'100+ Women of Whatcom' group giving back to the community

100+ Women of Whatcom, a group started by Western faculty and staff members that holds fundraising events in the spring and fall every year to gather donations for local nonprofits, recently raised nearly $6,000 for Futures Northwest, an organization in Bellingham that helps aspiring college students pay for their education. With some late donations still coming in, the group hopes to give just under $10,000 in total.

Since 2015, 100+ Women of Whatcom has donated to six different local organizations including DVSAS, Skookum Kids, YWCA, Whatcom Literacy Council, Bellingham Giving Circle and Futures Northwest totaling over $30,000 in donations in all.

Ann Beck, the assistant director of Veteran Services at Western, is one of the founding members of 100+ Women of Whatcom and a current board member. She said getting together in a group makes donating more effective.

“It’s about being able to make the biggest impact with what you can give. I know I can budget $200 a year and I can help make that $200 into $10,000,” Beck said.  “ A small organization with a yearly budget of $20,000 getting an influx of nearly $10,000 can be huge and can really help spread the good they are doing in the community that much more.”  

The group does not require a large time commitment like other charities may. For those who are just looking to put in their donation and leave Beck describes the group as a painless way to donate money.

“This is an hour of your time. Even less than that if you don't want to network. You come, you hear the three-minute speeches from the organizations, you select who you would like, write your check and you're gone,” said Beck.    

Something that sets this group apart is that it is a donation with no strings attached. Unlike some grants or other funding options, the organization that gets the donation has complete control over what the money is used for. 

Although the group is not directly affiliated with the university, the community around Western helped the founding members to establish a solid starting point. Sara Wilson, special assistant to the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at Western and another current board member, said the Western community is a great place to find people willing to donate. 

“Western prides itself on being a caring community. It provides a natural environment to find people who share those same values,” said Wilson.  

The group events are not only for donations; they allow women from all over Whatcom County to come together and network with other women in their community. 

Beck started the group after a phone conversation with her mother, who lives in California. In similar fashion her mother’s group would meet a few times a year and all pledge $100 to an organization voted on by the group. Beck, not wanting to miss an opportunity to give back to the Bellingham community, started the group here with the goal of donating to these organizations and building a strong local community of women.

With the help of some WWU coworkers she was able to start the group and make a website. Their first meeting in 2015 had 65 participants and was able to raise around $6,500. Since then the number of members has grown and their most recent event was able to raise nearly $10,000. 

The 100+ Women of Whatcom is a part of a larger global organization known as the 100 Women Who Care. They currently have just shy of 100 members and are always looking for more women who want to network with like-minded women and donate to deserving organizations.

To join the group or get more information visit : https://100womenofwhatcom.com/