philanthropists like Lynda Carter, Naomi Judd, and our 2009 speaker, Joan Lunden, of Good Morning America fame. This year’s event will be held at the Greenville Convention Center on Wednesday, May 6th, and we aspire to have 1,000 women in attendance. Tickets are $100 each and tables of 10 can be reserved by calling Jo Smith at 758-4738 or e-mail her at: josmith1@embarqmail.com. It’s a great event to share with your daughters, mothers, sisters, co-workers, and girlfriends and on the Wednesday before Mother’s Day, it will be a wonderful way to celebrate and support women. For more information on Women for Women, the Power of the Purse Luncheon, or to join us as a member, visit our website at www.womenforwomengreenville.com. Debi Lee has been with Women for Women since its “grass-roots” beginnings in 2005, serving as one of the eight original Advisory Board members. She served as Chairman from June 2006 to June 2008. Currently, she is Chairman of the Marketing and Publicity Committee on the Advisory Board. Select Spring & Summer Clothing is already marked 25% off Eastern Carolina Parent : April 2009 www.easterncarolinaparent.com http://www.womenforwomengreenville.com http://www.easterncarolinaparent.com
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