2015 - Together Women Rise

2016, Education, Fair Trade, Health, Safety and Security, Together Women Rise

Anchal Project, Fair Trade, Hand-stitched goods, l, textiles

Our Sustained Funding Grantee: Anchal Project | Designing Change, Stitch by Stitch

The mission of Anchal – our sustained funding grantee for January — is to address the exploitation of women around the world by using design thinking to create employment opportunities, services and products that support empowerment. This mission statement truly comes to life when you hear the stories of Nita and Nasine:

Nita is a senior artisan and project assistant with Anchal Project. She was married at a young age and left her husband after years of abuse. Because of her limited education and lack of transferable skills, Nita joined the commercial sex trade. Nita has now been with Anchal Project for four years where she has excelled in design training and created beautiful, marketable pieces. She has taken advantage of Anchal’s workshops in financial planning and saved enough money to move out of the slum and purchase a home in a new neighborhood where she is no longer stigmatized for her previous life as a sex worker. Details

chapter leaders, Mentoring, sharing best practices

Best Practices, Chapters, For chapters, For leaders

Sharing Best Practices – The Joys of Mentoring

By Peggy Smith, Regional Leader for the Mid-Atlantic Region

Let’s hear it for our DFW Mentors. These are our foot soldiers, they walk the talk.

So what does it take to be a mentor? It takes a commitment to DFW and its mission, and an interest in sharing that passion to inspire and motivate others.

Mentors play an important role at the grassroots level of DFW by answering inquiries from people who want to join an existing chapter or start a chapter of their own. They have to know their territory well so they can match up potential new members with the most appropriate chapter within their geographic area. They also help launch new chapters, which includes educating potential Chapter Leaders about how to start and manage a DFW chapter, helping them organize their first meetings, attending the new chapter’s first meeting where possible, and answering any questions that arise.

Linda McElroy, Recipe Co-Curator

The Proven Platter: Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Hello Diners!

Are you familiar with amaranth? We’re going to go all amaranth this month! Perhaps you’ve used it in breakfast porridge, or granola, maybe even a smoothie. Puente a la Salud Comunitaria is a grass-roots organization working primarily in the indigenous state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. Its focus is on farming, consumption and commercialization of amaranth.

Gender Equality, Safety and Security

Marsha Wallace

france, Gender Equality, ISIS, peace, sex and world peace, women and girls

Gender Equity: A Path to Peace

Recent terrorist attacks in Paris have resulted in shock and sadness among millions, making some question what, if anything, can be done to make a positive impact on the state of affairs that contributed to the violence. In others, it has generated a sense of urgency to do something, to make a difference.

This quote comes from a friend who posted her thoughts on Facebook: “So many things swirling in my mind this afternoon. Things about how enormous the problems and injustices in the world are, and how insignificant any one person’s efforts seem in the face of such immense wrong.” Another friend was so moved to take action that she decided to write a letter to a nonprofit she’s involved with, suggesting the creation of a program to bring women of the U.S. together with women in developing countries as a way to foster deeper knowledge of others, to break down barriers that keep us from seeing one another’s common humanity.

Communications, For chapters, For leaders, For members, Programs, Together Women Rise

advocacy, grants, impact organization, member services, programs

DFW’s 4 Programs Add Up to Big Impact

In my very first week at Dining for Women, I sat around a table with our Board of Directors while Barb Collins, Board Chair and Co-Founder, asked each of us to share our “Dining for Women Story”. It was my first time meeting Anne Capestrain, but she told a story I will never forget. She shared how DFW had given her the opportunity to be a part of other women’s lives and, in doing so, she was inspired and her life had been transformed. I have visited about 50 chapters this year and have heard similar stories across the country.

Fundraising, Together Women Rise

13th month campaign, giving tuesday, participation challenge

GIVING TUESDAY PARTICIPATION CHALLENGE

During this time of year, we hear a lot about Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Did you know that there is also Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving? Since its founding in 2012, Giving Tuesday has inspired giving around the world, resulting in greater donations, volunteer hours, and activities that bring about real change in communities. This year, Giving Tuesday takes place on December 1^st.

2015, Featured Year, Recipes

Dessert, Little Sisters Fund, Nepal, Nepalese Sweetened Yogurt, Proven Platter, Sikarni

The Proven Platter—Nepal, December 2015

Hello Diners!

Our culinary travel this month of December finds us in the Himalayas, specifically Nepal.

Originally, I had it in mind to come up with an interesting twist on the “momo”, a Nepalese steamed dumpling with a meat or vegetable filling, wildly popular and sold on the streets. What about a sweet dumpling filling and call it dessert? My first attempt at this idea was a complete failure, but I still liked the idea and decided I’d work on this for the next time we visit Nepal in April 2016. So I’ve got time to get this right!

Collateral Repair Project (CRP), Jordan, Syria, Syrian refugees

2015, Education, Health, Leadership, Programs, Safety and Security

Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Firsthand Perspective

It is devastating to see and read about the Syrian refugee families, and I find myself searching constantly for more information, more perspective. Dining for Women’s featured program in January was the Collateral Repair Project (CRP), which helps refugees living in Jordan. Our $37,000 grant is being used to provide psychosocial and wellness programs as well as leadership training for refugee women, many of whom have escaped from the conflict in Syria. I wanted to loop back with CRP to dig a little deeper into the perspective of the refugees and the future. Details

Chris Worthy, Education Coordinator

Fair Trade, For members, Impact, Together Women Rise

Anchal, beadforlife, cause marketing, child's cup full, Fair Trade, holidays, maya works, Shopping, symbology, the true cost, women's peace collection

Food for Thought: Plan a Fair Trade Holiday

When you make a purchase, it is often an opportunity to do far more than make a wardrobe change or add to your home décor. You can make a real difference in the lives of women around the world!

Linda McElroy, Recipe Co-Curator

Gina League

Chapters, For chapters, For leaders, Fundraising, Together Women Rise

best practices, donating, donations

The Benefits of Recurring Donations

Monthly recurring donations are the easiest and most convenient way for you to give to DFW and ensure that ALL our programs receive your support – even if you cannot attend your chapter meeting that month.

Recurring donations provide a predictable source of income we can count on to fund our grants program and our member services. They also help us increase our efficiency and reduce costs, allowing us to help even more women and girls.

So what does it mean to be a recurring donor? It means that your credit card or bank account will be charged on a certain date every month according to your specific instructions. You can set up a recurring donation for our funded programs, support DFW’s 13^th Month Campaign all year long, or both. You can change or cancel your automatic withdrawal at any time.

There are several ways to set up an automatic recurring donation:

Complete our Monthly Giving by Automatic Withdrawal Form and mail it to DFW’s home office. You can set up either a bank or credit card withdrawal by using this form. For bank withdrawals, you must send in a voided check with the form.

(PLEASE NOTE: An automatic bank withdrawal that is set up by completing this form is the least expensive payment method for DFW, costing only about 11 cents per transaction.)

Go online to DFW’s donation page and choose the “repeat payment option”. Online recurring donations can be set up via E-Check (electronic bank draft) or credit card. If you set up a recurring donation online, you do NOT need to fill out the Monthly Giving by Automatic Withdrawal Form, nor do you need to send in a voided check for an electronic bank draft.

Call DFW’s home office at 864-335-8401. DFW staff will be happy to help you set up your recurring donation.

Recipes, Together Women Rise

beef stew, hope through health, Proven Platter, spice, togo, West Africa

The Proven Platter—Togo, November 2015

Hello Diners!

This month we visit the small West African country of Togo. Sandwiched between Ghana on the west and Benin on the east, the southern end of Togo sits at the Gulf of Guinea, where plenty of access to fresh fish helps to round out the cuisine. While fish is an important source of protein, bush meat is also often consumed. The most well-liked bush meat is the giant rat. I think we’ll skip that and make a delicious beef stew instead!

Impact Areas, Programs, Together Women Rise

Gender Equality, SDG, sex and world peace, Sustainable Development Goals

New Sustainable Development Goals Will Guide DFW Decisions

By Beth Ellen Holimon, Executive Director

On September 25^th, the United Nations made a historic and bold move by adopting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These new SDGs follow and expand on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were set in 2001 and are due to expire at the end of this year. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.

The Millennium Development Goals were a good framework for governments and international aid that have resulted in many global improvements, but they were too narrow to create comprehensive change. For the past two years, thousands of stakeholders have been developing a new approach. The 17 SDGs, which include 169 individual targets, are collaborative and transformational; they are inextricably linked to each other and reliant on each other for total success.

For members, Fundraising, Together Women Rise

13th Month, charity, funding, non-profit, non-profit management, non-profit starvation cycle

Co-Founders’ Blog: Imagine a World that Works for Women

By Marsha Wallace, Co-Founder

This month, Co-Founder Marsha Wallace discusses the importance of investing in Dining for Women through our 13^th Month Campaign.

Imagine…. A world that works for women…..

Imagine every woman and girl worldwide having access to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, legal and political participation in their communities and nations, living lives free from discrimination, oppression, violence and poverty. Imagine hundreds of thousands of Dining for Women members united by a common goal – to ensure equity and opportunity for women and girls living in poverty globally. What an exciting and BOLD vision!

Chapters, For chapters, For leaders, For members, Fundraising, News, Together Women Rise

NEW!! Click & Pledge for Online Donations

Donating online to Dining for Women is now easier than ever with our new Click & Pledge processing system. Members can conveniently make one-time, recurring or in memory/in honor donations all in one place – whether they are on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.

Click & Pledge is a simple, user-friendly, and highly secure system that is designed specifically for non-profits and is widely used throughout our industry.

Chapters, For chapters, For leaders, Fundraising, Together Women Rise

One Chapter’s Take on 13th Month

This month, Merle Steiner, Co-Leader for the MD, Rockville-1 chapter shares what the 13th Month Campaign means to her chapter.

Our Rockville, MD Chapter is about to celebrate its 8th Anniversary. We are very proud to have been one of the early chapters joining the Dining for Women family. We have watched DFW grow from a group of creative, intelligent women working from their kitchen table to the amazing organization it has become.

Recipes

db peru, Peru, Proven Platter, Spicy Potato Terrine

The Proven Platter: Spicy Potato Terrine (Causa Rellena)

Hello Diners!

We get to explore a new cuisine this month, Peruvian food! My sister-in-law, Maria Chisholm, grew up in Lima, Peru, and she was only too happy to share with me her food memories and the things she still likes to cook. I’m really excited to share them with you. Here’s what she had to say.

2016, Communications, News, Programs, Together Women Rise

new grantees

New Grantees Selected for First Half of 2016

Equipping women in rural Mexico to farm a highly nutritious local grain crop; helping marginalized girls in Mumbai, India to complete their schooling; empowering Maasai women in Tanzania to protect their natural resources for themselves and future generations; and helping victims of human trafficking achieve justice and prosecute their traffickers. These are some of the objectives of the six featured programs that you – our DFW members – will support in the first half of 2016 through grants totaling more than $275,000. See the Program Flyer for a complete list of the newly-selected grantees.

PROGRAM UPDATE: One Heart World-Wide

One Heart World-Wide was Dining for Women’s featured program in July 2013. At that time, it was awarded a $50,000 grant to help expand the “Network of Safety” program that improves the lives of women and newborns during pregnancy and childbirth in two remote rural areas of Western Nepal. The Network of Safety includes health provider training, health facility improvements, and community outreach programs to ensure that pregnant women and their newborns have access to necessary care.

Communications, Fundraising

charity, giving, international giving, philanthropy

Why Is Giving Internationally Important?

by Beth Ellen Holimon, DFW Executive Director

Philanthropic reports tell the story that Americans are among the most generous in the world. Private giving exceeded $358 billion in 2014 with individuals giving 72%, foundations giving 14%, bequests 8% and corporations at 5%. The only category of giving to decline in 2014 was international giving, making it the third year in a row that giving has dropped in this category.

For chapters, For leaders, For members, Programs, Together Women Rise

program selection

How are DFW’s program grantees selected?

A look at the work of our Program Selection Committee

By Janine Baumgartner and Susan Garrity

Members frequently ask how programs are selected for funding. We consider the selection of program grantees one of the most important decisions we make. As with every important decision, there is a designated person or body and there is a process.

For chapters, For leaders, For members, Fundraising, News, Together Women Rise

2020, 2020 Vision, advocacy, five-year-plan

Setting Our Course for 2020

A Special Message from DFW’s Board of Directors

Over the past year, our Board has been listening to and reflecting on many points of view from our members, our volunteer leaders, committee members, and our staff. From this, a dream has emerged for the future of our organization, and we want to share it with you.

As DFW members and supporters, we know that you share our passion for improving the lives of women and girls around the world through gender equity and empowerment. No matter how far apart we live, or what our life experiences are, we are all connected in deep and meaningful ways because of our shared vision for what we want DFW to accomplish, and what it brings to each of us in terms of heartfelt connection with each other and the broader world.

Recipes

Cucumber, Mango, Salad, Uganda

The Proven Platter: Cucumber Mango Salad

Hello Diners!

We are visiting Uganda this month and I have a fresh new take on a Cucumber and Mango Salad for you.

Persian traders introduced mangoes to Uganda way back in the 10^th century! The spices in this dish are reflective of that cuisine as well. This would be a refreshing side dish to go along with any braised meat dish.

Communications, For chapters, For leaders, For members, Programs

funding, programs, progress, reports

How do we hold our programs accountable?

What happens after a program receives funds? How do we know how the program is using our funds and whether it is doing the work as promised?

We have three different kinds of reports, and the timing is based on whether the program is receiving a 1 year, 2 year or 3 year grant:

Programs, Safety and Security, Together Women Rise

Gender Equality, USIP, world peace

Gender Equality and World Peace

Recently, DFW co-founders Marsha Wallace and Barb Collins and I had the opportunity to visit the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, DC with Ambassador (Ret.) Steve Steiner. Ambassador Steiner is a fabulous supporter of DFW, along with his wife and DC-1 Chapter Leader Merle Steiner.

Recipes

appetizers, Central America, Guatemala, Proven Platter

The Proven Platter: Guatemalan Beet and Cabbage Tostada

Hello Diners!

This month we travel to Guatemala. Oh how I love the food of Central America! While Guatemala does not seem to have a national dish, tamales are very popular. I hesitate to share a recipe with you because they’re pretty labor intensive. Instead, how about something simple, refreshing and different, like a Cabbage and Beet Tostada?

2015, Education, Health

family planning, infant health, muditar, Myanmar, Reproductive Health

A conversation with Muditar

We spoke with Tricia Karpfen and Amy Hartenstine from the Muditar Foundation about how Dining For Women’s sponsorship will help provide maternal and infant care for the women in the Pa-O tribal villages in Southern Shan State, Myanmar. Muditar has worked hard to create a Maternal and Infant Health program that empowers women to make healthy reproductive choices reducing maternal and infant mortality and raise healthy children.
Details

For chapters, For members, Fundraising, Together Women Rise

DFW Without Volunteers

Dear DFW Member-Volunteers,

After coming off two three-day weekends with Dining for Women volunteers, I am more grateful than ever for what you do, how you think, and the impact you have on Dining for Women. DFW is extremely reliant on volunteers and the thought of all our volunteers going on vacation for a month at the same time is frightening. Fortunately, because I like to think positively, this will never, ever, ever happen. Then a tiny voice in the middle of the night says, “Beth Ellen, wake up. What IF DFW volunteers did NOT show up for a month? What would happen?”

Connections, Health, Impact Areas, Programs, Together Women Rise

ebola, outbreak, Project Muso, West Africa

Reacting to Ebola: The World Takes Stock.

Dining for Women’s grantees are located around the world, but many work in Africa, specifically West Africa. For
the past year, the burdens of recovery from war – inadequate infrastructure and the struggle for education, health care and in many cases, survival – have been increased by the fight against Ebola.

In a three-part series, Dining for Women takes a closer look at this disease. In part one, we looked at the basics of the disease and the 2014 – 2015 outbreak. Our second feature looked at how a past Dining for Women grantee played a critical role in containing the outbreak. Finally, we look at the current state of this outbreak.