The Proven Platter – January 2020
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Dec, 2019

The Proven Platter – January 2020

While working on the recipe for this month’s Featured Grantee’s country, I took a moment to reflect on how much I have enjoyed being on the recipe team at Dining for Women. It has sparked the return of a world map to the wall of my kitchen, so I know where each country is geographically. It has also deepened my appreciation for the women of the world who manage to prepare delicious, nutritious meals for their loved ones no matter how scarce the resources at hand. Details

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Nov, 2019

The Proven Platter – December 2019

We travel back to the eastern part of Africa this month – to Kenya, the country of origin of December’s featured grantee. Jacaranda Health offers Kenya’s first nurse mentor training center, which trains top nurses from Kenya’s public hospitals to mentor hundreds of peer nurses and sustainably improve maternal outcomes for mothers and babies. That sounds like a cause to celebrate! So, this month I tried to think of a recipe that could accompany celebrations of all kinds, including the holidays. Guess what it is? Details


Sharing Best Practices: DFW’s Annual Appeal

By Susan Tocher, co-leader of the CO, Boulder-1 chapter

What do you love about Dining for Women?  The women who belong, our connection to the world, and the hope it gives me were responses from my chapter members recently.  As we gather each month, we receive these gifts which touch our hearts.  The connection we feel with each other and with DFW brings each of us back.  The friends we have made here, and those across the globe, enrich our lives.  The smiles and laughter on the videos show us the tangible difference our gifts make to our grantees, and bring hope to us.  Our interconnection becomes obvious as our awareness expands.  It is a reciprocal partnership. We give to them, and they give to us.  We are lifting all our members and all our recipients up. Details

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Oct, 2019

The Proven Platter – November 2019

In doing research about Swaziland, the country of origin of Young Heroes Foundation, November’s featured grantee, I learned about a dish called sidvudvu. It’s a thick, nutritious porridge made of mashed cornmeal and pumpkin. In other words, corn and winter squash. That particular combination of ingredients seems not unlike something that could be served at a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner. So I had those ideas in mind as I tried to come up with a recipe for this month’s Proven Platter. Details


Sharing Best Practices Transitioning Your Chapter’s Leadership

By Ruth Bates and Leslye Heilig, Northeast Mentors

When you were planning your first chapter meeting, you probably gave little or no thought to how you would transition the chapter leadership in the future. However, leadership transition needs to be a consideration right from the start in order to ensure that your chapter stays healthy and vibrant long into the future. Details

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Sep, 2019

The Proven Platter – October 2019

The craft of preserving foods by pickling them is such an important technique in so many of the world’s food cultures. In Nepal, the country of origin of October’s featured grantee, Street Child US, pickles are called achaar. They’re often served alongside the dal and rice dishes of Nepal, in order to provide flavor and texture contrast to all of those warming, earthy, savory flavors. Details

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Aug, 2019

Day 1: The Trip Has Begun!

By Linda Levine, Dining for Women Traveler and Member of the CA, Saratoga-1 chapter

Greetings from Thimphu! I’m having an amazingly colorful time on my Dining for Women trip to Bhutan. When Sandy (Baily) and I arrived in Paro along with three other DFW travelers, we received white welcome silk scarves. One of our guides, Rabten, warmly placed them around our necks much like welcome leis in Hawaii.  We then took a minivan through the lovely countryside to Thimphu, the capital. It was our first glimpse at the incredible architecture of Bhutan and the adults and children wearing the national clothing called Kira’s and ghos, for women and men respectively. Details

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Aug, 2019

TIGER’S NEST aka TAKTSANG MONASTERY

By Ellen Williams, DFW Traveler and Member of the WA, Spokane Valley-1 chapter

Guru Rinpoche, Precious Master,  rode upon a flaming tigress to mediate for four months in a cave now located on the lower floor of the monastery.  At this site, the iconic monastery is nicknamed Tiger’s Nest.  Guru Rinpoche established Buddhism– the everyday fiber that holds Bhutanese national identity.   He is said to have possessed supernatural powers to subdue demons and evil spirits.  His birth was foretold by Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha. This legend has turned the man into a powerful Buddha who can take many forms and possess many powers.   Details

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Aug, 2019

Bhutan: An Experience on top of the world

50 million years ago the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate to give rise to the Himalayan mountain range. A mountain range that continues to grow 1 cm a year. What a vision of beauty with high peaks, and breathtaking glaciers and valleys. Nestled in this mountain range is the beautiful landlocked country of Bhutan. Flying into Paro, Bhutan from Kathmandu in Nepal brings this beauty to the fore. Looking out of the plane window, our pilot gently reminds us to look out at Mount Everest, majestically bursting through the clouds at 29,029 feet. As we approach Paro, our plane banks to the left and then to the right between high ridges for a thrilling picture-perfect landing in Paro.  Details

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Aug, 2019

Have Fun and Support Dining for Women with Chapter Fundraisers

By Betty Purkey-Huck, Rocky Mountain Regional Leader and Chair of the Chapter Health & Retention Committee

Want a fun way to raise money to support DFW? Have a chapter fundraiser. Fundraisers are not only a good way to raise money, they can also be a great way to build relationships and community within your chapter, spread the word about DFW locally, and possibly encourage new members to join. Details

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Aug, 2019

The Proven Platter – September 2019

September’s featured grantee, Edu-Girls, Inc., is located in India, a vast country with so many distinct culinary regions. If I spent the rest of my life cooking only the foods of India, I’d still have a lot to learn about the foods of India. One thing I definitely know is that cooking and eating the flavorful vegan and vegetarian dishes of India have a positive impact on my taste buds, my food budget, and my health. Details

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Jun, 2019

POWER. PROGRESS. CHANGE: 2019 Women Deliver Conference

In early June, Dining for Women co-founder Barb Collins, staff members Wendy Frattolin and Justine Allen, and volunteer Regional Leaders Karen McCune (Northwest Region), Pat Payne (West Region), and Colleen Kill (West Region)  attended Women Deliver in Vancouver, Canada. Women Deliver is the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women; it is held only once every three years.  Our Regional Leaders recently reflected on their experiences at this event. Details

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Jun, 2019

The Big Give Winners: Which Grantees Did They Choose?

Thank you to all our recurring donors and especially to those who signed up during our 2nd annual Big Give campaign. We added more than 100 new recurring donors during the campaign, which brings our total to 1,627 members who give automatically every month. Their contributions amount to more than $53,000 per month in predictable, sustainable income to support all of DFW’s programs.

Details

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Jun, 2019

Growth Mindset

By Anna Schoon, Dining for Women Regional Leader Committee Chair

Have you ever wondered why some people encounter a challenge and face it courageously and others give up without really even trying? The answer is their mindset. Some people have a fixed mindset, the belief that their potential for success is limited by qualities they possess, like intelligence or talent. In contrast, individuals who believe they can develop qualities by working diligently are said to have a growth mindset. Details

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Jun, 2019

The Proven Platter – July 2019

Pakistan is the home to this month’s featured grantee, Irqa Fund. Just imagine the culinary possibilities of a country that’s bordered by China, Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Wow! From a cooking perspective, the recipe options seem so exciting, so full of creative possibilities. Truthfully, it would be entirely possible for me to go totally overboard. Details

© UNICEF/UN0139593/LEMOYNE
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Apr, 2019

DFW Partners with UNICEF to Address Rohingya Refugee Crisis

More than 16,000 Rohingya babies were born in refugee camps and informal settlements in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from August 2017 – May 2018 after a spike in violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar forced thousands of families to flee their homes across the border. Details

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Apr, 2019

The Big Give 2019

This month, we will hold our 2nd annual drawing of recurring donors to see which five members will be able to designate $500 to their favorite DFW grantees!

How does it work? Anyone who is set up as a monthly recurring donor with DFW as of May 20 — either through bank draft or credit card — will be entered into a special drawing. Those who are in DFW’s recurring bank draft system will be entered TWICE because this is our preferred and most cost-effective giving method. Five recurring donors will be selected to designate $500 to their favorite DFW Featured Grantee! Our thanks to a generous and anonymous donor who is providing the $2,500 for this campaign.

Monthly recurring donations provide a predictable source of income we can count on to fund our Grants, Partnerships, Advocacy, and Member Education and Engagement Programs. They also increase our efficiency and reduce costs, allowing us to help more women and girls.

You GIVE, We GIVE, Women and Girls WIN BIG!

Please sign up to become a recurring donor. It’s easy to do – you can print off, complete, and mail in the form below. All forms postmarked by May 20 will eligible for the drawing. Or, you can set it up online with a credit card.

MONTHLY RECURRING DONATIONS BY BANK DRAFT

MONTHLY RECURRING DONATIONS BY CREDIT CARD


Sharing Best Practices: Building Community in Your Chapter – Do Something Outside of Your Chapter Meetings!

One of the greatest impacts of DFW, in addition to supporting women and girls in developing countries, are the communities which our chapters become. Within those communities come movements and relationships that impact our lives and those around us. For some chapters, their communities are enhanced and strengthened through activities outside of their monthly meetings.  Here are two great examples of how we touch more than we ever imagined with the power of DFW: our DC, Washington-4 chapter and our DE, Wilmington-2 chapter. Details

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Apr, 2019

The Proven Platter – May 2019

It is impossible to think of Afghanistan and not think of war – multiple decades of war. It’s also impossible to think of the shape-shifting role the United States has played during the last 40 years of Afghanistan’s continuous conflict and not consider how impossibly complex the world is. What’s painfully easy to understand? That such protracted political and economic instability has drastically impacted the lives of Afghanistan’s women and girls. Thank goodness for Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation, May’s featured grantee. Details

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Mar, 2019

The Proven Platter – April 2019

We travel back to the western part of Africa this month: to Mauritania, south of Algeria and Morocco, with miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.

I absolutely love the name of April’s featured grantee: Mindleaps! It makes me think of exactly what my mind was doing – all while developing a recipe that was inspired by thieboudienne, the national dish of Mauritania. Here’s what I mean: Lots of sources indicate thieboudienne is a “coastal dish of fish and rice, usually made with tomatoes.” Seems easy enough. But, even a simple-sounding, tomato-based dish of seafood and rice can send my thoughts bouncing around like they’re in a sort of competitive-recipe ping-pong match. Details

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Feb, 2019

The Proven Platter – March 2019, India and Tanzania

It’s such wonderful serendipity that the countries of origin for March’s featured grantee (Her Future Coalition, in India) and sustained grantee (African People and Wildlife, in Tanzania) are inexorably linked by geography and ancient trade routes—and, by extension, food. Details

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Jan, 2019

The Proven Platter – February 2019, Tanzania

It just dawned on me: The very first thing I consult when I think about the cuisine of a country other than the one I’m from isn’t a cookbook – it’s a map! The country of origin of this month’s featured grantee is Tanzania. One brief peek at the tattered world atlas that’s taped to the back of a door in my home office is all it took to set my culinary imagination about this East African country on fire. The mouthwatering geographical cues? The mainland of Tanzania has miles of coastline along the Indian Ocean and is home to Zanzibar – the entry point to East Africa used by spice traders and merchants as early as the 8th century. Not surprisingly, the flavors of India and the Arabian Peninsula are especially prominent in the dishes of this part of Africa. Details

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Jan, 2019

What a Year Ahead!

It is so exciting to welcome in 2019 after such a fabulous 2018.

We ended the year with about 450 chapters (and growing as we close out the year) with a goal to exceed 500 chapters in 2019! These new chapters and funds are allowing us to enhance our Sustained Grants program, provide extended education to our members, design an inspiring 2019 International Women’s Day event with national partners, and so much more. Details