See below for a round-up of what was news this week in the world of philanthropy, social change and women and girls in the Washington metropolitan region and beyond:

The Women’s Foundation in the News!

When I first moved to Washington, I was invited by my friend, Dr. Johanna Mendelson-Forman, to The Women’s Foundation’s Annual Leadership Luncheon. 

I was SHOCKED and impressed to see 1,000 women in attendance.  I mean, it is Washington, and who stops working for lunch? 

I’ll admit, I had an unusual level of anxiety about participating in this year’s D.C. Cares Servathon. 

In fact, it wasn’t even remotely normal.

When I had gotten the invitation from WIN to join a group that would be cleaning up and painting one of the House of Ruth’s Washington, D.C. women’s shelters, it had sounded like a good idea at the time.

As a self-professed excellent student (I had my first Franklin Planner at 17 and used to like nothing better than getting a new Trapper Keeper ready for a new school year), I expected Philanthropy 101 to be a cakewalk.

I mean, isn’t that what 101 means?

When Jihane Achi from Piola restaurant in Arlington got in touch with us about hosting an International Women’s Day fundraiser on our behalf, explaining that she and her husband (who owns the restaurant) wanted to contribute 50 percent of the proceeds of all dessert sales on International Women’s Day (and the week leading up to it) to The Women’s Foundation as a means of giving back to the community, I knew that this could mean only one thing.

As I put together this month’s e-newsletter, I couldn’t help but notice that engaged philanthropy seemed to be the theme that carried the day (er, month)…from the Leadership Awards to the recent Washington 100 visit to CASA de Maryland to the upcoming Philanthropy 101 sessions, to the book list we generated around informed giving to Siobhán’s reflections on the real work, research and tough calls behind effective giving, it seems that February has been all about giving with a capitol G. 

As a proud member of The Women’s Foundation’s board, I wanted to tell those of you who couldn’t make it last week to the site visit to CASA of Maryland what an inspirational morning it was.

Marjorie moderated a panel of Gustavo Torres, CASA’s dynamic Executive Director; Christy Swanson, CASA’s Director of Services; Herminia Servat, CASA Board Member and Iris Murillo, CASA volunteer and local business owner.

In order to weave philanthropy into the lives of women and girls in our region, and help low-income women gain financial and economic security, we use and encourage advocacy, leadership, collaboration, and, of course, hope.

Today I had the privilege of participating in a site visit with The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partner, CASA de Maryland.