A new grassroots organization is looking to empower Plateau women and increase nonprofit donations in South King County.
The group, called 100+ Women Who Care Foothills, is a chapter of the national 100+ Women Who Care movement that began in late 2006 in order to rethink fundraising.
The concept is simple, said Nikki Westover, who leads the Foothills chapter with her mother Valerie — members of a 100+ Women Who Care group commit to donating $100 a quarter, and then gather together four times a year to decide what local nonprofit the money should go toward.
When they meet, three local nonprofits give a short presentation to vie for the donations and afterward, members vote on which charity to give to.
“It’s so much easier than the normal fundraising, where you throw a dinner and you spend all this time and energy and you might make a few thousand dollars,” Westover said. “It just seems more impactful with less effort, and women-focused.”
The 100+ Women Who Care Foothills will have their first meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on July 1 at The Claw, which has donated the space for the group’s use.
The nonprofits that were invited to present to the roughly 30-members were the Enmclaw Senior Center, the Maple Valley Food Bank, and Bicycle Rescue for Youth, a Ravensdale-based group that fights against child obesity in low-income household by providing families with refurbished bikes.
Members of the Foothills chapter nominate which nonprofits could be selected to come present, though the ones that are selected to present are picked randomly, Westover said.
The nonprofits that are not selected for donations are eligible to give another presentation after two more meetings have passed. Those that are selected are encouraged to return to the next quarterly meeting to give an update on how the money has been (or will be) used, but are not eligible to receive more donations for two more years.
LEARN MORE
For more information or to become a member, go to www.100womenwhocarefoothills.com, check out their Facebook page, or email 100womenwhocarefoothills@gmail.com.
While the group focuses on women membership, men are encouraged to join as well.
