Grant Review Process Underway |
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Grant Review Training Session
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We received 20 grant applications this year and grant committees have been busy reviewing the applications. The Education committee met this past Thursday. Family and Health grant committees will be meeting this week. Selections of the grant finalists will be made in May at the second set of meetings.
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Education Committee Grant Evaluation Meeting
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The members of the Education Committee held their 1st Grant Evaluation Committee. They had a thoughtful and detailed discussion about the various applications. |
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New Sponsorship Opportunity Available |
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We are seeking sponsorship donations to offset our operating expenses. For a flat rate of only $100, sponsors will be recognized at Project W's Annual Meeting on June 16. If you or your colleagues would be interested in supporting Project W, please reach out to Lee Kernen at lee.kernen@gmail.com or Kim D'Ambrosio at kimdambrosio@gmail.com.
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Spring 2021 Volunteer Opportunities |
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The Project W Outreach Committee has identified two opportunities to provide additional support to the community, one with Sow Good Now and the other with Delaware County Women Against Rape and Crime Victims Services. |
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Tennis Racquet Drive: Sow Good Now is seeking to develop the next generation of philanthropic athletes through youth programs geared towards giving back to their communities. Members can support one of the 2021 applicants by donating new or gently used tennis racquets to the Sow Good Now organization. You can learn more about this unique organization here: https://sowgoodnow.org
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We will be collecting racquets during the month of April at two locations:
Lauren Sustersic’s Home
8 Michaels Way
Broomall, PA 19008
610-937-0192
Jean Steinke’s Home
401 Thayer Road
Swarthmore, PA 19081
443-801-6946
Please send a text upon dropping off so we know to expect it. We will deliver our collection of racquets to Sow Good Now in early May. Thank you very much for your support of Sow Good Now’s effort to engage our youth through philanthropy and athletics.
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Delaware County Women Against Rape and Crime Victims Services is seeking volunteers to help serve victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Please click here for more information.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and implications for grant making |
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Twenty-three members attended a virtual presentation held on March 17th. Facilitated by Steve Larson, members discussed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and how these concepts shape our perspectives. After laying some basic groundwork - definitions along with dynamics of race, privilege and equity, we discussed how our experiences may impact our views in grant making decisions. The PowerPoint presentation can be read here. You may also view the video presentation here. This material is exclusively for Project W and TCF's use; therefore, we ask that this information not be shared or passed along.
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Please join us on Thursday, May 6th from 7:00-8:00pm to hear from our very own Patty Bassett. Patty quickly recognized an alarming rate of food disparity across the Delaware County community during COVID. In response to this growing problem, Patty created the nonprofit Together We Can to connect families in need with those that can provide full, nutritious meals. In this session, Patty will help clarify the scope of food insecurity in our country and in our community, reveal the root causes, and discuss new solutions to mitigate the problem. For those interested, please register for the event by clicking Here
We hope to see you there!
Another member, Kayla Brochu, led our March session on Human Trafficking. Kayla's immense experience, knowledge, and passion fueled our discussion and helped demystify human trafficking. She provided us with real-world cases to educate us further. For those who missed it, or want a recap, you can access the PowerPoint presentation here and the recording session here. Kayla has also provided us with additional resources here and here.
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Member Profile Form - Please complete |
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Members, we would like to learn more about you! Kindly complete this form at your convenience by clicking here.
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Get to know our Grant Review Committee Chairs! |
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Family Committee Chair
Margot Patterson leads the Family Grant Review Committee. Margot is very family oriented and serves as CEO of her household, which makes her the perfect fit for the Family Committee. She is a stay at home mom and spends her time volunteering for a variety of organizations, such as American Swedish Historical Museum, Home of the Sparrow, ACLAMO, Willistown Conservation Trust, and several local churches. Margot has former experience as a banker and mortgage broker.
Margot first learned of Project W and was excited to participate in something new, focused around a women’s giving circle. As a prior Grant Review Committee Chair, Margot is awed by the depth of care the committee members put into reviews and discussions. She is impressed by the thoughtfulness and enthusiasm that each of our members brings.
When Margot is not volunteering or spending time with family, she enjoys photography, gardening, and a new-found pandemic hobby, bird watching. Something unique her family does is have “1,000 Day Celebrations.” For instance, she was just married for 10,000 days, and her son was 8,000 days old recently. This 1,000 Day tradition has no specific origin, but it provides an excuse to celebrate the little (and big) things and eat more dessert. Keep celebrating, Margot!
“Pooling resources and giving in the local community sounded impactful. The founders just organized and got to it. I love that spirit.”
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Education Committee Chair
Jean Campbell heads the Education Committee. As someone who sees the benefit of continued education, Jean is the perfect addition to this committee. Ten years ago, Jean went back to school and obtained her master’s degree to pursue a new career path. She currently operates as a private practice psychotherapist. She previously worked as a Behavioral Specialist Consultant and Mobile Therapist, in addition to some work at Crozer Community Hospital. Prior to the pivot, Jean worked as a Director of Religious Ed at her church and spent time with her family and volunteering for other organizations. Jean supports a variety of other organizations ranging from environmental organizations, human rights organizations, and social justice organizations like BLM.
Jean joined Project W to give back to the community she is a part of. Aside from the Grant Review process, she loves the volunteer piece that Project W includes. Being able to adopt a family, offering meals, and asking the applicants how we can best serve them are all great benefits for being involved.
Kiteboarding is a major passion of Jean’s. She really enjoys the outdoors whether that is going for a hike, working in the garden, skiing, or playing tennis. Connecting with people is something that Jean connects to every part of her life. She is excited for her new puppy to arrive who will work as a therapy dog for clients and others in the community!
“I love the idea of contributing to and giving back to the county in which I live and that Project W supported women. The different focus areas of Education, Health, and Family appealed to me as well.”
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Health Committee Chair
Dania Green chairs the Health Committee of the Grant Review process. This committee is certainly well led, as Dania received her master’s in Clinical Nutrition from University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ, is a certified Leap Therapist, and an ACE Certified personal trainer. Dania works as a registered dietician for Simplex Health. She is passionate about educating individuals on healthy lifestyle choices to prevent and treat disease, as well as get to the root cause of diseases and alleviate symptoms.
Dania joined Project W because she enjoys volunteering and helping those in need. ADL, Life Center, and Rags to Riches Animal Shelter are a few of the other causes Dania supports. Dania’s favorite part of Project W is the true appreciation from the organizations we fund and the experience of hands-on volunteering for them as well.
In her free time, Dania enjoys traveling, reading, going to the beach, exercising, playing tennis, pickle ball, games with her family, and walking her dogs. As someone that’s always on the go, she thrives on efficiency and likes to multi-task. Go, girl!
“Knowing that the money I donate directly impacts my community added to my excitement about joining Project W.”
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April 13 at 7pm - First grant committee meeting - Family
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April 14 at 7pm - First grant committee meeting - Health
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May 6 at 7pm - Women Connect: Food Insecurity
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May 17 at 7pm - Second grant committee meeting - Family
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May 19 at 7pm - Second grant committee meeting - Health
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May 20 at 7pm - Second grant committee meeting - Education
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May 25 at 7pm - Women Connect: Personal Finance
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June 1 - Finalist organizations announced
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June 16 at 7pm - SAVE THE DATE - Annual Meeting
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Delaware County Community College New Choices program was awarded $29,100 in 2020 to support women affected by layoffs caused by Covid-19 closures through individualized career counseling, training plans and a laptop loan program.
This is the Success Story of Debi McKinley Hastings:
It’s been a great program year with the grant attracting many new clients, in no small part due to the incredible training opportunities we are able to offer with Project W's help. One such example is a recent program graduate., Debi McKinley Hastings.
Debi, a single mother from Media, came to New Choices in February following the decision she wanted to make a career change. While her career took off at Franklin Mint years ago, time out of an office environment had caused her technology skills to get rusty and she was eager to return to an administrative role where she had thrived in the past.
Debi was a class cheerleader for New Choices clients, always asking how their day was going. Through this social environment and with career assessments, Debi was able to determine that a medical office would be a great setting for her to both use the technical skills she’d employed in the past, while providing a caring ear to patients. Thanks to the grant from Project W, Debi was able to enroll in a Digital Patient Record Certification Program that started a few weeks after New Choices. She is now actively going to recruiting events and making connections in preparation for the end of her program.
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Project W would like to thank the Pennoni Family Foundation, the
Von Seldeneck Fund and the Zidek Family Foundation for their sponsorship.
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Participate in the Amazon Smile Program and Help Raise Money for TCF and Project W |
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Project W is a program of The Community's Foundation. You can support Project W and TCF when you shop on Amazon through its Amazon Smile Program. Amazon Smile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to TCF. To sign up click here: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2354770
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Be Part of the Project W Story |
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Women can have a significant impact by pooling our resources and recognizing organizations that make a difference for women in Delaware County. In the process, YOU will be in the fellowship of other community-minded women and learn more about the many organizations that enrich and improve our daily lives.
Be Part of the Project W Story
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