 The eWomenNetwork Foundation is Growing
by Leaps and Bounds!
by Linda Perreault
Executive Director
eWomenNetwork Foundation
Greetings to all of you, friends and members of eWomenNetwork! This past calendar year has been fantastic ~ a year of growth and expansion that has far surpassed all of our hopes and dreams. All of this growth came in spite of terrible national and international disasters which diverted many of the charitable dollars otherwise given to worthwhile charitable organizations. So I'd like to pause for a moment to give you a progress report on the eWomenNetwork Foundation and what's been happening since our 5th Annual Conference in July.
First, to give you a thumbnail sketch of our growth, in 2004, approximately $44,000 was raised through sponsors, individual chapters and other fundraising activities and given to worthwhile non-profit organizations. But in 2005, over $200,000 was raised in support our programs and activities! And the growth continues into 2006!
Here are some of the activities that have kept us busy:
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| Contributions to the eWomenNetwork Foundation Funded hurricane relief bus . |
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eWomenNetwork Member Contributions Funded Hurricane Relief
While victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita were struggling to put their lives, families, and jobs back together, the eWomenNetwork Foundation and its volunteers were responding to their call, putting their contributions of time and resources where their hearts are... this time on behalf of some of the most vulnerable victims of the hurricanes, the elderly. All over the country eWomenNetwork members were moved to action, responding not only to their own communities' call but to national appeals. But with funds raised specifically through the eWomenNetwork Foundation website, we were truly able to make a difference for some very special individuals who were about to return home after a very long and stressful two months. The bus and provisions used to send them home were all underwritten by the eWomenNetwork Foundation.
As November 1st, the departure date for New Orleans, dawned chilly yet beautiful, eWomenNetwork members and volunteers gathered early in the morning in an Assisted Living Community to help 24 displaced residents of a New Orleans nursing home pack up to return home.
Hearing the stories of their hasty retreat from oncoming hurricane Katrina with only four hours to pack and leave ( a very difficult task for anyone, much less the aged and infirmed) was very moving for those of us volunteering. Difficulties finding a place to stay once in Dallas, not knowing how long they were going to be away from home, how long their medications and funds would last, and wondering what they would find when they did return home to New Orleans, all added to an incredibly stressful time for them.
Thanks to the generosity and collaboration of many people, we did make a difference! And it just so happened that one of the people answering the call for help was Jan Johnson, an eWomenNetwork member, who owns a transportation company in Ft. Worth, Texas, and provided the buses we needed!
Photo Above: Here you see Jan Johnson, eWomenNetwork member, and the bus driver who took these seniors back to New Orleans.
"Emerging Leader" Femtor Update:
You will be delighted to know that since our July 2005 Conference in Dallas, our "Emerging Leader" Femtor awardees have flourished and made great strides in their careers and studies, thanks to the recognition, help, and support of so many of you who have reached out to them since the Conference.
Here are a few updates from our "Emerging Leaders" :
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Alicia Jones
Since her award, Alicia Jones
of Colorado was voted President of the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce this Fall! (and ... she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in September in her spare time!!)
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Meera Sridharan
Meera has taken the month of December off from her work in the semiconductor industry in Austin, Texas to return to her native India to be married ~ close to her parents and family who mean so much to her. She has mentioned to me more than once that the 2005 eWomenNetwork Conference and being recognized as a Femtor has been a life-changing event for her. It has helped her realize the priorities in her life and motivated her to truly go for it!
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Misti Burmeister
Misti
was recently named a 2005 Community Fellow of the Foundation for Community Leadership in Washington, D.C.
In November, she moderated an entrepreneur panel at Edie Fraser’s Summit & Gala and her company, Inspirion, recently won its first big corporate client – Marriott! She is currently in communication with several other corporations since our Conference in July – Wal-Mart, Sodexho, Bank of America, Cisco Systems, and Triumph Technologies.
More power to you, Misti! Sounds like you learned about the value of networking quickly! |
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Kelly Dell 'Antonio
"Being recognized as one of the 2005 Emerging Leaders not only opened many doors for me, but also encouraged me to do more and more for our community. Because I am living proof of the benefits of being nurtured, I will do my best to spread the vision of helping others first! After all, it's about the giving, isn't it?"
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The latest from Simone Carter:
"Guess what? I'm going to India, thanks to Meera (fellow 2005 Femtor awardee), from December through April of 2006! I have a job over there and will be working with children, helping to improve the educational system in India!" |
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Delayne Hunt
"Hello all! I wanted to let you know that I will be on the Discovery Channel tonight! While doing my internship with Roush Racing, I had a chance to be filmed while they were doing a NASCAR special! I want to say thanks to all of you who have helped me in one way or another to get to this point in my career. While television is definitely not my ultimate goal, it's exciting that I got to do it along the way! And I'm excited to see what the future holds!"
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Nicole Stika
Hello all! Since July, some exciting things have happened! FIrst, the Femtor award I won was mentioned in the Crains Cleveland Business! Also, my husband and I were Co-Chair's of the Cleveland March of Dimes Blue Print for Babies Committee for 2005 and the committee's raised more than $100K at the Annual Cleveland Chef's Auction 2005. And once I returned home from the conference in July, I became a member of the Executive Femtor Committee for the Cleveland eWomen Network Chapter!
Professionally, I continue to support the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking business assistance through NEO411.biz, a program of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, which is a collaborative effort of 13 entrepreneur and business support organizations in Northeast Ohio. I am completing my Masters in Public Administration, specializing in economic development at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and anticipate graduating May 2006! |
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Lisa Keller
The main progress for me has been the relationships that I have continued to build through eWomenNetwork. I have met so many incredible women and through those relationships, I hired my assistant in September and things have been going great ever since. Thanks for everything you do and Happy Holidays to all! |
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Mira Kuehnle
After coming back (from the July Conference) I refocused my business and made new plans for my ShotBee event photography business. By mid August I got my PR really going and got into the Kansas City Career Ladder (a publication which is hard to get into).
After I got the Career Ladder opportunity, lots of people were asking me about the Femtor award and eWomenNetwork and thought it was so cool to inspire young entrepreneurs. I got another article in the celebrity section of the Star on a Sunday!!! Huge! And after the article, my phone/e-mail was going for days ~ and I got booked faster than I could check my schedule. Now I am looking forward to 2006 and trying to find another city I can expand to in 2007. Perhaps Dallas?
Definitely the Femtor award and the conference was something I appreciate so much in 2005. |
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Larincia Bowers
Since the conference in July I have been promoted with Nationwide. I now spearhead an asset retention campaign to help reduce assets from going out of the plans that we offer. I am 4 months closer to getting my MBA with Indiana Wesleyan. I graduate April 2006! |
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Tara Cox
Since the conference, I’ve been working on the Hope House annual gala, our largest fundraiser of the year. We have only been around as an organization for four years and on November 18th we raised 60k compared to 25k the year before! We also had our new house for the teen mothers and their children appraised at $700,000 when our loan is only $150,000. This is going to give us the equity to begin building a second home ready to open by 2007. We are now housing five young women and their children all of whom are going to college and growing as dynamic self confident women!
On a personal note, I am five months pregnant with our first child! It’s very exciting, and a little scary. I will stay on board in a Directors role at Hope House although I will be transitioning into a part time position so I can spend time with the little one! |
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Lakesha Brown
The Conference and Femtor Award gave me a huge increase in self-confidence – I know I can do what I set my mind to just from being in the presence of so many other successful women who have come from the same place I am coming from. One contact I made with a fellow entrepreneur has not only resulted in several referrals for my business but also a wonderful partnership that has grown into a mentorship relationship as well. The press releases/news articles have helped to expose me to new markets in the St. Louis area and I’m gaining recognition in my hometown. The local chapters have tremendously assisted me in my networking efforts! I love accelerated networking! I’ve been open to other opportunities, i.e. teaching in my field at the collegiate level, that I may not have explored. Sandra was right on the money by telling us to send handwritten cards to people we’ve met and felt greatly influenced by, for one woman I sent it to was so touched and moved and even asked if she can use my note of thanks as one of her testimonials!!
Overall, I have heard and learned from the POWerful messages women shared and am taking heed everyday! I can’t say enough about how the things I’ve learned have propelled me to be a stronger, braver, more confident person overall. Therefore, not only has my professional/entrepreneurial life been great but also my personal life because it includes new friends I’ve gained who care!!! |
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Bridget McGraw
Hope all is well and you are having a wonderful holiday season so far! Things have been great for me. One highlight--I was selected by the Greater Cincinnati YWCA as a 2005 Rising Star (honoring young women making an impact in their communities and careers)--this honor gave me yet another wonderful opportunity to interact with amazing women! |
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Mercedes Bermijo
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These are just a few anecdotes from our Emerging Leaders. Kudos to all of our young Femtors, and to all of you who continue to contribute to their success as well!
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Contribute to the Friends of the Foundation
If you are like most people, you do your major giving toward the end of the year. Some do this for tax purposes; others do it just in the spirit of the season. Before you ring in the New Year we hope you will consider making a gift to the eWomenNetwork Foundation to help us in our efforts on behalf of women everywhere. To make a donation, visit our secure online giving page.
Important Tax Information for 2005!
Congress approves significant incentives for charitable gifts in 2005
Under the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act ("KETRA") you might qualify to deduct charitable gifts of cash to any qualified public charity up to 100% of your contribution base (generally your adjusted gross income). Deductions for charitable gifts of cash are normally limited to 50% of your contribution base.
This legislation allows temporary tax benefits to anyone making a contribution to a qualified charity, including the eWomenNetwork Foundation.
To qualify for this benefit, you must make your gifts:
- In cash ( gifts of property such as stocks and real estate do not qualify under this new legislation )
- Between Aug. 28, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2005
- To a charitable organization, whether or not the charitable organization is engaged in Katrina relief efforts.
Please consult your tax advisor to see if this incentive applies to your specific situation.
Embrace the spirit of the season with a holiday gift that will help courageous people in their struggle to improve their situation in life!
Always thinking of ways to help others through the Foundation....
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Pamela Lewis,
eWomenNetwork Member,
& Owner of POSH
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What do you do when you come face to face with an unbelievable bargain?
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Whenever you and I come across an outstanding sale opportunity, don't our first thoughts turn towards our own needs ~ and those of family and friends in order to share the good fortune?
In the case of eWomenNetwork member Pamela Lewis of Lakewood, Ohio, her first thoughts went to the eWomenNetwork Foundation! Pamela recently came across an end-of-the-season sale at an upscale department store in her local area, and snagged eleven purses for next year's eWomenNetwork Foundation Purse Power of Women silent auction. She not only bought them, but mailed them to us without any fanfare or advanced warning! Total value?... over $800! What an outstanding Friend of the Foundation! Not only did those beautiful purses become the first tier of our collection for next year's Conference, but she provided us with a real boost in our efforts to gear up once again!
Our sincere thanks to Pamela for thinking of the Foundation, and for her initiative...
Evening of Chocolate Decadence at Tiffany's
Our wonderful relationship with Tiffany & Co. continued this Fall with another Evening of Chocolate Decadence, this time hosted by Tiffany's at the famous Galleria Dallas!
On the right you see our November 3rd event, which actually encompassed an Accelerated Networking Event along with Chocotini's and hor d'oerves in luxurious surroundings!
We at eWomenNetwork Foundation thank you, and count our blessings that there are so many friends of the Foundation spread all across North America.
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