My Nonprofit Reviews

This is a great organization I have been a donor and volunteer leader in for the past 11 years. It gives American women the chance to get together with others who care about gender equity for all women in the world. Through small gatherings of women who form giving circles, we learn about the situations of women and girls in developing countries, see a video from an organization that has a proven program to assist the women to achieve and thrive. The projects are educational, medical, or economic or legal empowerment projects. The organization depends on volunteers supported by a robust, small and mighty professional staff who supports the volunteers . My group loves that this is a meeting that often involves food and wine, and there are no minutes but just a few guidelines of what it takes to be part of the organization. I love the positivity I experience after learning about women and girls in an impoverished place in the world who with a hand up grant can improve their lives and hundreds around them. Each person in my group donate mostly online each month an amount that fits their budget and commitment - some donate a lot, some a little. The organization has a wonderful national online zoom presence for those who can not meet in person as well as an online book group that gathers women throughout the US each month. I have joined the Rise Travel program and have gone with a small group of Rise members from across the US to places in the world where we have met grantees and some of the women and girls who have benefited from grants provide through Rise. Seeing is believing and it is a powerful experience. But I also love the friendships that I have developed in my own community through the group I am part of and the way we also impact issues in our local community through our friendship and support of the local organizations that also deal with women's issues. It is a great model for an organization that brings together amazing women who together make a huge difference in the lives of others across the globe.

I was able to visit Children of Vietnam offices in Danang with a group of women who are members of Dining for Women, a women's giving circle. The offices were clean, orderly, and beautiful-something I look for in not for profits as it shows respect for the staff and the clients served. We heard presentations for the Executive Director, the program directors and staff members. We then were split into groups and spent two days visiting some of the clients, single mothers, who have received micro loans to enhance their home based businesses, or home improvement or other support that enables their children to attend school. Between the three groups, we must have visited and met over 45 women and their children who were recipients. Our visits were facilitated by staff members and interns who translated for us. I was impressed by the professionalism of the staff, the collaborations with government entities, the rate of return of the loans that were offered, and the impact that was clearly evident in the lives of the women and families served. Another aspect I noted was the wrap around services and the case managements plans that continued support of different types to assist the single mothers and their families to achieve their goals. This is a very impressive organization and I felt my donations are being used efficiently, effectively and making a big impact - what more could a donor want?

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