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On February 16, United Way of Greater Portland launched our new affinity group, Women United. It was so rewarding to be in a room surrounded by such a caring, committed, strong group of women. If we can unite our energy and resources, we are confident we have a real opportunity to truly make an impact in our community and on the lives of individuals within it.
At the event, we had a chance to hear from a number of steering committee members about some of the challenges facing our community. For example, Stacey Ryan shared some statistics from our visit to the East End Community School. 80% of students meet the criteria for free and reduced lunch, 55% of the students are English Language Learners, and 15% of the student body is homeless. Nicole Witherbee shared her own personal journey of suddenly finding herself a single mother as a twenty-two-year-old married college student with less than $3.00 in her wallet. Today, she is planning for that son's college graduation in just a few short months. All of the speakers recognized the power of caring women to change the life trajectory for a single mother and her children- allowing both to have the opportunity to succeed.
We need your help to make it happen. Attached you will find the Women United summary document. It outlines the purpose of the group, the benefits of membership, and the annual giving levels for Women United. You can also visit United Way's
website, where there is a link to pledge.
We have already raised over $110,000 and are well on our way to our goal of $120,000.
We are hoping to identify the first members of Women United by April 1st, so that we can then invite those members to participate on committees, in volunteer projects, and other events to help us shape this brand-new initiative. Of course, participation in the committees, volunteering, social, and networking events will be entirely optional and based upon a member's interest in doing so. The members of Women United will decide how to invest the funds we raise in our community in order to best support single mothers and their children. In the coming months there will be opportunities to learn more about issues facing single mothers and their children, by visiting some local organizations; and hearing from a nationally-renowned expert on "two-generation" strategies for family success. We would love to count you as one of our inaugural year members as we move forward in this process.
The United Way staff leader for Women United, Mara Robinov-Moorhead, or any Steering Committee member would be happy to connect to discuss further and to answer any questions you may have about the group, expectations, or membership. Please let us know if you would like to set up a time. Mara can be reached at [email protected] or 207-347-2321.
We would love for you to join us in our mission to support single mothers and their children in Greater Portland. Please let us know if you would like to be involved.
All the best,
Nicole Witherbee & Diane Garofalo
Women United Steering Committee Chairs
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