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History:

Back in the early 1990's, Muriel Templeton, Jim Gordon, Jodie O'Quist Burrows, and Sharon Rhodes were members of The Women’s Resource Center Advisory Board at Columbia Basin College. Along with the other board members, they were continually frustrated by the lack of funds, overwhelming needs, and dependency on United Way for additional funding to help women who were trying to improve their lives. They formed a committee to seek out other ways to raise funds.

They decided to form a concerned group of Tri-Citians to try to figure out ways to raise money to assist women in leading healthy, productive lives. After many meetings and much discussion, they formed a group called GROW (Grass Roots Organization for Women). The GROW board looked around the country to find ideas on how to accomplish their goals.

Jody and Muriel were familiar with an effort in Spokane called Women Helping Women Fund. They had attended an annual fund-raising luncheon and were very impressed. The Spokane group’s fundamental policy was that they would fund startup programs benefiting local women that had the financial strength to be able to continue the program after the initial funding. GROW liked that concept. They liked that the Spokane group had a long list of thriving programs that had been initially funded by annual luncheon attendees. They loved the empowerment!

The GROW board was expanded, and became serious about raising awareness and funding for program to help women improve their lives. Over four years went into the effort before the board contacted Women Helping Women Fund in Spokane with the idea to franchise their concept of encouraging women philanthropists through a relatively small Pioneer Circle providing guidance and funding for an annual community fund-raising luncheon featuring a dynamic keynote speaker discussing an issue of concern to women.

Women Helping Women Fund - Spokane was excited to help. They encouraged the GROW Board to work with Mona Locke, then the Washington State First Lady, to enable the Tri-Cities group to operate as a chapter of the Fund. The rest is a wonderful success story!

Starting in 2000, Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities has raised more than $250,000 to help local Tri-Cities programs through direct donations by local Tri-Cities women. The vast majority of this funding was donated in amounts of $100 to $500 – proving that not only does every dollar count, but that we don’t have to be wealthy to make a positive difference in someone’s life. Every dollar raised at each annual fund-raising luncheon goes directly to programs such as Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery, Project Hand-Up of the Second Harvest Food Bank, the SMART Girls program of the Boys and Girls Club, and Cork’s Place for children at the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice House. Through your interest, we make a positive difference in the lives of local women and children.