AN EVENING WITH MARA LIASSON!

MEET THE WOMAN THAT BOTH NPR AND FOX NEWS TURN TO FOR ANALYSIS

Shasta College, The McConnell Foundation, and The Women’s Fund of the Shasta Regional Community Foundation proudly bring Mara Liasson to Redding.

Our country is in turmoil with deep political divisions and an election just eight months away. Non-partisan analysis of this nation’s divide and its consequences is hard to come by. Don’t miss a rare opportunity to hear a balanced perspective from one of the country’s most respected journalists across party lines and ideologies, a woman that both NPR and Fox News turn to for expertise on the most pressing issues of the day. 

Ms. Liasson brings decades of experience covering national politics including presidential administrations of both parties. As you consider your vote, please join Mara Liasson for an engaging evaluation of the canvas of American politics and the 2020 election, drawn from her decades-long, award-winning career. 

This event is FREE and open to the public!
Grantee Spotlight: Pennies On Purpose
This Is Why We Give!

“The Women’s Fund grant was HUGE for us in reaching so many young people in our community….” Trisha Funk, Founder and Director, Pennies On Purpose.

What would it say about your child’s future if by the age of 9 she was saving every quarter she made? Or what might be possible one day if your 12-year old daughter had a business idea and actually knew how to start it…and then expand it? 

These questions and many others led The Women’s Fund to award a $12,500 grant to Pennies On Purpose, a non-profit organization that reaches into Redding-area schools and youth organizations to teach kids how to turn pennies into dollars.

Pennies On Purpose Founder and Director, Trisha Funk, gave an example of how these lessons particularly impact our future female leaders: “ When we begin talking about investing from an entrepreneurial standpoint, many girls respond with, ‘I want to be a hairdresser or makeup artist,’ while many of the boys share a multi-faceted business idea. Once we open up the conversation we expand the entire mindset of possibilities and force thinking larger. The makeup artist now becomes a spa owner with employees and skin care lines. Or is someone who travels to do destination weddings but also turns that travel into an income stream by writing about it. We encourage them to follow their passions and their talents not only in producing and income but also in what they choose then to do with that income."

The Women’s Fund grant enabled Pennies On Purpose financial literacy experts to take 99 lesson programs centered around entrepreneurial investing into local schools and youth organizations.

Funk describes them this way: “ Money is a powerful resource that we all have at our disposal. Equipping our youth at an early age to start thinking about the impacts that resource can have in their lives and their families' lives is life-changing. Handling money wisely empowers them to make confident financial decisions and avoid struggles in adulthood."

And it isn’t just students who benefit. Teachers and administrators attend sessions and report that they themselves learn something with every class. 

THANK YOU Pennies On Purpose for all that you do to bring financial literacy programs to Redding schools! THANK YOU members – your contributions make a real difference!

As individuals, few of us could hope to make a donation this large, but by coming together, by pooling our resources, we can make a huge impact! This is the power of collective philanthropy... together we can do SO MUCH!
Mark Your Calendars!
Please plan to join us at our upcoming events!

Monday, March 16
Mara Liasson - Elections 2020: the Canvas of American Politics .
Educational Forum in partnership with Shasta College and The McConnell Foundation: Join Mara Liasson, NPR’s national political correspondent and Fox News contributor, for an engaging evaluation of the canvas of American politics and the 2020 election, drawn from her decades-long, award-winning career. 
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Location: Shasta College Theater, 11555 Old Oregon Trail, Redding, CA 96003

The meet & greet starts at 5:30 PM and the presentation at 6:00 PM, followed by a Q&A. This event is FREE and open to the public!
Wednesday, March 25
Brown Bag Luncheon for Professional Women
Time: 12 - 1 PM
Location: Shasta Regional Community Foundation, 1335 Arboretum Drive, Suite B, Redding, CA 96003

Lunch and learn more about The Women's Fund and the work we do in our community, discuss issues that are impacting our community, or simply connect with fellow women over a love of our community.

Event details and RSVP to follow soon!
Monday, April 27
SAVE THE DATE
Men's Membership Event
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Location: Woody’s Brewing Company, 1257 Oregon St, Redding, CA 96001
RSVP details to follow soon!

These, and other events, will always be published on our website calendar .
Why I Fund
"My relatively modest contribution to The Women’s Fund is combined with the contributions of others, enabling me to make utility deposits for a domestic abuse survivor in her new home; help an aged-out high school dropout earn a diploma and find a job; teach an unskilled young woman how to operate heavy equipment and become gainfully employed; and to give a former drug abuser a smile that lights up a room."
Growing up in Shasta County in the 1950s and 60s provided ample opportunities to recognize the problems women and their families faced in those days, including domestic abuse, alcoholism and/or drug issues, and lack of education and financial resources. I left for 40 years to pursue a successful career in politics and a fairy-tale existence, determined never to join these ranks. Family illness and political burnout led me to return to my roots, only to discover (much to my chagrin) that many of the same problems had persisted here through the decades.
Always an ardent supporter of women’s rights and advancing women’s positions in life, I decided to devote my retirement years to women and their families in my own home community, fund-raising for One SAFE Place, serving on the boards of California Heritage YouthBuild Academy and Youth Violence Prevention Council/Youth Options, as well as on the Cabinet of The Women’s Fund.

In this endeavor, The Women’s Fund has enabled me to make a greater difference, since at this stage of my life my financial resources are not as great as my personal resources (skills, capabilities, and contacts). My relatively modest contribution to The Women’s Fund is combined with the contributions of others, enabling me to make utility deposits for a domestic abuse survivor in her new home; help an aged-out high school dropout earn a diploma and find a job; teach an unskilled young woman how to operate heavy equipment and become gainfully employed; and to give a former drug abuser a smile that lights up a room. These are opportunities I could never have afforded to do on my own. Yes, we can make a difference through our own work and dedication; however, together we can accomplish all this and more!

- Aleta Carpenter, Cabinet Member
Women and Money Educational Forum
We had a great turnout on February 25 for the second educational forum in our “Women and Money” series. Thirty-five women gathered downtown at the spacious and comfortable Cedar Crest Brewery for the lunchtime panel presentation. The topic was “Mastering Your Financial Issues” and guests walked away with loads of information.  
Linda's Investment Questions
Are you an Investor? 

Do you have money in a retirement account?
Do you own stock in the company you work for?
Are you putting money into a 529 college savings plan?
Do you have an account with a brokerage firm or online?
Do you have an app on your phone that saves up your spare change and invest it?

If you answered yes to anyone of these questions, you are an investor!
Linda Lingo, CPA and Financial Coach, emphasized that a comfortable retirement requires that we accumulate 10 times our annual income in savings by the time we reach retirement age. And investing is the key. Courtney McElvain, Financial Advisor, shared that while women are less likely to invest in the stock market than men, they are more successful at it when they do. Trisha Funk, Director of the Women’s Business Center at JEDI, maintained it is important for couples to come together, talk to each other and understand what is “enough” for them as individuals and as a family.

TWF members can look forward to more forums exploring the important topic of “Women and Money” later this year!
Meet and Mingle
A wonderful gathering hosted by Dana Kennedy Silberstein on February 26 with over 50 guests learning more about The Women's Fund and the critical work we do in the community. Karen Kemp from Children First Foster Family Agency and Mandy Trusas from Girls Inc. shared a little bit about their organizations and what they do, and the impact our grant has made in furthering their work in the community.
We'd also like to welcome new members, thank you for joining us! Be on the lookout for our New Members' Orientation gathering coming soon!

Keep an eye out for our next Meet and Mingle and bring a friend!
The Women's Fund is looking to fill a few Cabinet and Committee positions. Each July, our regular Cabinet positions come to term. This year, we have a few phenomenal women rolling off our Cabinet; as such, we are actively looking to fill a few positions! If you are interested in getting more involved with The Women's Fund, or perhaps served in the past and are ready to re-engage, please email us at [email protected].

FOR A LIST OF OUR COMMITTEES, CLICK HERE .

CONTACT US HERE TO JOIN!