Dear Friends,
As we celebrate this holiday season at the Women’s Foundation of Montana, we also say farewell to our dear colleague and WFM Director, Jen Euell. Jen dedicated nearly a decade to the WFM mission of advancing the economic independence of women and creating a brighter future for girls. She brought passion and commitment to her work and to our team. She was integral in transforming WFM to what it is today- a place where we advocate for change alongside our partners and thoughtfully provide grants and connect women and girls with the resources they need to thrive. We are grateful for her leadership and wish her all the best.
Thank you, Jen.
We also want to thank you, our supporters, for making our work possible, especially considering this year’s challenges. You helped us offer more than 20 webinars through PowerHouse Montana, designed to help women access the resources they need to navigate the pandemic, provide emergency grants to our longtime partners, and enhance our ability to offer online resources by launching new websites for Women’s Foundation of Montana and PowerHouse Montana.
As we close out 2020, we hope you find what Joanna Gaines recently described as “rest that restores us.” Please take care of yourself. Practice self-care. Give yourself a little more grace than you might otherwise.
Thank you for joining us on this road to equity.
Stay well, enjoy every single moment you can with the ones you love, and happy holidays.
Sincerely,
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Mary K. Rutherford
President & CEO
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Kali Wicks
WFM Committee Chair
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P.S. There is still time to make a year-end gift to WFM! Donate now.
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Thank you for all your support which allows us to move forward and create better ways to connect women with the resources they need to thrive. Check out our blog, webinar recordings, and workplace resources we've created over the last year!
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Taking Time for Self-Care
As we’ve navigated through 2020, the idea of self-care has transformed so much that it’s hard to really know what it even means.
To us here at the Women’s Foundation of Montana and PowerHouse Montana, self-care is sowing the seeds for future happiness and success.
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From the winter issue of Magnolia Journal by Joanna Gaines.
"Years ago, when planting a garden was only a dream in my mind, I would look out the kitchen window at the empty corner of our yard and see it all in my head. I imagined a garden that was lush and bountiful, overflowing with vegetables and herbs and flowers."
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PowerHouse Montana Events Calendar
Our PowerHouse Meet-ups have all transitioned to online gatherings for the near future. Join us!
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Monday, Jan 25th @ 5:30 PM
PowerHouse Great Falls 2021 Kickoff
Online Event
We invite you to help plan PowerHouse GF 2021. Join us for some fun, self-care, and brainstorming. Please register through Zoom to receive the link.
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Stay up-to-date on our offerings as they're scheduled by liking or following our page on Facebook! To see our events page, click here.
We'll be hosting more events throughout January and February, including the third part of our Financial Workshop series with Kim Shappee! Click here to watch parts one and two!
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Governor's Equal Pay Task Force Releases Final Report
"Bullock created the task force in his first year in office. In the seven years since, the group reports that the median earnings of Montana women have increased from 68.4 to 73.2 percent of the median earnings of men in the state. The gap narrowed more in Montana than nationwide in that time, though the wage gap in Montana is still wider than seen nationally." Read On
In Historic Move, Biden to Pick Native American Rep. Haaland As Interior Secretary
"If confirmed by the Senate, Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, would be the country's first Native American Cabinet secretary. Fittingly, she'd do so as head of the agency responsible for not only managing the nation's public lands but also honoring its treaties with the Indigenous people from whom those lands were taken." Continue to Article
Women are the Social Safety Net
" 'Other countries have social safety nets. The US has women.' Oof. What a gut punch those words are, from sociologist Jessica Calarco, in an article by the same name last week. Other countries have affordable child care. Other countries have universal preschool. Other countries have paid sick leave. Other countries have greater access to health care. Other countries — in fact, almost all other countries — have paid family leave. The US has women." Read More
Pandemic's Impact Disproportionately Reduced VC Funding for Female Founders
"The Exchange...not[ed] that “number of rounds raised by female-founded and co-founded companies fell year-over-year, with dollars invested in those rounds collapsing to 2017-era levels.” Other data indicated that the pandemic was landing more heavily on the shoulders of women than men, causing them to delay entrepreneurial plans." Continue Reading
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Leadership Opportunity Roundup |
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Montana Governor-Elect Greg Gianforte is looking for Montanans who are interested in serving the state in an official capacity in the next four years. If you have an interest in being a part of the new administration, or serving on a state board or committee, you can apply to serve through a new website, servemontana.com.
At the Women's Foundation we are always advocating for more women in leadership and we would be thrilled to see a large number of women in leadership for Montana in the new administration. Please consider applying yourself, and sharing with the powerhouse women in your life!
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Check out our webinar Page for recordings of our most recent webinars!
Last month, we had a great conversation with AshLy Tubbs and MT Equal Pay for Equal Work Taskforce members on the future of Equal Pay in Montana. Take a look at the video below to watch the recording!
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Together we can empower Montana women and girls to pursue their dreams. |
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