Member News
November 2022
Our Vision

Making a difference in the Lowcountry through the power of collective giving.


Mission Statement

Through a woman’s unique lens, we will:

· Promote the power of collective giving

· Engage and inspire women along their philanthropic path

· Support new approaches to address community needs

Advisory Board

Lesley Gilbert
Chair

Mary Stuart Alderman
Grants Chair

Kaye Black
Membership Cultivation Chair

Betty Irby
Governance Chair

Carole Galli
Education Chair

Gigi Maxfield
Communications Chair

Open
Membership Records Chair

Rosalie VanDam
Events Chair

WIP Events: Looking Ahead
December 8
Holiday Party and Book Collection at Cindy Smith's Home
 
January 31
Engaging Women in Keys to Organization

February 9
Valentini Party at Jean Henderson's Home

February 11
Sip & Shop at J. McLaughlin 11:00 am-3:00 pm

March 19
Lean Ensemble Presentation: Mitchelville

Stay Tuned For these and other Upcoming Events in 2023:

  • WIP Spring Luncheon
  • Beach Nature Walk
  • Membership Orientations and New Member events
  • Grants in Action Education Opportunities
A Letter from Your WIP Chair
Dear WIP Ladies,

By the time you read this letter, each of you will have enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday in any number of ways. Some of you will have been part of large family events with several generations, others may have celebrated with a small group of close family or friends, some of you traveled, while others stayed close to home. However you celebrated Thanksgiving, knowing our Women in Philanthropy members, I am confident that gratitude for all we have was part of your day. Whenever we have the orientation events, we hear the joy from our new members that they are part of such a generous and accomplished group of women. I know that our grantees are taking this time to give thanks for your commitment to their mission that makes our community better for all our neighbors.

In my last letter, I expressed pride seeing a story on the news about one of our grantees. So, when our press release was picked up by WHHI News, I had the privilege to share our grantmaking story on their news program. Five minutes goes by very quickly, especially when we have so much to tell, so I hope that I captured WIP's pride in our grantmaking journey. To watch the interview, click here.

As we come to the end of the year, the Board again makes a plea to renew your membership contribution and consider an increase this year to recognize our 20th Anniversary year. We are looking forward to our celebration in April, with members and guests, followed by our Spring Luncheon where we announce our 2023 grantees. Let’s make it a record-setting year!

As you prepare your charitable giving, based on your own financial planning goals and guidance, we have once again included ideas of “Ways to Give.” Please do not take this as financial advice, but rather options to consider.

Check the “WIP Events: Looking Ahead” for social events and Education/Grants in Action activities, which allow you to stay connected with WIP members and our community. I’ll close with a Thank You to our dedicated Advisory Board members as they bring you all these opportunities. For them, I am truly grateful.

Sincerely,

Lesley

Lesley Gilbert
Advisory Board Chair, 2022-24
Women in Philanthropy
Membership Corner
Lesley Gilbert hosted a WIP Orientation on November 9 at her home in Hilton Head Plantation. It was an informative and fun event!
 
Pictured from left: Lissa Brown, Margaret Crenshaw, Carol Rushford, Angie Greenfield, Sansing McPherson, Shari Manning, and Marcia Falk
 
The next orientation will be in January, date to be determined. Any WIP members who have never attended an orientation are welcome. These events are always fun because WIP attracts interesting women who share a love for our community!

Email Kaye Black at kblackhhi@gmail.com or call 843-384-4046 for details about orientation events.
Quote of the Month
"Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right."

Jane Goodall, world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees and environmental activist.
Grants in Action - Education - The Children's Center
Twelve of us gathered at The Children’s Center earlier this month for what turned out to be a delightfully inspiring 90 minutes.
 
Children's Center Director Jody Levitt, whose enthusiasm for her work is truly infectious, guided us through her background, gave us a bit of the history of the center, brought us up to speed on their current programs, shared a video testimonial from a parent and, guided us on a tour of the facility which included peeking in on classrooms and seeing with our own eyes what our dollars are doing.
 
Before entering the Children’s Center, we were aware of the great need on this island for safe, affordable childcare, as well as for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds to be given an opportunity for a strong pre-kindergarten education. 
 
It’s obvious that the Children’s Center is doing a stellar job on meeting the needs of their students and families. It is also obvious that programs like this do not pay for themselves. Jody explained that a big part of her job is writing grants and fundraising. It is always a pleasure to see our grants in action and rest assured we are getting an excellent return on our investment. 
Book Collection for Deep Well Santa Shop
The Deep Well Project facility on Capital Drive in Hilton Head will be converted into the Santa Shop beginning the week after Thanksgiving and open for shopping December 9-15. Parents will receive 1-2 NEW age-appropriate books for each of their children, depending on availability. That’s where WIP can help! Please purchase new books appropriate for ages 0-12 to stock Santa's bookshelves. 

A book collection bin is available at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry office and at the home of Mary-Stuart Alderman, Grants Committee Chair, 67 Dolphin Head Drive in Hilton Head Plantation. If you need a gate pass to HHP, please call Mary-Stuart at 843-422-3603. Additional collection bins are available at All Saints Episcopal Church and Cindy Smith’s home on December 8.

Books are needed by December 8 but can be accepted through December 13. If you are in a Book Club, please share this information with your group.  
Ways of Giving
As you prepare your charitable giving, we understand that there is much to consider. So we certainly hope that Women in Philanthropy continues to be on your list! 

The following are some giving options that take financial and tax implications into consideration. This is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice or recommendations. Please discuss your giving options with your financial advisor, accountant, or estate planning professional.

Cash – This is the simplest form of charitable giving as your tax deduction is equal to the amount donated. This includes cash, check, or credit card. When using your credit card, please be aware that we incur a fee that reduces the amount we have available for operating expenses. We do not reduce the amount available for grants.

Long-Term Appreciated Securities – This is a tax-efficient way of giving 1) since you are not the one selling, there are not capital gains taxes and 2) if purchased over 12 months ago at lower that the current value, your tax deduction is equal to the fair market value at the time of the transfer.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) – An IRA distribution directly to a 501(c)(3) is not reported as taxable income, therefore, the donor pays no income tax on the full amount. Regular IRAs have Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) after age 72. In both these options, check with professionals concerning dollar limits and your personal RMD for any given year.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF) – A DAF is a type of charitable giving where you 1) donate a non-refundable amount to a nonprofit organization e.g., the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, 2) receive an immediate tax benefit, 3) benefit from growth on a tax-free basis, and 4) use this fund to support IRS-qualified charities, e.g., Women in Philanthropy.

All the best as you do your year-end giving planning!
Please remember Women in Philanthropy when you update your wills and estate planning documents.
Women in Philanthropy is a Fund of