“I joined 100 Women several years ago because I understand the difference women make in their communities when they give collectively,” says Denise Dixon Davis, a member of 100+ Women Making a Difference in Greene County. “I especially like the diversity of the membership. It’s a nonpartisan organization, the agenda is focused and the quarterly meetings only require one hour of my time. I have ‘pitched’ for three charities over the years that have been recipients of the 100 Women’s generosity which gives me a first-hand view of the difference this kind of gift makes in an organization’s ability to continue its mission.”
How it started
In 2006, Karen Dunigan of Jackson, Michigan, had a brilliant idea. Her thought was to gather a group together at a particular time and place, select a charity and have everyone write a check to that specific charity. There would be no middle-man with 100 percent of the donations going directly to the charity.
The idea spread quickly, and today there are over 700 giving circles in the 100 Who Care Alliance. The Dayton women’s circle became the third in the nation in 2007 and the Greene County group had its first meeting in 2010. There’s also a men’s group in Dayton and last year Oakwood High School teens started “100+ Teens Who Care,” donating over $1,000 in their first year.
In Greene County
After reading a Make a Difference column in the Dayton Daily News about 100 + Women Who Care Dayton, Sandy McHugh decided to attend a meeting to observe how they operated and told a friend, Rebecca Morgann, about this clever way to raise money for nonprofits. “We invited eight friends from the larger cities and villages in Greene County to a coffee,” McHugh relates. “Those ladies also thought it was a great idea to start our group. Each of the ladies at the coffee was to invite 10 friends to our first meeting. We didn’t have 100 at that first meeting, but felt fortunate to have 43 and raised $4,300 for the Family Violence Prevention Center. "
The 100+ Women Making a Difference in Greene County has 140 members and donations to charities serving Greene County residents total $539,700. “Additionally, in January 2021 our group was selected by an entity that supports giving circles to receive an additional grant of up to $5,000 for each qualified recipient,” says McHugh. “To date those grants provided an additional total of $50,000.”
“This has been a worthwhile experience for me,” says member Carol Cottom. “I’ve been involved from the start, and have met lots of interesting women and learned about extraordinary nonprofits in Greene County. The needs of all organizations have grown, especially in the last five years. The projects we’ve funded are quite diverse and assist people at all stages of life. I feel honored to be part of this tremendous organization!”
You can imagine how thrilled the recipients are to receive these unexpected windfalls. ”You did such good things for 13 patients, and I know that it made an incredible difference in their cancer journey,” says Jeff Brock, executive director, Gala of Hope Foundation. Wrote Teresa Wiles, director of Michael’s House: “These critical funds will be used to continue bringing hope and healing to children overcoming the trauma of abuse.”
New members are always welcome. In Greene County, meetings are held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in January, April, July and October at the Greene Memorial Hospital – Herman Menapace Center for Health Education, 1141 N. Monroe Dr., Xenia.
Want to join?
Co-founders, Sandy McHugh (smchugh1405@gmail.com) or Rebecca Morgann (rmorgann@woh.rr.com) simply need an email inquiring about membership. There are no other requirements. “In response, we will send a commitment form, the purpose of which is to provide contact information and a promise to stay with the group for a minimum of one year,” says McHugh. The member will be invited by email to the next meeting.
“I think giving circles are especially successful with women because they are the ones who are usually the fund raisers,” believes McHugh. “Instead of worrying about a venue, whom to invite, what food and drinks to offer, whom to seat them with, what kind of name tags and entertainment, you’ll go to meeting without name tags, coffee or wine, listen to three five -minute presentations and 15 minutes of questions/answers, vote on which organization should receive the donation, write a check, then get on with your day.”
She says it would take 25 years to give your favorite charity $25,000 if you gave them $400 a year. “However, if you can stand before your group of 100 women and convince them to support your charity, you can do it in an hour,” says McHugh. “That’s liberating and powerful! "
In Dayton
In the 65 one-hour meetings since the Dayton circle’s founding, the group has donated $1,419,120.00 to area organizations.
“From their very first donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton, the power of their collective giving has helped a long list of Dayton nonprofits,” says Pam Browning, a member of the Dayton group. “With a current membership of 243 women from the Miami Valley, the group presents over $24,000 each quarter to a local non-profit.”
Browning says the simplicity and collaborative nature of the 100+ Women Who Care movement is what makes it so successful. ”Together our contributions add up to a very meaningful donation to the non-profits we support. The mission is both to support and amplify awareness of deserving non-profits.”
The hidden advantage to our giving circle is the non profit receives this donation without spending a minute of their time or a nickel of their money fundraising
Here’s how it works:
- Members of 100+ Women Who Care Dayton commit to contribute $100 per quarter to the non-profit selected by the group.
- At each quarterly meeting, three local nonprofits are selected from member nominations. All organizations up for consideration must be local, nonprofit 501(c)3 and non-controversial. Any member has the opportunity to drop her name into the bag at each meeting with the hopes of being one of three drawn to present her non profit.
- Each of the three giving circle members has five minutes to convince the rest of the group that her nonprofit is the one to receive the donation.
- Then members vote to decide which organization will receive the donation and checks are written directly from members to the selected nonprofit. One hundred percent of the donation goes directly to the awarded nonprofit.
- The impact: One hour, $100, 100 plus women with one purpose.
Want to join?
New members are always welcome, and it is easy to join. The Dayton group meets quarterly (January, April, July, October) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month in a donated conference room at McGohan-Brabender, 3931 South Dixie Drive in Kettering. The next meeting is Oct. 17.
For a complete list of recipient nonprofits, more information about 100+ Women Who Care Dayton and how to become a member go to www.100womenwhocaredayton.weebly.com or email 100womendayton@gmail.com
About the men
100+ Men Who Care of Dayton meets four times a year from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 3931 South Dixie Drive in Dayton. The next meeting is Nov. 21.
To join you can attend a meeting or contact Joe Lehman at: joseph.r.lehman@gmail.com.
Website: 100+ Men Who Care at https://josephrlehman.wixsite.com/100-plus-men.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith.moss@coxinc.com.
Please include a daytime phone number and a photo that reflects your group’s mission.
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