Women Giving for Spartanburg awards $176,500 to 2023 Grantees
June 15, 2023
Women Giving for Spartanburg Awards $176,500 to all Ten Grantee Finalists During 15 Year Anniversary Luncheon
On Monday May 1, 2023, Women Giving for Spartanburg (WGFS) closed out their 15th Anniversary year announcing the 2023 Grant awards totaling $176,500, an increase of over $35,000 from the year prior. The organization, a special project of the Spartanburg County Foundation, was thrilled to surprise all 10 of this year’s Grant finalists by awarding them full or partial support.
“It is my honor to announce the recipients of our 2023 WGFS Grants,” said Weslie Higdon, the youngest Board Chair Women Giving for Spartanburg has had to date. “Women Giving for Spartanburg is all about connecting our community through high impact giving to serve the needs of local nonprofits. In our fifteen years we have granted over $3 Million to more than 100 nonprofits in Spartanburg County, and this has been one of our highest impact years yet.”
The WGFS Grants Committee requests Grant proposals from local nonprofit organizations each year for innovative projects focused on areas highlighted by the seven Spartanburg Community Indicators Project areas. This year, after review, site visits, and Grants Showcase in March, the Members voted on ten organizations to receive money, and for the first time in the organization’s history all ten nonprofits will receive a combined total of $176,500 in financial assistance:
Angels Charge Ministry received $25,694 to be used for their ‘Homes of Hope’ to build an additional transitional housing space for women coming out of incarceration.
BirthMatters received $17,000 for raising healthy families.
Girls Scouts of South Carolina Mountains to Midlands received $10,500 for a summer collaborative at Camp Mary Elizabeth supporting young women in underserved communities.
Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg Inc. received $18,161 to support their pediatric dental clinic.
Hub City Farmers Market received $15,000 to support their Double SNAP Program: building a sustainable platform for healthy food access in Spartanburg.
Middle Tyger Community Center received $20,000 to support free mental health programs for children in Foster/Kinship care.
The Project Hope Foundation received $18,045 to support playground equipment to help with physical fitness for adults with Autism.
Ruth’s Gleanings received $22,600 to support a new loading dock for their food distribution.
Servants of Sight received $20,000 to support eye care for Spartanburg’s uninsured residents.
The Spartanburg Philharmonic received $10,000 to support the Youth Orchestra’s 5th Anniversary Season.
During the event, Jane McQueen, President & CEO of Mobile Meals of Spartanburg, an organization that was one of the original recipients of a WGFS Grant, spoke to guests, “Mobile Meals of Spartanburg is very grateful for the support of Women’s Giving of Spartanburg. The first Grant we received was to help us purpose a “blast chiller.” We knew it would be helpful from the experience of other meal programs but when COVID came along we discovered it was crucial for us to continue our service. We had a plan, but we discovered that God had a better plan. We never failed to continue to feed our 1200 – 1300 homebound, frail neighbors. Most are alone, trying to manage when family is far away or too busy to help. The blast chiller helped us cook a full meal and freeze them quickly to help maintain their nutritional value and taste. Every other day for three years we sent out a hot meal and a frozen meal, thanks to Women Giving.”
Incoming Board Chair, Pamela Heath, is ready to make Women Giving for Spartanburg “SOAR” in its 16th year of operation. “This is why we exist, to make high impact Grants possible. What we’re able to do as Women Giving wouldn’t be possible without Founding Members Tracy Hannah, Julie Lowry and the late Sally Foster. I’ve been a member for 14 years, and I was thrilled to have my daughter join two years ago! We are encouraging women of all ages and backgrounds to join us in making a difference in our community.”
Membership is open to any woman who would like to make a difference in the Spartanburg community. Annual dues are $600 for Junior Members (ages 35 and under), $600 for Senior Members (ages 75 and over) and $1,200 for Regular Members. The Women’s Giving circle also encourages involvement through Committee work and events. Its unique annual Grant process gives each Member a chance to vote on Grant finalists via online or paper ballot. The next Women Giving for Spartanburg Grant cycle will open October 30, 2023.
For more information about Grants or to join Women Giving for Spartanburg, visit www.WomenGivingSpartanburg.org.
About Women Giving For Spartanburg
Founded in 2007 as a special project of the Spartanburg County Foundation, Women Giving for Spartanburg is an open membership group of passionate women who have joined together to enhance the quality of life in the Spartanburg community through collective giving. This women’s giving circle pools its money, energy and ideas in order to create a measurable impact on the local nonprofits funded via their annual Grant process.
