Strengthening Our Community

Recently, I was asked why I co-founded 100+ Women Who Care NRV.  Truthfully, I hadn't really thought about it in depth at the outset - it simply sounded like a good idea.  But, I have come to learn that among the many reasons, the biggest is because I wanted to strengthen our community.

There is no single solution to breaking the cycle of poverty. By helping to create community conditions that support this region’s most vulnerable families, 100+ aims to increase the chances of these vulnerable neighbors of having stable housing, finding employment, building a secure future, and raising healthy children who will succeed in and out of school. 

The organizations we support, and whose impact to the community we hope to increase, need to work well together.  They need to be shaped by the families that benefit from their work.  They need reliable sources of funding and public policies that support their work.  As a 100+ member, you have taken steps to provide funding and in order to ensure that your donations are as powerful and effective as possible, you should also consider the latter (public policies) when you cast your vote at election time.

The goal of 100+ Women Who Care NRV is to help create pathways to opportunity for every child and family in the New River Valley.  We believe that strong and inclusive communities can more effectively help families and children reach their full potential.  Our donations have provided funds to help families in transition, increased educational opportunities and helped with the daunting costs of medical care for the poor.

To address the immediate needs of families and children, and to develop strong community partnerships, we provide direct donations to local non-profit organizations that work with specific target populations. These organizations use their local knowledge and strong networks to address the unique needs of their communities.  However, on the way to lifting up our entire community, we are building a network of friends and family.  There isn't a day that goes by that I do not run into one of the amazing women who are part of the 100+ group or a recipient of funds from us, and it always brings a smile to my face.  It feels great to live among people who are willing to give to help our community create opportunity and solve its own problems.  With a willingness to donate and develop partnerships with local philanthropic institutions, we are better able to understand and address the needs of our community and the vulnerable families that live here.

Thank you!

Giving Smart

Everyone knows that the holiday season is when people write about giving (back).  This past holiday season was no different.  What was different for me was that I found the articles to be not only interesting, but enlightening. Some of the information was the standard fare such as; that giving isn't only good for the receiver, but for the giver as well, or that the biggest mistake givers make is to donate impulsively.  However, some of what I read was new and noteworthy.

For starters, I plan to read a book called "Survivor Diary" a memoir by Jimmy Wayne about his life. For those that aren't familiar with the name (I wasn't!), Jimmy is a country singer.  He was starved, abused and abandoned and had a heartbreaking childhood.  Jimmy was one of the lucky ones.  He was rescued by a chance encounter with a kind stranger and a guitar.  But before that, he was in and out of foster homes and his own home was a violent drug den where at one point a stepfather pulled a gun on him. While my own parents raised 23 foster children, it was before I was born.  I am very unaware of what the system is like for those in it.

The worst part of the system is the end.  Every year, about 22,000 foster kids age out of the system and are on their own.  Without extended care, one-third of former foster kid will become homeless by age 26; only half will have a job by age 24, 71% of young women will become pregnant by age 21, and many will end up in jail.  Many believe that it doesn't make sense to extend care, but when "biological children turn 18, we don't expect them to be totally self-sufficient.  Why would young people who've been traumatized be able to make it on their own?" (GH November 2016 Graves, Ginny)  There are ways to help.  A good place to start is at yvlifeset.org.

I also learned about an organization called "Points of Light."  It honors volunteers for their service with a Point of Light award.  It is the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service awarding people each weekday throughout the year and motivating millions of people around the globe to make a difference.  If you want to learn more about them, or be among the many who receive recognition for doing good - go to pointsoflight.org/goodhousekeeping, click on Choose Your Issue, select from the menu and plug in your zip code to see give-back opportunities that match your passion.  When I did this, I chose Education and put in the Blacksburg zip code.  What came up was a very varied listing of places that needed help right here in the New River Valley, from Headstart, to Alexander Black House and Good Samaritans to the Girl Scouts.

However you choose to spend your time and/or money it's important to spend ten to fifteen minutes at a minimum researching the organization to ensure it's legitimate and reputable.  Such charities will have an online presence (at least a Facebook page) but if not, it should raise a flag.  Their website should provide information on their programs and how they use funds.  You can search local media to see what kind of coverage the charity or members of its board have received.  Finally, go to irs.gov to confirm that a charity is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

Finally, take the time to do some homework and bring the name of a reputable and deserving organization to our upcoming meeting (click here: 100+ Women NRV Forms and complete the Charitable Organization Fact Sheet and submit prior to the meeting).  Who knows, maybe they'll win our quarterly donation and you can go home feeling like you're a star.