Those behind the Vancouver Women’s Foundation are often called “the women of last resort.” The group helps women who’ve exhausted all other resources and need emergency, one-time financial assistance to get through a tough time.
This past year, the foundation gave out 53 grants totalling more than $87,000 to local women in need. That included helping a homeless woman buy a trailer; paying for people’s dental work; covering three months’ rent for a woman who got throat surgery; and buying two pairs of custom shoes for a woman with dwarfism. The average grant was $1,818.
Vancouver Women’s Foundation helps women who, with a small boost, could get on the path to self-sufficiency. Not everyone they help is impoverished or living out of their car. Last year, they helped a nurse with two mortgage payments. She fell behind when her 4-year-old was diagnosed with cancer.
“We’re finding there are women who are very self-sufficient who will have hit a bump in the road,” said Susan Courtney, treasurer of the grants committee, at the foundation’s annual luncheon Tuesday at WareHouse ’23. “They just need help to get through it.”
Founded by six women in 2000, Vancouver Women’s Foundation is one of several giving circles in Clark County. Others include Empower Women + Girls, Giving Circle Clark County, 100 Women Who Care SW Washington and 100 Men Who Care Clark County.
Typically, giving circles pool money and donate to organizations that are doing good work. Vancouver Women’s Foundation helps one person at a time with an acute need. They get grant applications directly from social workers at service agencies and typically never meet the women they’re helping.
Occasionally, though, they “color outside the lines,” as Courtney put it.
A woman who went through several foster homes and is now set to graduate with a degree in design from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle got help from the group multiple times. She’s the first in her family to graduate high school, much less college. They bought her school supplies and one member paid $7,000 on her student loans.
Mark Matthias, owner of WareHouse ’23, stopped by Tuesday’s luncheon. His charitable organization donated $5,000 to Vancouver Women’s Foundation.
“For me, I just appreciate everything you’re doing. It’s a privilege to donate to your organization,” he said.
The foundation has an account at the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington through which they write checks and hold committee meetings. Members are typically professionals well into their careers and retired professionals who have the resources to give to charity. Members are supposed to give $2,018 this year. Some donate more.
With a higher entry fee, membership isn’t as high as it is in other giving circles. There are almost 50 members.
Courtney said during the luncheon at WareHouse ’23 that the grants committee tries to be good stewards of the money they get from members, who aren’t obliged to attend any meetings. The group used to ask for a five-year commitment but did away with that to encourage more people to join.
