Women’s Giving Circle Awards $110,000 in Grants

July 9, 2010: The Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County proudly awarded $110,000 to 17 area nonprofits who serve women and children. The awards were presented during their fifth annual tea, held on June 4, 2010 at Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant, with The Women’s Giving Circle members, nonprofit organizations and community leaders in attendance. The Women’s Giving Circle Fund is a component fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County.

The awards represent a 22 percent increase from the previous year. Since 2006, the Women’s Giving Circle has awarded a total of $340,000 in support of their mission to provide programs and services promoting self-sufficiency for women and children. To date, more than $800,000 has been pledged and received.

Shabri Moore, Grants Chair. “We were honored to award $110,000, which will fund 29 projects for 17 organizations. It is truly a testament to the generosity and spirit of the Women’s Giving Circle members that despite difficult economic conditions, they have increased their level of giving each year.”

In addition to the awards presentation, the program included remarks by Betsy Diehl, Director of Annual Giving, Hood College; Meredith Welty, Founding Member, The Frederick Giving Project; Marie Halpren, Special Education Teacher, and Laura Oehser, Clinician, both from The Jefferson School; and Jayne Cushing and Meredith Laumann, mother-daughter participants from The Jefferson School. Remarks were also presented by Karlys Kline, Founder and Chair of The Women’s Giving Circle, and Donna Gaver, Program Chair.

This year’s awards focused on capital improvements, emergency funding, and new program development within existing nonprofits. The following nonprofit organizations received grants:

Heartly House received grants totaling $10,000. The grants will be used to upgrade the security system in their 24-hour emergency shelter and to equip seven transitional housing apartments with new hard-wired smoke detectors.

Mission of Mercy received a $5,000 grant to fund their prenatal program for expectant mothers including physician visits, lab and diagnostic imaging services, blood work and other prenatal care.

The ARC of Frederick County received a $1,515 grant to fund a retreat to build parenting skills, self esteem, and confidence in a supported environment for up to ten mothers with intellectual disabilities.
Cakes for Cause received a $5,000 grant to cover the cost of one six-month apprentice stipend for one young woman.

Family Partnership of Frederick County: received grants totaling $2050 grant to help ten economically disadvantaged women take the GED test to earn their diploma and to cover the cost of the Dependable Strengths Workshop, which will allow eight economically disadvantaged women with children to acquire job market skills.

Project ALIVE of the City of Frederick Housing Authority received two grants totaling $10,000 to support “Women on the Move” transportation and childcare. These grants will help cover transportation and childcare costs for women who reside in public housing and are enrolled at various colleges.

Frederick Community College Foundation, Inc received two grants totaling $1,250 for the Women to Women Mentoring Program Training Sessions and workshops.

Families Plus! received a $3,420 grant to support the Teen Pregnancy Education program.

Frederick County Public Libraries received a $4,000 for the Storyland Storytimes program, which provides assistance for children with developmental delays.

Habitat for Humanity received a $5000 grant to purchase windows and doors for the
construction of Marialva deMatos Duplex Unit on Madison Avenue, Frederick City.

ThorpeWood, Inc. received grants totaling $10,000 to support the Seasons of Growth Program for young women referred by Department of Juvenile Justice and the partnership with Tuscarora High School Latina Students to increase the number of Latina students who successfully complete their first year of college.

Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley received a $2,500 grant to provide outreach services to help educate low income and seniors about government food stamp programs.

Partners in Care received a $10,000 grant to help provide assistance for older adults to remain living independently in their homes through help with everyday living tasks and transportation. The grant will also cover ten percent of the program costs for one staff position.

The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs received grants totaling $17,015 to provide emergency dental care for women, eviction prevention for women and their families, utility interruption prevention, and the emergency shelter/exodus project.

Hope Alive, Inc. received grants totaling $13,500 to support their family shelter, children’s development programs, and transportation for the women’s development program.

Daughters of Charity received a $750 grant to support the Jump Start Your Job workshop and learn resume and other job search skills.

Mental Health Association received grants totaling $9,000 to support the Relaciones Sanas/RS (Healthy Relationships) seven session course and security services for supervised visitation for non-custodial mothers.

The Women’s Giving Circle Fund is one of more than 630 component funds of the Community Foundation. The funds support human services, faith based organizations, the arts, environmental causes, historic preservation efforts, health care providers, animal welfare groups, educational institutions, scholarship programs, and other civic causes that benefit Frederick County. To make a secure, online donation to The Women’s Giving Circle Fund, click here. Checks made payable to The Community Foundation of Frederick County may be mailed to 312 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland, 21701, with the name of the specific fund on the memo line. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For additional information about the Community Foundation please call 301.695.7660.