Women of Impact

A women's giving circle in Battle Creek, Michigan since 2012

Spotlight on S.A.F.E. Place

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S.A.F.E. Place was the recipient of the Women of Impact funding at our September 10, 2013 meeting.

S.A.F.E Place logoS.A.F.E. Place is committed to helping victims of domestic violence and their families. This organization provides critical services to many area residents in need of safe shelter, counseling, and more.

Mission: Reduce domestic violence by providing temporary shelter, crisis intervention and support counseling, advocacy, education, and limited financial assistance by working collaboratively with other community agencies coordinating available resources to assist the victim in breaking the cycle of violence and moving toward self-sufficiency.

[Read more…]

Learn about and Volunteer to read for Freedom Schools

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Would you like to stay engaged with our funding recipients?  Here is a note from March recipient Freedom School.

The CDF Freedom Schools program provides summer and after-school enrichment that helps children fall in
love with reading, increases their self-esteem, and generates more positive attitudes toward learning.

We would like to invite you to be a part of this Wonderful summer enrichment program as a guest reader. We are asking you to spare just 30 minutes from 8:30am to 9:00am with us out of your day. You may bring your own book to share or we can provide you with a book from our Freedom Schools library.

If you are willing to share your time, please contact Ms. Mariama or Ms. Amber to see if any dates are still available. Their contact information and more details are available in this information sheet:

Freedom School July
Click for Volunteer Information PDF

Freedom School Volunteer Information

Spotlight on Sprout Urban Farms

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Sprout Urban Farms was the recipient of the Women of Impact funding at our June 11, 2013 meeting.

Sprout Urban Farms Battle CreekSprout Urban Farms works with Battle Creek residents to establish community gardening, runs its own urban farm, and has numerous programs that are designed to improve food access in the Battle Creek area.

Mission: We are a Battle Creek community food network of backyard, community, and institutional gardeners, sharing resources and educational opportunities, with a focus on improving food access for all residents.

[Read more…]

An update and history of Women of Impact

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We wanted to share a letter from one of the founding members of Women of Impact of Greater Battle Creek.  Donna Lartigue sent this to the group following the March meeting.  We think it is a great progress report and history for the group.  Enjoy!

As I shared with members last night, Women of Impact’s total membership  for 2012 was 65 members.  Our total giving for 2012 was $21,800!!!! We had approximately 7 members who have left the area or who felt they could no longer participate,  bringing our  total to 58 members. However, we had 11 women join Women of Impact last night, which brings our total membership to 69 women!!  This is awesome!

As I reflect about the creation of Women of Impact, I remember when the thought of creating a giving circle was just that, a thought – an idea.  I remember feeling DEEPLY compelled to take on the project. Why? Because I felt the need to give back and wanted to make Battle Creek a better place to live for everyone.   I moved to Battle Creek 10 years ago with my husband, Carlton and son, Ethan to accept a Program Director position with the WK Kellogg Foundation. I had the privilege to serve on its Hometown programming team and manage a grant portfolio that supported the needs of Battle Creek. During the 7 years I worked at WKKF, I came to learn about how special the people in Battle Creek are and  how my family and I have come to call Battle Creek our home. I also learned and saw first- hand the impact of the health, educational, economic and racial disparities that exist in our community and the impact these disparities have on the overall financial health, sustainability and well-being of our community.

I am so thankful to my friends who answered my invitation to explore the creation of a giving circle – Stephanie Stewart, Chris Kwak, Kathy Sue Dunn, Grace Cowens, Teresa Durham, Denise Brooks-Williams, Patricia Adams, Katie Moskalik, Mishca Smith, Lynn Van Pelt, and Paula Ware. It is because of the hard work of these incredible women that Women of Impact was born.

I am equally grateful to the many women who have joined Women of Impact.  It is my deepest hope that this journey will allow us to continue to explore a range of experiences and perspectives in Battle Creek.  It is also my hope, that as a diverse group of women,  we come together, to celebrate our commonalities and appreciate our differences.

We can do so much more together than we can as individuals.  As we continue to grow, the importance and power of our giving will also grow and our leveraged giving will continue to create greater impact.

Many thanks to you all,

Donna

About

Women of Impact is a women's giving circle in Battle Creek, Michigan. Women of Impact was founded in 2012 by a small group of local Battle Creek-area … ... More »

Join

To join Women of Impact, simply fill out the form below!  We will add you to our membership roster.  We ask that all members commit to 4 donations of a … ... More »

FAQ

Please check out a few frequently asked questions here.  If you still have questions, feel free to contact us or ask the community on Facebook. When and … ... More »