100 Women Who Care chapters sound like a great way for women entrepreneurs to get together locally in a context where they can not only network but also help the community.

Just a thought.

An open Letter from
Karen F. Dunigan
100(+) Women Who Care Founder

It started with Baby Beds. Who would have ever thought that a group of outstanding women would be organized to meet such a basic and simple need.

 Many of our new mothers with limited resources did not have the financial ability to purchase baby beds.  So when they went home with their newborns, they made use of what they had: boxes, dresser drawers, sleeping with siblings or parents. The death rate of newborns was growing at a critical rate and we knew we could save lives if we provided a safe sleeping environment – a baby bed.

When the Center For Family Health (a local non profit that provides health care for the uninsured and underinsured), picked up the responsibility to care for these mothers and their newborns, they also took on the responsibility of supplying the baby beds. They of course lacked the additional funding needed for the 300 baby beds at a cost of Ten Thousand Dollars.

I knew I could help – I knew I could raise the money – but, I am tired, I didn’t want to organize a fundraiser and have meetings and everything that goes with it. I just didn’t have the time. I needed to figure out how to raise sufficient funds quickly and easily. I continued to work on this idea, with friends, and knew that, with my friends help, we had to know at least 100 women in the community that could afford to write a check for 100 Dollars – each to reach the goal of Ten Thousand Dollars. This simple idea gave birth to 100 Women Who Care.

Through the help of my friends, we did it!  Our first meeting was on November 15^th, 2006 @ 5:30pm at Daryl’s (a local restaurant that donated to us the space). The ladies arrived, heard my story and wrote their checks. We were finished and on our way home by 6:30pm.  A one hour meeting! At our first meeting we raised, $12,800 – far exceeding our goal and expectations.  Since that meeting we have had four additional meetings with more than $100,000 being raised and have changed our name to 100(+) Women Who Care .  Today we now have 215 members.

I am pleased to announce that 3 other chapters have since been organized (Albion, MI,  Dayton, OH &

Wheaton, IL) and through the efforts of all of the women in all of these communities we have raised  a total of over 175K. We have three new chapters getting established this year they are St. Joseph, MO, SanLuis Obispo, CA, & Iowa City, IA. 

Congratulations to all !!!

Hugs,

Karen

Karen F. Dunigan

Founder

100(+) Women Who Care