 The Women's Fund
a fund of the Community Foundation
of Southeastern MA
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Focusing on Mission at the Women's Fund
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| A message from Wendy Bauer, Chair, Women's Fund Advisory Council and Executive Committee |
 On June 9, our Advisory Council and working committee members held a "Women's Fund Conversation" to learn and exchange perspectives on opportunities to impact girls' and women's education. Four area women leaders in education shared their views on the strategies and priorities to improve educational attainment for women and girls in the SouthCoast. Carolee Matsumoto, a WF Advisory Council member, designed and facilitated this session with Dr. Portia Bonner, Superintendent of New Bedford Schools; Mali Lim, Coordinator for Community Education and Diversity, City of New Bedford; Denise Porche, Visiting Fellow Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice, Harvard Law School; and Lisa Yates, Executive Director, Our Sisters' School. READ MORE ...
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Interview with Lara Stone |
Lara is a Women's Fund Advisory Council member and volunteer and is now a Dartmouth Select Board member.
 I nterview conducted by Barbara Oberkoetter, Executive Committee member.
Barbara: Congratulations on your recent election to the Dartmouth Select Board.
Considering your involvement in and understanding of the Dartmouth community, specifically, and the Southeastern Massachusetts community in general, what repercussions of this economic downturn have you seen in the lives of women and girls? Can you mention a couple of examples?
Lara: My work and background with non-profit agencies and schools allow me to stay pretty connected to what our region and what local communities are facing. During the campaign, I spoke with many residents about what they are afraid of, personally, given the state of our economy at the national, state and local level. The impact crosses gender lines so I can't say I saw examples that were solely linked to what women and girls are facing but rather what families are facing and the choices they are making. READ MORE ... |
"Reflections" - WISE Women and an Instructor |
 The third class of "WISE (Working in Successful Environments) Women" graduated June 23, 2009. This Bristol Community College program is a collaborative initiative supported by the Massachusetts Community College Executive Office, the Women's Fund of Southeastern Massachusetts, and the Department of Transitional Assistance. Young women receive the necessary skills to secure employment and continue their education. We highlighted WISE in our Fall 2008 newsletter. If you missed the article, you can read it here.
Renate Oliver has been teaching various courses in this program for the last two semesters. These are some of the highlights of a recent conversation she had with some of the graduates of the program. READ MORE ...
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Peace Pole |
 The inaugural year of Girls Exclusive was filled with learning, sharing and growing. Twenty girls began the program and 11 girls completed the full year of activities.
As one of their last activities of the school year, the young women of Girls Exclusive planted a Peace Pole at Maxfield Street Community Garden in New Bedford. The Women's Fund has funded both projects: through grants to Peace Works to help create this thriving garden in the middle of a city neighborhood; and to Girls Exclusive, an after-school program for middle-school girls that is a collaboration between the Boys & Girls Club, the YWCA and the YMCA.
The garden provides a pleasant gathering spot for the neighborhood with a pergola and picnic tables and several raised beds for planting vegetables and flowers. The teenagers proudly wore their purple Girls Exclusive T-shirts as they participated in the ceremony for dedicating the peace pole. And the whole community benefits from these positive efforts. |
Tiara Classic 5K Mother's Day Road Race
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 Mother's Day was a clear, cool and very windy day for the Third Annual Tiara Race. This year, 578 runners and walkers participated and were supported by more than 50 volunteers. Registration, sponsorship and sale of the heart pendant brought in over $22,000.
After the race, everyone was entertained by the "Show Stoppers" (pictured at left) a talented group of community youth with great voices and a wide variety of music. To sample a video of the group at the Harbor Festival, click here.
READ MORE ...
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Attired 2B Hired |
Hetty's is accepting gently used clothing for "Attired 2B Hired"  to help women dress for job interviews. Recently ,the class of WISE Women spent the afternoon at Hetty's shopping with their mentors.
Clothing may be dropped off Monday through Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Hetty's Thrift Shoppe at 1061 Pleasant St., New Bedford.
This program has been a big help to women entering the workplace. Please consider donating your clothing and telling your friends. A description of this program is on our website at this link. |
Executive Director's Note |
| Kate Fentress, Executive Director |
 As we strive to become more strategic and sustainable in our grant-making, fund-raising and convening we welcome your feedback or questions regarding our work. If you have thoughts to contribute to our conversation about how to most effectively use our resources to fulfill our mission of supporting programs that promote the educational and economic advancement of women and girls, we would like to hear from you. Don't hesitate to email a reply to this e-newsletter. It is all of us together who make up the Women's Fund
While summer has been a bit slow getting started I have faith that the sun will yet shine. Enjoy the respite from winter jackets and vegetables from many miles away. Go to the beach or just sit under a tree and read a book -- anything that celebrates fresh air and our beautiful New England landscape.
As always, thank you for your support in our work. We couldn't do it without your help!
PS If you are in the market for lipstick, please see what a generous Mary Kay representative has offered us - article in SouthCoastToday
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| Join Us/Help Us |
Support us by sending this e-newsletter to friends and colleagues and urging them to subscribe. Make a donation to build a permanent endowment in support of women and girls in this area.
Contributions: On-line giving is now in place on our Web site, making it easier to contribute. This link describes the choices available to direct your gift. To view these choices, click here
Clothing Donations
Consider donating your gently used clothing to Attired 2B Hired. For more information, click here. |
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The Women's Fund
a fund of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts
63 Union Street, New Bedford 02740 www.cfsema.org/womensfund T: 508.717.0283 F: 508.996.8254 e-mail |
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