Giving Stories
The Red Hat Society - When Carol Hahn, Paula Howard and Joan Masterson wanted to make an ongoing impact in the Omaha community, they actively sought avenues for the philanthropic spirit they already possessed. They formed The Red Hat Society. To launch the endeavor, the women collected 20 of their friends and set a date for the group's first meeting. As is typical, kicking off their Giving Circle meant establishing meeting times, considering expected financial contributions and setting expectations regarding charity selection. For this group, the women decided to donate $100 apiece at each meeting. This meant the Giving Circle could give between $2,000 and $2,400 to a select nonprofit organization at each gathering.
Womenade of Greater Omaha – Teri Krohn and her colleagues formed Womenade in September 2002. Collectively, the group has provided meals, diapers, gifts, clothing and more to area women and families struggling to make ends meet. The group gathers quarterly in people's homes asking guests to bring a donation of $25 and their favorite dish. Krohn, who initiated Womenade with a letter to friends inviting them to participate, says the group operates efficiently, thanks in part to a board of directors. Five board members organize events, establish relationships with organizations and correspond with the members.
At ACI Worldwide, Judy Hartlieb, vice president of corporate marketing, started a Giving Circle that meets over the noon hour at the office. Working together to meet a giving goal not only helps build a sense of team, which Hartlieb acknowledges is important in the workplace, but also is inspiring and helps coworkers meet immediate community needs.
The Daily Muses Fund, Greater Boston - The Daily Muses Fund is a volunteer philanthropic giving circle organization made up of ten Boston area professional women interested in the well being of women and girls. Individuals meet regularly as a group, decide collectively on grant recipients, and contribute at least $1 per day in order to qualify for membership to the Fund. "We are a group of regular, working women who just want to make a difference in the lives of others. If we can do it, so can others", said Cynthia Mesh, a founding member of the Daily Muses Fund.
The "Friday Night Shoe Box" in California's Bay area, doesn't meet on Friday nights, nor does it use a shoe box. Mila Visser't Hooft, a potter and non-profit professional, started the giving circle with two others. They had a wide array of friends, with varying amounts of income. They invited those friends to give up their social plans one Friday every two months and, instead, to donate what they would have spent on the symphony, a movie, or a restaurant meal to a donor-advised fund. The 15 or so members, who include doctors, lawyers, a librarian, a priest, and a poet, meet on Sunday mornings to discuss philanthropy and where to give their grants. The giving is anonymous, and the $1,000 grants the circle gives several times a year have assisted groups ranging from a local organization that helps women get off welfare to an Afghani girls' education fund.
AOL has established Giving Tree Circles that allow AOL employees with common interests to learn about ways to make a difference, and potentially join together to volunteer and/or make charitable contributions.