Here at The Women’s Foundation, we know that our Grantee Partners are heroes–out there every day doing the tough work on the ground that is changing the lives of women and girls for the better.
So, it wasn’t exactly a surprise when board member Jennifer Cortner dropped me a line to let me know that one of our Grantee Partners, Through the Kitchen Door, was just recognized as one of WETA’s Hometown Heroes. WETA’s heroes are nominated from members of the community and are recognized for committing themselves to making a difference in the Washington, D.C. area.
Thrilled to hear the news, I went to the site to check out the piece. The video did a great job of showcasing the impact of Liesel’s work on our community and particularly in the lives of the women she trains for careers in the food industry.
But I couldn’t help but notice, as I watched, another name that looked familiar. For another 2008 hero was Barbara Mason, founder and director of Child and Family Network Centers, one of our amazing Grantee Partners in Virginia providing support and services to low-income families to help make sure their kids succeed in school.
This got me to wondering exactly how many hometown heroes we have in our midst at The Women’s Foundation.
Sure enough, that wasn’t all. In 2006, Charise Van Liew was recognized for her work with FLY (Facilitating Leadership in Youth) the same year that our African American Women’s Giving Circle gave them a grant for $25,000.
In 2005, it was Jim Clager, a volunteer with Computer C.O.R.E. in Alexandria. And in 2004, Carmen Fernandez, founder and director of HACAN, Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect, was cited as a hero, along with Lisa Striggles, a volunteer with Covenant House. In 2002, the Urban Alliance Foundation was recognized.
All of whom are Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation. And in my quick skim, I no doubt missed a few.
But it was a fun inventory to take, largely because it’s wonderful to see The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partners, and the volunteers that work with them, be recognized out in the community for the incredible impact they’re having.
Every day from within The Women’s Foundation community, we’re aware of how heroic their efforts are, individually and as a collective, to change the lives of women, girls, families and our community.
So it’s always nice to see them get the spotlight they deserve in the public eye, since so often, they’re working quietly in neighborhoods, basements and churches throughout our region, known as heroes primarily to the women and girls they serve directly.
But here at The Women’s Foundation, we know better. Because we know that when you invest in women and girls, when you change the life of a woman and her family, that you make our entire community better.
Currently, The Women’s Foundation has 116 Grantee Partner heroes, and we hope the list will just continue to grow! We know there are more heroes out there and we’re proud to play a role in fueling their work!
