November 2016

President’s Message

November 2016 News Brief

 Greetings from the Board

Dear Members,

Do you know?  100% of your $1,000 donation goes to grants. Foundation operating costs, which are covered by your administration fee, are equivalent to about 11% of total revenue – less than half of what is typically expected for non-profits like ours.

Have you seen? The final Impact Reports from the 2015-16 grantees on the power of our foundation’s work to affect lives in our valley. Click here to read: http://www.WoodRiverWomensFoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2015-16-Final-Report-for-Membership.pdf

Have you heard? We now have our own 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS! While Idaho Community Foundation will continue to manage our grant funds for no cost to us, we will now control our administration fund directly. Bookkeeping and bill paying will be SO much easier.

WRWF Board with new members gathers in October

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GRANTEES in the SPOTLIGHT

Hunger Coalition and The Community Library, “Bloom” – Growing Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds, $27,000

“The Bloom project opened up incredible opportunities to impact children’s lives in our community this summer. The partnership between The Hunger Coalition and The Community Library allowed us to feed young bodies and young minds.  Both are critical in helping children blossom and grow.  Through this program, The Hunger Coalition was able to increase food distributed to kids in the summer months by 45% over the prior year, and The Community Library distributed 1,500 books to 178 children.  We are grateful to the WRWF for allowing us to enrich these children’s summers and inspire them to lives full of learning.   Your belief in and support of our efforts is empowering!”

    –Jeanne Liston, Executive Director, The Hunger Coalition

Feeding bodies and minds through the Bloom project

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The Advocates, Domestic Violence Housing First, $25,000

    “ The Advocates’ Domestic Violence Housing First (DVHF) grant is making it possible for women and children to leave very abusive and dangerous situations. In fact, we believe the grant literally saved one woman’s life due to the lethality of the situation she was in and the resources she needed to get out. In the first four months of the program, 19 women and 38 children have received assistance.  With grant support, 42 percent of clients in need could move into new, safe housing and 58 percent could stabilize their current housing.  The DVHF grant is greatly increasing the overall well being of survivors of abuse in our community.

–Jackie Hennessey, Client Resources      

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MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to two members who are being recognized this month – Laura Midgley for her many contributions to women’s collective giving, and Sylvia Miller, for her award-winning support of a literacy program for immigrants.

Laura Midgley – Laura is a member not only of WRWF, but also of the Washington Women’s Foundation since 2002. She has served as Chair of the Cabinet, the Discovery Days Committee, the Pooled Fund Grant Committee and the Innovation Partner Grant Committee of the WWF. Currently the WWF Board liaison to the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmakers Network (WCGN), Laura recently served as the founding Board Chair of this national Network and works to connect organizations that use the WWF model. Reflecting her passion for early learning, Laura has served on the Board of Child Care Resources for 12 years, including a term as President, and PEPS, also as past President. Laura has volunteered as a mentor to high school seniors with College Access Now, a court appointed special advocate for Family Law CASA and a host for AFS.

Sylvia Miller – We are honored to have Sylvia join the WRWF as a new member. The Washington English Center (WEC) recently recognized Sylvia at a dinner in Washington, DC for her years on its Board, Executive Committee and Finance Chair.  WEC teaches English annually to over 2500 adult immigrants from 90 countries.  All the tutors are volunteers in this amazing program.  Only the administrative staff is paid.  The school is located in a building that was originally used to teach Irish Immigrant Women housekeeping skills to enable them to earn a living as maids. Students come to the school morning, noon and night, seven days a week to learn English, to study for citizenship, to practice interviewing skills, to learn computer skills and to hunt for jobs. 

(Many thanks to Judy Cahill for the article and photograph.) 

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UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS

Please join us at an upcoming event, where old members, new members, and guests can get to know one another.

Board member Cheri Watson and new member Cheryl Rice at our brunch in October

November Meet & Mingle at the Clayworks!

On Thursday, November 17th at 4:30 PM you are invited to Boulder Mountain Clayworks in Ketchum for our Meet & Mingle. The Clayworks supplies the clay, molds, and paint for us to make bowls that are then fired. Once finished, the bowls are the featured (and coveted) items at the Hunger Coalition soup and salad lunch. Attendees go home with a bowl.

Bring your own beverage. Snacks are provided. Registration is not required.

December Holiday Social

On December 19th, Penny Weiss will host us at her lovely home in East Fork. A shuttle (or possibly a horse and carriage!) will ferry us from the East Fork cell phone parking lot to Penny’s home.

Please respond to your invitation by clicking here.
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President’s Closing Statement

The holiday season is around the corner, and with it comes the joy and satisfaction of giving to others – a value shared by all civilizations and major religions around the world. Our work in supporting non-profits in the valley reaps rewards as much for the givers as the grantees. Let us continue to find unity and community in the spirit of giving. Please remember to renew your membership by December 15th.

Joanne Wetherell
President