OUR STORY
How it all started
The idea for Women Helping Youth was created by friends Jill Weintraub, Moira Tenzer and Debbie Schermer in 2006. These three moms realized that children living just a few miles down the freeway did not have access to the same resources as their kids, and they wanted to find a meaningful way to bridge that gap. When they began brainstorming and networking, they found that many friends wanted to help out too, but didn’t know how.
While some friends had time to give, some admitted that they didn’t have a minute left to volunteer, but would be happy to write a check. No one was looking for the fancy fundraiser brand of philanthropy, but something more grassroots and meaningful. Jill, Moira and Debbie wanted to start a charitable organization where they could work with their community to directly help kids. After much research, they opted for the giving circle model, which would allow people to come together and pool their money in order to make a greater impact than they could alone.
Several things were appealing about a giving circle:
Community Giving- joining forces as a group of women is empowering.
The Multiplication Factor- if one person has $1,000 and 49 others join, giving capacity is multiplied to $50,000.
Targeted Giving- When giving capacity is multiplied, the grantor can direct their donation.
Impacting Lives- By pooling resources and having a say in how those resources are spent, WHY is able to directly impact the youth they set out to help.
In August of 2006, WHY incorporated and received 501(c)(3) status so that donations would be tax deductible. Key decisions to fund tangible projects in the greater Los Angeles area would ensure that grants could be thoroughly vetted and monitored. Jill, Moira and Debbie then set out to identify potential grant recipients.
In December of 2006, the first official WHY coffee was held to introduce the concept of Women Helping Youth, a group of women pooling their charitable contributions of $1,000 each to create a larger pool of funds with which to help kids in need in greater LA. The three women were humbled by the groundswell of support they received that first year, with 40 women joining. In May of 2007, WHY awarded its first three grants: a van for Operation School Bell, an organization that provides school clothes for low income children, athletic jerseys for special needs kids at Team Prime Time, and computers and appliances for the YWCA residential facility for aged out foster girls.
WHY now has over 100 members and has awarded over 1.3 million dollars in grants. All children deserve access to modern technology, arts and athletic enrichment, academic support, counseling, health care, and so much more. WHY will continue to support non-profit organizations addressing systemic inequities and bringing these resources to children in underserved communities. Every year WHY receives grant applications that far exceed what they are able to give. With a goal to grow, Women Helping Youth welcomes your membership and support. WHY is successful because of the generosity of members, supporters, and volunteers who believe in the power of community giving. There is no WHY without YOU!
Mission
Women Helping Youth is a women’s giving circle committed to improving the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of children and young adults in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Goal
Our goal is to expand our group in order to expand our pool of funds so we can make a direct impact on underserved kids in Los Angeles.
