A Woman’s Work
A Woman’s Work
Jennifer Meeks (back left), Kari Comstock (back right); Mame Smith (front left), LaVonne Stevens (front right), four of the twelve board members for A Woman’s Work. Photo courtesy of Cindy Noble.
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A Woman’s Work
Women helping women in need
by Helena Linn
April 17, 2008
In January of this year a group of women in the Big Piney, LaBarge and Marbleton area got together to start a nonprofit foundation by finding 100 women willing to donate $100.00 within 100 days. The purpose of this foundation is to help women of all ages in precarious circumstances to get financial help in a timely manner.
A Woman’s Work (AWW) is a unique funding source for women in the School District #9 area (Big Piney, Marbleton, and LaBarge). AWW is meant to provide help for immediate needs that cannot be met by other sources. All women who receive assistance from AWW must be living and/or working in School District #9 area for 45 days and must be referred by a local nonprofit organization, church, school, or AWW donor. Her name is kept as confidential as possible and board members will be informed of the need although they will not know who is in need. The board members determine if the need can be met through this fund and their response will be given quickly.
AWW will be in partnership with local professionals in nonprofits, schools, and churches to assure that the women getting help have exhausted other options. Through this cooperative effort, a greater impact can be made on a woman’s life. By helping one woman, as many as 18 other people can be affected by the help she gets.
LaVonne Stevens and the board members of A Woman’s Work ask women, men, and businesses of the community to get involved by becoming a donor, giving time to help with fundraising, and telling others about this program of women helping women.
The women of this group say, “We want to see smiles, tears, and a sense of hope on the faces of hurting hearts. We hope to make big changes in our community one heart at a time, whether it is by donating, sharing, or granting help to those in need.”
Research shows that the social investment in a woman reduces poverty, raises productivity, and accelerates economic growth. By following the example and success of a group in Longmont, Colorado, this group expects to see women given the chance to rise above their hopelessness and even become a donor to help others. All this group asks of a woman is that she performs an act of kindness in 60 days and report back to AWW what kindness she was able to show to another person.
In addition to seeking individual donors to contribute to AWW’s granting fund, they are also seeking corporate and individual sponsors to provide funds for operating expenses. This is necessary as all individual donations go, 100 percent, to the women in need in our communities.
AWW is grateful to Green Pastures board members who have agreed to temporarily sponsor AWW under their 501c3 until this project can obtain its own 501c3 status.
Advisory Board members of A Woman’s Work are LaVonne Stevens, Jeannie Lockwood, Jennifer Meeks, Kari Comstock, Carrie Budd, Mame Smith, Nancy Espenscheid, Joan Mitchell, Kathy Pompy Darlene James, Brandi Johnston, and Beth Kelly.
To lend your support to this worthwhile community effort, please call LaVonne Stevens at 307-276-3461, send to AWW, c/o LaVonne Stevens, Box 435, Big Piney, WY 83113, or e-mail AWW@centurytel.net
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