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A New Normal?

Jul 20, 2020

Connections, For chapters, For leaders, For members, President's Perspectives

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A New Normal?

It’s now the second half of 2020 … a year that will surely go down in infamy. Around the world, people are grieving the loss of loved ones, experiencing illness and ongoing health issues, as well as unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us started this year with plans that have since been derailed, postponed, or outright canceled. In my own family, both of my brothers’ weddings in North Carolina and Colorado were postponed. This was disappointing, but I’m fortunate to have my family healthy so far. I know that we all have stories about how our lives have been impacted.  Details

27
Jun, 2019

Connections, Together Women Rise

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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

Apr 16, 2019

Best Practices, Chapters, Connections, For chapters, For leaders

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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

31
Oct, 2018

Connections, My DFW, Partnerships, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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The Peace Corps and Finding Your Purpose

By Sonia Marsh, author, blogger, and member of Dining for Women’s CA, Fullerton-1 chapter

 

It’s funny how situations in life can eventually lead to finding your purpose. Had my 28-year marriage not fizzled in 2015, I would never have served in the Peace Corps, and probably never have discovered Dining for Women. Details

Feb 27, 2017

Chapters, Connections, For chapters, For leaders, For members, Together Women Rise

Dining for Women: A Recipe for Connection and Purpose

By Beth Ellen Holimon, Dining for Women President

“Dining for Women changed my life.”

I hear this so many times. And not from women in Nepal or Bolivia. I hear it from women in Toledo, Sarasota, Bethesda. Dining for Women is changing the lives of women all over the world. Details

22
Apr, 2016

Connections, Education, Impact Areas, Safety and Security, Together Women Rise

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Afghan Women Are Impacting Communities and Culture

By Lynn O’Connell, DFW Member

We Are Afghan Women: Voices of Hope is the title of the book released just last month from the George W. Bush Institute. I had an opportunity to attend an event announcing the book’s publication in Washington, DC, hosted by the United States Institute of Peace which featured a discussion by Laura Bush, former U.S. First Lady, and Mina Sherzoy, a Council member of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council. Details

23
Mar, 2016

Connections, News, Together Women Rise

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It’s Personal

Yes, being in the same room with change-maker champions and meeting First Lady Michelle Obama was a big moment for Dining for Women. Announcing a cross-sector strategic partnership through a $100,000 grant to the Peace Corps’ Let Girls Learn Fund is a defining moment. But at the end of the day, it’s all about impact. It’s all about the girls. And it’s personal. Details

23
Mar, 2016

Connections, Together Women Rise

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DFW is Closest Thing to Peace Corps Experience

By Peggy Smith, Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

Ask any Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) about their experience and they will tell you, “It changed my life”. Yes, we come home after working as a volunteer in a Third World country to clean water, hot showers, comfortable beds, nice dwellings and clean sanitation, but with a passion that does not dissipate. We have to get involved, to do something, to continue to serve a need. So, we volunteer in soup kitchens, teach English to the newly-arrived from developing countries, work with the Junior League, help with outreach at our church — and for many, we join Dining for Women. Details

22
Feb, 2016

2015, Connections, Environmental Sustainability, Featured Year

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Connections and Transformation in Senegal

By Marsha Wallace, Dining for Women Co-Founder

When I received a call from Susan Anderson, a board member with The Grandmother Project (GMP), inviting me to travel with her to Senegal to see their work in action, I jumped at the chance. Patricia Andersson, inveterate traveler and trip leader, was up for the adventure too! CREATE!, another DFW grantee, was headquartered within several hours drive of the GMP office, so we were fortunate to be able to visit both organizations to see the projects we’ve supported with our DFW grants. Details

10
Jun, 2015

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

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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.

Details

25
May, 2015

Connections, Health, Impact, Programs, Together Women Rise

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Is cervical cancer the next biggest health risk for women?

Dr. Leslee Jaeger, an OB/GYN in Minneapolis and a DFW chapter leader, recently returned from a medical training trip to MamaBaby Haiti. There she taught clinic staff how to screen for cervical cancer. She wrote this article about her concerns of the growing risks of cervical cancer for women in the developing world.  Details

15
May, 2015

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

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Smiles on Wings’ Scholarship Students

In December 2013, through the Smiles on Wings program, we invested in the futures of five young women. They are daughters of the Karen tribe in Thailand. The Karen people are outcasts in Thailand and often have little or no access to health care or education. These five girls are studying either nursing or childhood education and will return to work in their villages and improve the lives and health of their community. Here’s a look at the students we are supporting.  Details

14
May, 2015

Connections, Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Impact, Programs

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A conversation with One Acre Fund

In August 2009, Dining for Women granted $18,437 to a small non profit providing support to farmers in Rwanda. Today, that program has grown from serving 25,000 farmers in two countries to a projected 305,000 farmers by the end of this year in four countries. We had a conversation with Briehan Lynch of the One Acre Fund to find out how they did it and to talk about the impact of our investment in them. This is the first in a series of Impact Hangouts to re-connect with past programs.  Details

13
May, 2015

Agriculture, Connections, Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Impact, Programs

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Re-connecting with past programs

Our first Impact Hangout takes us to the One Acre Fund. We’ll reconnect with this program and find out how they’ve grown from serving 25,000 families to more than 300,000 families in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi in just six years. This is the first of a series of Impact Hangouts for 2015. Details

8
May, 2015

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

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Fighting Ebola exposed the weaknesses in Mali healthcare

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 April, we looked at the basics of the disease and the 2014 – 2015 outbreak. In May, we take a look at how a past Dining for Women grantee played a critical role in containing the outbreak. Finally, in June, we look at the current state of this outbreak. Details

10
Apr, 2015

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

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Ebola: Africa struggles to recover

Dining for Women’s grantees are located around the world, but many work in 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 overshadowed by the fight against Ebola. In a three-part series, Dining for Women takes a closer look at this disease. In April, we focus on the basics. In May, we take a look at how a past Dining for Women grantee played a critical role in containing the outbreak. Finally, in June, we look at the current state of this outbreak. Details

7
Mar, 2015

Connections, Economic Sustainability, Education, Environmental Sustainability, Health, Impact, Leadership, Programs, Safety and Security, Together Women Rise

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What are our programs Tweeting?

Social media makes it easy to stay in touch with our programs — with stories, activities and ideas. Follow along — and join the conversation —  by bookmarking this page with the live Twitter feed from programs DFW has supported.  Details

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Dec, 2014

Connections, Impact Areas, Safety and Security

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Surviving rape in Cambodia

We invited some of our programs that deal directly with violence against women to share some stories. The stories show the impact these programs are having fighting violence against women, addressing their root causes, and providing support and a way back for its victims. This is the story of a young Cambodian teen-ager, whose name has been changed, who was helped through this tragic experience by Lotus Outreach’s aftercare and reintegration program — a Dining for Women sustained program. 
4
Dec, 2014

Connections, Safety and Security, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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Of 4 sisters, 2 walk a different path

We invited some of our programs that deal directly with violence against women to share some stories. The stories show the impact these programs are having fighting violence against women, addressing their root causes, and providing support and a way back for its victims. This is the story of a young Kenyan girl who was spared the traditional female genital mutilation and sent instead to study at the Kakenya Center for Excellence.  Details

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Dec, 2014

Connections, Impact Areas, Safety and Security, Storytelling

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Violence changed this child’s life, but won’t define it

We invited some of our programs that deal directly with violence against women to share some stories. The stories show the impact these programs are having fighting violence against women, addressing their root causes, and providing support and a way back for its victims. This is the story of a young Kenyan girl who knew the horrors of domestic violence at an extremely early age. Her mother was murdered by her father, who then abandoned Naanyu and her five siblings. Taken in by family, she is studying at the Kakenya Center for Excellence where she has learned that her life will not be the same as for others in her village. FGM will not be performed on her.  Details

Nov 25, 2014

Connections, Impact Areas, Safety and Security, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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Stop the violence

The 16 days between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25) and Human Rights Day (Dec. 10) represents a coordinated effort to promote activism and awareness. Violence against women exists in every country and at every income level. So there are many voices talking about the issue this week.

Dining for Women has put together a digital magazine that is curating and aggregating these voices. On Twitter, #16days and #violenceagainstwomen are being used to coordinate the conversation, but there are others. On Facebook, these tags and DFWs #DFW16days are being used as a way to bring all your comments together.

And there are news articles, scholarly articles and posts from the UNWomen, programs and nonprofits.

You can read this magazine on the web just by following this link or by downloading the free Flipboard app for whatever flavor of mobile device you use. If you see a page that just has a hashtag on it, like #16days, that’s a custom search that will bring up a current list of all tweets using that tag.

The magazine will be updated automatically with new content from across the web. You can Follow the magazine to have it added to your Flipboard bookshelf and share it with others.  Share your insights, observations and thoughts for increasing awareness: post on Facebook or Twitter with the #DFW16days.

Photo: The Empire State Building in New York City lights up orange to support the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The United Nations was also lit up in orange. 

 

 

Read Stop the Violence

22
Nov, 2014

Best Practices, Communications, Connections, Together Women Rise

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Stop the Starvation Cycle

Nonprofits are trapped in a “starvation cycle” – a concept identified by some of the largest oversight and watchdog organizations in the nonprofit world like Charity Navigator and Guidestar. It’s destabilizing good organizations that do important work and can eventually threaten their sustainability. Details

18
Nov, 2014

Agriculture, Connections, Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Health, Impact Areas, Programs, Storytelling

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A Rwandan Thanksgiving with Gardens for Health

By Jessie Cronan
Executive Director, Gardens for Health

More than 500 people gathered at the Gardens for Health farm in Rwanda on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, for a very unique Thanksgiving celebration. Families enrolled in our program joined local officials, neighbors, and visitors, for a day of dancing, singing, and – of course – eating. Details

Oct 25, 2014

Connections, Travel

Peru 2014: Exploring Pucallpa

By Karen Zocchi

Our loads considerably lightened after distributing baby clothes and supplies, maternity gowns and medical supplies, we spent some time in the town of Pucallpa. We took a boat ride in the lake and saw many vultures, tuki tuki birds and had a wonderful lunch at a floating restaurant with our friends that are beginning to feel like old friends – not strangers that we met five days ago!

We motored by the bathing spot for the vultures. After cleaning in the lake, they stand on the bank and spread their wings to dry. Very impressive! (some of us thought menacing would be a more appropriate adjective!)

There are many small green plants floating on the lake. They were so thick that the tuki tuki bird appeared to walk on water. When the tuki tuki found a promising plant, he would flip it over and eat the insects off the bottom.

We learned an interesting old tale. It was feared that dolphins stole women by impregnating them. No women were allowed to swim in the lake during the time they were fertile!

Tonight we head back to Lima and a few hours later we head to Puno and our home stays.

As we finish off the first part of our trip, I’d like to extend a sincere thanks to everyone who donated and helped us collect supplies. They were very gratefully received!

20
Oct, 2014

Communications, Connections, Programs

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Featured programs announced for first half of 2015

Dining for Women is pleased to announce its grant program for the first six months of 2015, which will provide more than $331,000 to grassroots program from Jordan to Haiti. The programs will directly benefit more than 13,500 women and girls, and countless more indirectly.

The programs work toward improved health, increased educational opportunities, training of healthcare workers to return to rural villages and medical care. Details

25
Sep, 2014

Communications, Connections, For chapters, For leaders, For members, News, Together Women Rise

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A conversation with Nicholas Kristof

Marsha Wallace hosted a conversation with “A Path Appears” co-author Nicholas Kristof about the new book, the gains made in reducing extreme poverty and women’s equality — and the distance yet to go. The authors mention Dining for Women in several spots throughout the book. “Sheryl and I are such big fans of what you guys do,” Kristof said during the Hangout. View the on-demand video of this insightful conversation. Details

9
Sep, 2014

Connections, Education, Impact Areas, Leadership, Safety and Security, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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Afghanistan presents many challenges, and equal opportunities

Many Dining for Women members and constituents raised questions about what would happen to the women supported by the Bond Street Theatre program when they are released from prison or once the US leaves Afghanistan. We posed these questions to Bond St.’s artistic director and founder, Joanna Sherman. Her answers are thoughtful and thought-provoking.  Details

9
Aug, 2014

Connections, Economic Sustainability, Education, Health, Programs, Safety and Security, Storytelling, Together Women Rise

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Moving beyond kamlari in Nepal

The Nepal Youth Foundation was our featured program in January 2012. Dining for Women funded the Indentured Daughters Program, which, with the official abolition of kamlari, has become the Empowering Freed Kamlaris program. We recently saw an inspiring television report on their success and asked for an inside look. This update on the organization’s efforts and the photos and success stories show the tremendous impact we can all have. Details

22
Dec, 2013

Best Practices, Chapters, Communications, Connections, For chapters, For leaders, For members, Together Women Rise

Email: Love it or hate it, it’s an important tool for DFW

email-marketing

 

By Laura Haight
DFW Communications Director

With 8000 members spread out from Bangor to Santa Cruz, DFW uses email as the most efficient way to communicate. These messages include monthly newsletters, donation acknowledgements, tax receipts and other messages.

Dining for Women is very aware of the flood of emails all of us receive on a daily basis. To that end, in 2013 we significantly reduced our communications. Most months, the average member receives one email from us – The Dish; chapter leaders get two with the CL Newsletter. We have consolidated what used to be separate emails for new programs, trips or products into these monthly communications.

Details

Dec 4, 2013

Chapters, Connections, For members

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A century-old craftsman connects two Portland members

anniejohnson-portland

Annie Johnston (left) and Karen Faunt in the living room of Karen’s new home.

By Patricia Andersson
Chapter leader, Portland

 

Annie Johnston could never have predicted that getting involved with our Portland Southeast chapter of DFW would allow her to once again visit the home where all her childhood family gatherings took place.

And Karen Faunt, long-time chapter member who’s also on DFW’s Program Selection Committee – as well as being the home’s new owner — would never have guessed that by hosting a DFW potluck, she’d be able to provide a new friend with a cherished walk down memory lane.

Details

Sep 28, 2013

Chapters, Connections, Leadership, Programs

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When we would rather close our eyes, we must open them up

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Editor’s Note: Foundation Rwanda, this month’s featured program, addresses horrific situations that are the result and the legacy of the 1994 civil war. Rape, brutalization, genocide are not pretty and many of our members have been disturbed by some of the images. We provide an array of tools that can be used to learn about our programs – the video is only one. Due diligence – on all of our parts – to make sure we make members aware of sensitive content is important. But equally as important is understanding that there are horrible and ugly things in the world. We can’t help to change them, if we won’t open our eyes to them.
This post looks at the sensitive balancing act we must try to walk.

Details

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