Thank you to all our recurring donors and especially to those who signed up during our 2^nd 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.

Congratulations to the five recurring donors who were chosen to designate $500 to their favorite DFW grantee. See below for the names of the winners, which grantees they choose, and why they signed up for recurring donations.

Although the Big Give is over, you can sign up to be a recurring donor at any time. Summer is a great time to sign up for recurring donations so that you continue to support DFW even if you miss a chapter meeting while on vacation.

SIGN UP FOR RECURRING GIFTS

Margaret Mastrangelo of the MA, Amherst – 1 chapter chose April 2019 Grantee MindLeaps because it focuses on young girls at risk for prostitution or sex trafficking and the uniqueness of using dance as a recruitment tool. “I was intrigued and a little puzzled by this unorthodox way of enticing these vulnerable girls to join these programs but then I did further reading about how their growth in key areas is tracked. I never thought of the ways that dance could tell us so much about a child’s character.” Margaret is committed to DFW’s mission to help women and children and loves the convenience of being a recurring donor. She has been a recurring donor since April 2013!

Dana Gates of the GA, Augusta – 2 chapter is dedicating her gift to November 2017 Grantee Safe Hands For Girls  (SHG) in memory of her co-leader Bill Wallace. Dana and Bill heard someone from SHG speak at an event in Atlanta and were very moved by the speaker and the fight to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). “I signed up to be a recurring donor because it is easier and more cost efficient for DFW. We encourage all of our members to do it. The recurring donation also prevents us from having to track down members that forget their checks.”

Claudia Coplan of the MA, Pittsfield-1 chapter has picked August 2018 Grantee ConTextos because they are not only helping women in El Salvador but in the US as well. “I have a soft spot in my heart for Latin America. That part of the world is important to me because I have spent a lot of time there, and I love the cultures, the genuineness. I also teach ESOL and teach people from Latin America.” Claudia explains that being a recurring donor is much easier, because she doesn’t have to do anything each month.

Maryanne Schiller of the PA, Philadelphia – 8 chapter selected April 2019 Grantee MindLeaps because the brilliance of drawing girls off the street with the allure of dance thrills her. “A healthy mind/body relationship that leads the young women into understanding their personal strength, autonomy, and ability “to leap into life” is truly inspiring. The confidence and joy on the child’s face on our website as she stretches herself into a human exclamation point is powerful. And the intent of finding these youth as they ready to make life choices in such a poor country is proactive, creative, and incredibly hopeful.” Maryanne chose to be a recurring donor to help DFW plan ahead. “At 70, there are fewer ways to contribute to the world on a consistent basis but DFW’s mission provides me and my friends with ongoing engagement, learning, and power to make positive change for women and girls which we all know improves the whole world.”

Gloria Loredo of the MA, Westford – 1 chapter selected September 2016 Grantee A Breeze of Hope Foundation because she likes the multi-faceted approach to safety, counseling, life skills, and legal help. “I just feel that any foundation or person working to alleviate the pain of childhood sexual abuse, and to provide safe havens for the victims is top on my list.” The heartbreak of a child’s story in their video has stuck with her over the years. “I signed up to be a recurring donor because I support the work that DFW is doing regardless of whether or not I can make a meeting. I also know, as the treasurer of our chapter in Westford, MA that many forget, not intentionally, to go online and donate after a meal or evening together, and I wanted to make sure that was not happening to me.”