The 100 Women Peterborough group has once again made the world a little brighter for a local non-profit organization.
This time, the group of women from the Peterborough area has raised more than $10,000 for Five Counties Children’s Centre, and they did it in under an hour.
At the group’s second event of 2019, held on Tuesday night (June 18) at the Innovation Cluster in downtown Peterborough, three organizations — Five Counties Children’s Centre, Peterborough Butterfly Run, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra — made their cases to the group on why they should receive a donation.
Well before the meeting, the three organizations were randomly drawn from a larger list of organizations nominated by members of 100 Women Peterborough, who commit to donate $100 dollars at each of the four events hosted throughout the year. All of the funds raised by the membership are donated to four non-profit organizations determined by the membership throughout the year.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Five Counties Children’s Centre board chair Adam White was accompanied by CEO Diane Pick and 15-year-old client Rebecca Jordan to make that organization’s presentation. After hearing from the centre as well as the other two organizations, members held a majority vote that selected the centre to receive the donation.
“A huge thank you to 100 Women Peterborough for their thoughtfulness and generous gift,” White said. “Your donation will make a difference in the lives of the children that will be able to receive service sooner. Because they can get this service sooner, it’s going to make a huge difference in their development, lives, and in the way they can chase their dreams.”
Five Counties Children’s Centre provides therapy services at no cost to families that assist children who are delayed in their development to develop the skills they need in everyday life. A non-profit organization, Five Counties Children’s Centre receives most of its funding from the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the City of Peterborough.
The contribution from 100 Women Peterborough will fund the centre to work with 12 children who would have otherwise not receive support this year.
“Thank you on behalf of the other children,” said Jordan, who moved to Peterborough so she could access the services of Five Counties Children’s Centre. “I have benefitted from Five Counties Children’s Centre, so the opportunity for more children to have the opportunity is something that I’m excited about because I know how it has impacted my life and how it will change someone else’s.”
To date, 100 Women Peterborough has collectively donated around $70,000 to six local organizations: Hospice Peterborough, Peterborough Youth Unlimited, One Roof Warming Room, New Canadians Centre, Cameron House, and Five Counties Children’s Centre.
“We are excited to see another deserving organization benefit from our quarterly meetings,” said Catia Skinner, one of the founding members of 100 Women Peterborough. “We know that Five Counties Children’s Centre will make the most of our collective donation.”
100 Women Peterborough was founded in February 2018 by Skinner, Wendy Hill, Alyssa Stewart, and Rosalea Terry, who were inspired by similar groups in other communities.
The concept of collective philanthropy began in the United States in November 2006, when Karen Dunigan of Michigan formed the “100 Women Who Care” group. After their first meeting, the women raised over $10,000 for the purchase of 300 new baby cribs for a local organization. The movement has grown over the past 13 years to include almost 100 chapters in North America, including at least 15 in Canada.
Women who interested in joining the group should visit www.100womenptbo.ca for more information.
