Our Caring for Women campaign kicked off on June 1, 2023, at O’Neils in Spicer. Over 65 Women’s Fund supporters attended an inspiring Women’s Fund Caring for Women Kickoff event early Thursday evening. Chair Val Amberg and Chair Elect Hallie Johnson began the presentation welcoming Mackenzie Dohmann, owner of Pink Apron Bakery. The crowd was impressed with her “lesson in chemistry” on the proper way to score sourdough bread. The Women’s Fund is excited to support a local female entrepreneur sharing her baking passion and talents. Hallie talked about the work that the Women’s Fund has done this past year focusing on trauma informed care training and supporting critical core operational needs. Keynote speaker, Heather Jeseritz, from United Community Action Partnership shared how grant funds help families experiencing homelessness provide families in transition with Welcome Home Kits. There is still a lot of work to be done on homelessness in Kandiyohi County, but conversations are happening, and our non-profit community is working together to find creative solutions to help individuals and families. As of December 4, 2023, the campaign raised a total of $67,429.
Our WAWF 2023 Caring for Women Campaign will help:
Create flexibility for our partner organizations to support critical care operational needs that improve our community.
Offer grant funding to partner organizations working to build trauma informed care capacity focused on children, youth and families.
Broaden awareness of the intersectionality issues impacting homelessness/housing insecurity in our county, igniting solutions within our community.
In 2023, our WAWF Steering Committee has made the following grants:
$5,000 to Lutheran Social Services for trauma-informed care training
$10,000 to Safe Avenues for trauma-informed care training and critical care supplies
$5,000 to Kandiyohi County Family Services – Trust-based Relational Intervention (TBRI) parent coaching, an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children)
$1,500 to United Community Action Partnership for the creation of “Welcome Home Kits” to help families transitioning from homelessness
$2,500 to Woodland Centers to support the Kids Connection Experience Project
$5,000 to Willmar Public Schools for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) training and recreational space for ALC/Prairie Lakes Youth program
$10,000 to Family Promise of Kandiyohi County for their Technology for Families initiative
$5,000 to Project Turnabout – trauma-informed care training and critical care supplies
$1,000 to Family Promise of Kandiyohi County for new supply needs and to replenish "wish list" supplies needed
$1,000 to Safe Avenues for new supply needs and to replenish "wish list" supplies needed
$10,000 to Foster Stitches for rent to continue operations in 2023
The Willmar Area Women’s Fund (WAWF) invites you to join other community members that see the value in the collective impact of combining our resources to influence change. We’re curious: We ask the critical questions and can adjust funding. We’re passionate: We know it’s our responsibility to care for our community. We’re nimble: The Women’s Fund can quickly fill the gaps that bubble to the surface in real-time to help fuel the work of partner organizations in our local communities. Thanks to all who have supported our 2023 Caring for Women Campaign. If you’d like to be part of the collective impact, visit notherenotourkids.com and click on the Donate link on the top of our home page. Together, we can make an impact in the lives of women and children.