November 11, 2021

Wrapping Up Year Five

First-time Nominee, Simsbury Pollinator Pathway Chosen as Recipient

Three first-time presenters carried the night as our members gathered to choose our final recipient of 2021, our fifth year! Carrie Firestone presented on behalf of the Simsbury Pollinator Pathway; Dawn Zavalishin presented on behalf of Bottoms Up/Winterfest 2021; and Lisa Wright presented on behalf of her nominee, The Connor Scott Zieky Foundation. Each of them spoke passionately about the work their chosen nonprofits do in the community. After hearing the presentations and asking questions, the majority of members in attendance at the meeting chose to support The Simsbury Pollinator Pathway as our fourth quarter recipient.

The Simsbury Pollinator Pathway is working to promote and create pollinator-friendly spaces to help preserve nature, as well as support food production. With an all-volunteer staff, their work is focused on education and the transformation of spaces through a shift from non-native plants to native pollinator-friendly plants that grow in abundance and with ease. A key Simsbury project is centered around the replanting of the median on Iron Horse Blvd. with native plants, including information on the plants so that residents can help to increase the use of native plants in their own yards, helping to expand the pollinator pathways. You can read more about the organization here: https://www.simsburypollinatorpath.org/about

You can learn more about each of the nominated nonprofits by visiting their websites linked below:

***Watch here for a donation total.

August 26, 2021

In-Person (and Masked!) Members Choose to Aid Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence

In our first in-person meeting since February 2020, our members gathered together at The Golf Club of Avon to choose our third quarter recipient. After hearing from Jennifer Steadman presenting Aurora Women and Girls Foundation, Eleni DeGraw presenting the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV), and Asta Plankiene presenting Bottoms Up/Winterfest 2021, the close vote went to CCADV.

The Aurora Women and Girls Foundation (previous recipient/August 2019) has worked tirelessly to quantify the toll taken by Covid-19 on women and girls of color as well as continued with its work to provide the support and guidance young women need to pursue life-changing educational opportunities.

Bottoms Up provides support to families struggling with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. They have teamed with Dom’s Coffee Shop to host the inaugural Avon Winterfest to benefit CCMC’s Center for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and Connecticut GI.

CCADV is the state’s foremost agency working to support domestic violence victims, train and educate stakeholders, and advocate for policy and legal changes to protect victims. Members heard information about the Domestic Violence Victim Services Fund which provides the vital shelter service for victims fleeing abusive situations. Hartford hosts the largest shelter in the state but it routinely struggles to meet the demand for their services. This group’s donation will provide additional funding for this resource. To read more about CCADV, you may visit their website: http://www.ctcadv.org/about-ccadv/overview/

Members gave a total of $13,500 to support CCADV’s vital mission.

You can learn more about the nominated nonprofits by visiting their website links below:

May 20, 2021

Members Continue to Meet Online and Choose Footwear With Care/CPMA Foundation

Meeting with the help of Zoom, members in attendance at the meeting heard presentations about Footwear with Care/CPMA Foundation, Nutmeg Big Brothers, and Healing Meals Community Project. During each presentation, members heard the ongoing stories of how Covid-19 has complicated fundraising and service delivery for these nonprofits.

According to Abigail Moore, Footwear with Care/CPMA Foundation “provides new high-quality boots, shoes, socks, bus tickets, medical foot examinations and other aid to people experiencing homelessness in Hartford, CT. Last winter, they distributed more than 500 pairs of winter boots to people in need - some of whom live outdoors. Additionally, they provide steel toe and non-slip shoes to help individuals secure employment in labor and culinary markets.”

In total, members contributed a total of $12,750.00 to support Footwear with Care’s efforts.

The nominated nonprofits were:


february 25, 2021

Kicking Off Year Five With Another Round of Support For Horizons at The Ethel Walker School

Approximately a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, this group met virtually again to kick off our fifth year together. It was a much needed and appreciated meeting, reminding us of community needs and the incredible people and organizations who are continuing their work to meet those needs. Members heard presentations from members Princess Hyatt on behalf of Horizons at The Ethel Walker School; Sarah Leathers on behalf of Healing Meals Community Project; and Sharon Pope in a first presentation for Hartford Habitat for Humanity. All three presentations were from the heart, speaking to the challenges that their served populations experience and describing the ways their programs work to remedy those issues. The continued compounding impacts of the pandemic were discussed included the increased need for supplies, the need to develop new approaches to maintain contact with and serve clients, and the reduced opportunities for vital fundraising activities. Members asked thoughtful questions of each presenter to aid the group in making its decision and after a vote, Horizons at The Ethel Walker School became the group’s first repeat recipient.

Horizons at The Ethel Walker School was this group’s second recipient back in May 2017 and has continued to grow and thrive since that time, providing consistent support and resources to their students. Growing and expanding each year to provide an ongoing longterm program for a consistent group of girls, this year Horizons at The Ethel Walker School will serve 130 students in grades PreK-7. From their executive director, Princess Hyatt, “Horizons at The Ethel Walker School is the nation's first all-girls Horizons program aiming to serve underserved students who attend Hartford public schools. Horizons creates the conditions, connections, and community that enable every girl who attends to gain the skills, confidence and motivation to overcome the opportunity gap and realize her potential. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the inequities in our education system painfully apparent and even exacerbated. Now, more than ever, our underserved children need access to opportunities to help them thrive, despite the achievement gap they are up against. For more information, please visit https://www.horizonsethelwalker.org/.

The members of 100 Women Who Can - Farmington Valley gave a total of $14,150.00 to Horizons at The Ethel Walker School.

The full list of groups nominated for consideration:


NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Members Met Virtually and Voted to Support the National Alliance on Mental Illness CT (NAMI CT)

To help keep our members healthy, we held another successful virtual meeting on Zoom to choose our fourth nonprofit of the year. Wrapping up our fourth year of collective giving, members in the meeting heard presentations from members Marilyn Ricci on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Connecticut (NAMI CT); Sarah Leathers on behalf of Healing Meals; and Evelyn Mantilla on behalf of True Colors, Inc. Sharing their experiences with the organizations and educating members about the services they provide, it was an informative and inspirational evening. Each shared information about the people they serve and discussed how the pandemic has increased isolation for their clients and provided additional challenges in providing services and fundraising. After hearing each presentation and having the opportunity to ask follow-up questions, members in the meeting voted to give our collective support to NAMI CT.

As described by member Marilyn Ricci, NAMI CT is “dedicated to improving the quality of life for families affected by mental illness. Because of stigma, families are often very alone. NAMI provides support, education and advocacy. NAMI programs enabled my family to gain understanding of our son’s illness. The support over the years has helped us with many crises. Suicide, especially now with COVID, is in the forefront of NAMI programs.” The demand for their services and support is very high during this challenging time with no sign of letting up.

Members contributed $16,300.00 to NAMI CT.

Here is a list of all of the organizations nominated for the drawing this quarter by members:


August 27, 2020

We Choose Foodshare as Third Quarter Recipient

In our second virtual meeting held on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members were able to listen to presentations from members Linda Merlin on behalf of Hartford Promise; Marilyn Ricci on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness CT; and Eleni DeGraw on behalf of Foodshare. Each presentation was timely, discussing the increased or altered needs each program has been trying to meet due to the changing landscape created by the pandemic. After hearing the presentations, the majority of members voted to make Foodshare the chosen recipient of our collective giving.

Foodshare works to provide access to nutritious food and improve food security for our neighbors. They have been the regional food bank since 1982 and have seen the demand for their support increase dramatically this year as individuals and families struggle with unprecedented food insecurity.

Members contributed a total of $17,200.00 to Foodshare.

For further information, here is a list of all of the agencies nominated with links to their websites:


May 21, 2020

Screen%2BShot%2B2020-05-21%2Bat%2B8.05.14%2BPM.jpg

Community Partners in Action Gets Our Support

On May 21, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members met virtually on Zoom showing that they will continue to show up to support the needs in our community. The members in attendance heard compelling presentations from members Anne Stanback on behalf of Community Partners in Action; Princess Hyatt on behalf of Horizons at The Ethel Walker School; and Evelyn Mantilla on behalf of True Colors. Each discussed the increased and different needs created by the COVID-19 crisis, confirming what we have all anticipated: that hardships have only been exacerbated by this pandemic. 

Community Partners in Action provides services to help improve the lives of adults and youth involved in the criminal justice system. With the primary goal of reducing recidivism, CPA delivers services focused on diversion, reentry, employment, recovery and basic needs. According to Anne, in response to the pandemic, the state has increased the number of individuals being mandated into community-based programs to reduce the incarcerated population. As a result, CPA's reentry welcome center in downtown Hartford and their residential programs are under stress to stretch their already limited resources even further.

Our generous members donated $16,300.00 to support the work of Community Partners in Action.

For additional reading and information on all of the nominated nonprofits, here are links to their websites:

February 27, 2020

Year Four Starts Off With Hands on Hartford

Celebrating Hands on Hartford’s big night. (P.C. Seshu Badrinath, Connecticut Headshots.)

Celebrating Hands on Hartford’s big night. (P.C. Seshu Badrinath, Connecticut Headshots.)

At our first meeting of 2020, which is the beginning of our fourth year, the record number of members in attendance at the meeting chose Hands on Hartford after hearing three compelling presentations. Members heard presentations about Connecticut Advocates for Parkinson’s, a support service for people with Parkinson’s disease providing outreach initiatives, wellness and educational opportunities, patient group collaboration and clinical trial participation support; Voices of Hope, an organization dedicated to promoting a culture of courage to stand against hatred through Holocaust and genocide education and remembrance; and Hands on Hartford, an organization that provides a multitude of services to those most in need, including a food pantry, affordable shelter, fuel assistance, community engagement and education.

Member donations to Hands on Hartford totalled $16,550.00.

For further reading, here is a list with links to websites for all of the nominated nonprofit agencies from the meeting:

November 14, 2019

Final Quarter of 2019 Recipient is Interval House

Celebrating Interval House’s good news.

Celebrating Interval House’s good news.

At our last meeting of the year, we welcomed several new members and even had several people come to observe who were so motivated by what they saw that they signed up on the spot! Members heard compelling presentations from Emily Rosen on behalf of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cindy Klein on behalf of first-time nominee Interval House, and Eleni DeGraw on behalf of Foodshare. The majority of members voted to make Interval House, CT’s largest domestic violence support agency, our fourth quarter recipient. In her presentation, Cindy educated us about the prevalence of domestic violence in our community and the multitude of support services that Interval House provides. You can read more about Interval House here: https://intervalhousect.org/

Member donations to Interval House were a record $18,200!

The nominated nonprofit groups:

August 29, 2019

Founding Member, Jenny Steadman, after the meeting with Erin and Eileen. (Photo credit: Connecticut Headshots, Seshu Badrinath.)

Founding Member, Jenny Steadman, after the meeting with Erin and Eileen. (Photo credit: Connecticut Headshots, Seshu Badrinath.)

Our Third Quarter Support Goes to Aurora Women and Girls Foundation

Member Jenny Steadman has been with 100WWC-FV from our inception and was our very first presenter at our inaugural meeting. This time, she nominated the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation and spoke to the group about their important work to create positive change in the lives of women and girls in Greater Hartford.

Presentations were also given on behalf of Community Partners in Action about their recent loss of a women’s transitional home in a fire, and Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters about a program to provide a “Big” for every student at a local CREC school. All three presentations spoke to the importance of connection with their clients in order to create positive change.

In total, members contributed $14,300.00 to the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation.

The nominated groups and links to their websites:

MAY 23, 2019

Autism Families CONNECTicut is Our Chosen Second Quarter Nonprofit

Eileen presents member checks to representatives of Autism Families CONNECTicut.

Eileen presents member checks to representatives of Autism Families CONNECTicut.

After almost two years of nominating Autism Families CONNECTicut, member Marjorie Sussman finally got her opportunity to let our members in attendance know all about them. And at the end of the night, the members voted to make them our second quarter recipient! Autism Families CONNECTicut is a grassroots nonprofit organization of parents, families and professionals working to create recreation and social opportunities for children and young adults on the autism spectrum and their families. With over 9,000 children and teens in Connecticut with autism, their services are in high demand. You can read more about them and what they have been able to accomplish here: http://www.autismfamiliesct.org/

Our generous members contributed a total of $14,600.00 to Autism Families CONNECTicut, setting our donation total after 10 meetings just shy of $150,000.00!

These nonprofits were nominated for consideration at the meeting:

February 28, 2019

Members Choose Covenant Preparatory School at First Meeting of 2019

100WWCFeb2019.jpg

Kicking off our group’s third year of giving, members in attendance at the meeting heard presentations about Survivors of Homicide, Community Partners in Action and Covenant Preparatory School. Following the presentations, the majority of members voted to make Covenant Preparatory School our first quarter donation recipient. Covenant Prep is an independent school for boys focused on providing young men in grades 5-8 from underserved communities with the educational and character foundations to pursue higher education and become community leaders. You can read more about Covenant Prep here: https://www.covenantprep.org/

When all was said and done, the members of 100 Women Who Can - Farmington Valley gave $15,850.00 to Covenant Prep.

The following nonprofits were nominated by members for consideration:

November 29, 2018

Footwear with Care, CPMA Foundation Chosen

After the weather interfered with our meeting scheduled for November 15, we were able to meet on November 29. At the meeting, members in attendance heard presentations from three local nonprofits and then voted. Footwear with Care, CPMA Foundation, a group that provides quality footwear and foot care to the homeless and others in need, was chosen. You can read and learn more about Footwear with Care here: https://footwearwithcare.org/

Members contributed $15,700.00 to help Footwear with Care/CPMA Foundation provide footwear and care to their clients.

The other presentations at the meeting were for Community Partners in Action and Covenant Preparatory School. Richard Sugarman from Hartford Promise helped us with drawing our three nonprofit presenters and then shared what the group’s contribution to Hartford Promise will do to help them continue their great mission.

A list of nominations for the night:

August 30,2018

Our Members Choose Hartford Promise

IMG_0890.jpg

With membership far beyond 100, we met on August 30 to choose this quarter's recipient of members' contributions. After hearing the three presentations, the members in attendance voted and chose Hartford Promise, a college scholarship and support program for Hartford Public Schools students. Working to make sure students in high school are thinking about college, providing scholarship funds and mentoring, Hartford Promise works to make seemingly impossible opportunities possible. You can read more about them on their website: http://www.hartfordpromise.org/

The group contributed $16,000.00 for Hartford Promise! A huge thank you to our members who keep showing up and making this happen for these deserving organizations in our community.

In addition, members heard presentations about the Farmington Valley Arts Center and Girls on the Run Greater Hartford. While votes were counted, Sarah Leathers from Healing Meals shared an update and inspirational stories about the work they do and what our last quarterly contribution meant to the organization.

Nominations by members of the group included the following local nonprofits:

may 17, 2018

Healing Meals is Our Second Quarter Recipient

100WWCMay2018.jpg

Members is attendance at the May 17 meeting cast the most votes for Healing Meals, making them our second quarter donation recipient. Healing Meals provides healthy, nourishing food to neighbors and friends facing a health crisis. Fresh, organic foods are prepared by community volunteers and delivered to participating individuals and their families. You can read more about Healing Meals here:  http://healingmealsproject.org/

Our members contributed a total of $16,300.00 to Healing Meals. We're so excited to hear about all the good it enables them to do!

At the meeting, members also heard presentations from My Sister's Place and Covenant Preparatory School. The groups that were nominated for consideration were:

 

MARCH 1, 2018

We Kicked Off a New Season With Malta House of Care, Inc.

At our first meeting of 2018, the members in attendance at the meeting chose Malta House of Care, Inc. as our donation recipient. They serve uninsured adults in the Greater Hartford area, providing primary health care using a mobile clinic. In operation since 2006, they serve over 2500 patients each year. You can read more about them here: https://maltahouseofcare.org/about/

Member contributions totaled $15,400.00. A huge thank you to our members for their generosity!

Members at the meeting also heard about Healing Meals and the University of Saint Joseph Women's Leadership Center. The following groups were nominated by members:

 

november 16, 2017

Farm to Family/Gifts of Love is Our Fourth Quarter Recipient!

 

Members listen to member, Susan Pribyson, present information about Farm to Family/Gifts of Love.

Members listen to member, Susan Pribyson, present information about Farm to Family/Gifts of Love.

At our final meeting to wrap up our first year of giving, the members in attendance chose Farm to Family, aka Gifts of Love, as the group's recipient. (The organization will operate as Gifts of Love after Jan. 1, 2018.) Their programs aim to serve individuals and families facing a short-term financial crisis, including illness, divorce, death of a spouse, reduced work hours, leaving an abusive relationship, and others. These community members can receive assistance with food, clothing, housewares, linens and furniture. In addition, Farm to Family/Gifts of Love operates a weekend food backpack program, a back-to-school program and a holiday program. You can read more about Farm to Family/Gifts of Love here: http://www.giftsoflovect.org/

Our last meeting of the year also yielded our largest donation thus far: $15,000.00! We feel so good about these dollars helping such a worthy mainstay in the Farmington Valley.

The other organizations nominated by members were:

August 31, 2017

We Choose Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy Prevention (GNBTPP) - Pathways!

Our third quarter recipient is Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy Prevention - Pathways (GNBTPP), a multi-faceted program aimed at eliminating teen pregnancy by addressing its root causes, assuring high school graduation, and promoting adult self-sufficiency. The program provides long-term, comprehensive, holistic service by creating a parallel family structure with
neighborhood youth and parents. Their motto: Diplomas Before Diapers. You can learn more about the program here: http://www.pathways-senderos.com/aboutus.html

The total donation amount is currently being calculated as members who were not in attendance at the meeting continue to make their contributions. Update: 100WWC/FV donated $14,300.00 to support GNBTPP's programs.

In addition to GNBTPP, the following nonprofits were nominated by members:

may 18, 2017

We Love Horizons at The Ethel Walker School!

The recipient of our giving from our second quarter meeting is Horizons at the Ethel Walker School. Horizons at The Ethel Walker School is the nation's first all-girls Horizons program, and serves underserved students who attend Hartford public schools. Horizons creates the conditions, connections, and community that enable every girl who attends to gain the skills, confidence and motivation to overcome the opportunity gap and realize her potential. You can learn more about Horizons at The Ethel Walker School here: https://www.ethelwalker.org/horizons/about

Our total donation to this wonderful program was $14,850.00. Thank you to all of our members who contributed so generously to support this program. 

In addition to Horizons at The Ethel Walker School, the following groups were nominated by members:

february 23, 2017

It's Grace Academy!

The nonprofit that received the most votes at our first GIVE meeting was Grace Academy, an alternative to Hartford public schools, that provides a safe, enriching, independent education at no cost to the girls' families. Class sizes are very limited so that they can provide the supports necessary to prepare their students for entrance into area private and parochial schools. The program uses their limited resources wisely, relying on the community's generosity and talents to provide a transformative education for girls in need. To learn more: https://www.graceacademyhartford.org

Update: The total amount raised for Grace Academy was $11,300! We are so in awe of the generosity shown by our members at our very first meeting. We extend a big thank you to all of our dedicated, compassionate and generous members.

In addition to Grace Academy, the following groups were nominated by members:

March 9, 2017 - It was such an honor to meet these students and be given a tour of their school before presenting the checks from our members. 100 Women Who Can - Farmington Valley members donated a total of $11,300 to support this school in its mis…

March 9, 2017 - It was such an honor to meet these students and be given a tour of their school before presenting the checks from our members. 100 Women Who Can - Farmington Valley members donated a total of $11,300 to support this school in its mission.