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Susie Berenson is happily retired, after a career as an executive consultant, time at home with her children, and teaching adult literacy and citizenship testing to recent immigrants. Twenty five years later she still cherishes her role in creating Many Hands. We asked her to reflect on the early days.
"Founding Many Hands, with the other wonderful founding board members, is the professional accomplishment I am most proud of. I started Many Hands in response to personal dissatisfaction with my husband Brad’s and my philanthropic giving. We were frustrated that we weren’t able to give at a level that actually moved the needle for the organizations that we were supporting. We wanted to refocus our giving to local charities but weren’t sure where to start.
I came across an article describing one of the pioneers of the giving circle model, Impact 100. It’s hard to believe, but this was a pretty novel idea 25+ years ago. Establishing an organization that could pool collective resources to create a large grant while also deeply researching local nonprofits addressed both our concerns perfectly. I thought, 'I can do that!' But I also knew I couldn’t do it alone. My true legacy to Many Hands is not having the original idea to form a DC based giving circle, and not any work that I personally did related to its founding; it was having the foresight to gather an initial board of such remarkable and talented women. The founding board of Many Hands, Sydney Bath, Ana Collins, Regina Hall, Leslie Lawley, Betsy Marmet, and Madeleine Said, are the true champions of Many Hands’ immediate success.
One of Many Hands’ defining characteristics—by very deliberate design—is the ability for donors to become involved in multiple ways with varying degrees of time commitment. We knew that some women were looking for meaningful work to do while their children were at school. Others enthusiastically supported the mission financially but were not available for the day-to-day work. Others wanted small, discrete tasks. We wanted to create an organization that would be meaningful to all, at whatever the level of participation. A wonderful benefit—one I didn’t anticipate at the time—is how many Many Hands members eventually became involved with worthy organizations they came to know through Many Hands. Some as donors, some as volunteers, and some even as board members. Not every organization becomes a grantee, but many benefit from the greater community exposure that Many Hands offers.
When we sent out our first requests, over 25 years ago, we had no idea what response we would get. The initial support was overwhelming. We awarded our first Impact Grant of $100,000 to Our Place DC, and awarded $4,000 Partner Grants to Mary’s Center and Heads Up. I am so grateful and proud of what we have accomplished together. It is a testament to the energy, compassion, and determination of so many in our community. The members and leadership of Many Hands inspire me anew each year."
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