100 WOMEN WHO CARE

FOUR TIMES A YEAR, A MOAB GROUP COMES TOGETHER TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF LOCAL PEOPLE AND NONPROFITS

Written by Sharon Sullivan

Forty-four women, all members of a giving circle called 100 Women Who Care Moab, gathered in the banquet room at Canyon Steak and Waffle House in November for their quarterly fall meeting. The restaurant’s owner, who had just recently joined the group, provided soup and coffee. After a half-hour of socializing, the women got down to business.

Once per quarter, the 100-plus members each give $100 to a cause agreed upon by the group. Members may sponsor a project by giving a short presentation at the meeting, followed by a discussion, and then a vote to decide collectively what to fund that particular quarter.

In November, the group chose to split the fall quarter’s proceeds into two parts - $6,400 for Moab Solutions, a nonprofit that helps with emergency housing and other needs, and $4,200 for Seekhaven Family Crisis and Resource Center. While a third request for the Moab Free Health Clinic did not receive funding in the fall, the clinic is a past beneficiary and can reapply at the group’s next quarterly meeting in February.

Since 100 Women Who Care Moab was founded five years ago with approximately 15 women, membership has grown to more than a 100, thus significantly increasing the group’s impact. “It really provides people an opportunity to make a difference in an easy, meaningful way,” says Marcy Till, the group’s facilitator and communications coordinator.

Thus far, the group has funded the purchase of books for Science Moab’s STEM Lending library; paid for groceries for two local food pantries; and given to after-school programs. The group donates money to established non- profit organizations, as well as to fund urgent needs of individuals.

Terry Galen is a social worker in Moab who has her pulse on community needs. As a member she presented to the group the case of a young man she knew who was missing several front teeth. As a result, he experienced diffi-

Galen says. The group has also funded a project that repairs and refurbishes bikes to give away to people who need transportation.

Thoughtful Discussion

Castle Valley resident Susan Roche joined the group years ago after she found the meetings to be “efficient and respectful,” she says. “It was all business, but done in such a warm, human way,” she recalls. “There was such an egalitarian feeling there.” culty in finding employment and suffered low self-esteem. The group decided to pay a dentist to do the needed dental work, the results of which turned the man’s life around. He is now on a career path, says Galen.

Before each meeting, Till sends out basic information regarding upcoming funding requests. Members must attend the meeting to vote on where to allocate the money any given quarter. And while occasionally someone will express a desire to vote whether they attend the meeting or not – that’s not how it works.

It’s the in-person discussions that inform how people choose to vote, says Till.

“We’ve helped people whose houses have burned,” as well as given money to organizations like Moab Valley Multicultural Center, that help with homelessness and other issues,

“So, it’s not fair to base your vote only on the info in the email sent out beforehand,” she says. “The discussion is so civilized (and) thoughtful.” Based on more information gleaned during these conversations, people often change their initial leanings on where the money should go, she says. “It’s true democracy. It’s refreshing to be part of a group so aligned in their philosophy with purpose. It really is a beautiful thing. It makes me really happy.”

No Overhead

Roche is among a half-dozen women from Castle Valley, including Ruth Brown, who carpool into Moab to attend the quarterly meetings. Brown says she appreciates that 100% of the money goes to alleviate the needs of local individuals or organizations. Brown has sponsored requests to fund youth outdoor adventures with Canyonlands Field Institute and children’s programs at the Museum of Moab. “It makes you feel good to help people,” Brown says. “And it’s local, that’s the other thing – we’re helping people in our own area. It’s important for us to learn about those people so we can help them.”

Only members can sponsor and present funding requests, although “experts” are sometimes invited to meetings to answer questions. Member Lee Griffith invited Moab Solutions founder- director Sara Melnicoff to the fall meeting to provide more information after Griffith presented a proposal to fund Moab Solutions.

“I’m extremely honored to be a recipient of 100 Women Who Care Moab,” Melnicoff says. “It’s absolutely beautiful to be in a room full of women, all generous in spirit and heart. You can feel the warmth, camaraderie, and acceptance.”

The donation went to Moab Solutions’ Emergency Needs Fund, which pays for emergencies regarding lodging, utilities, transportation, food and medicine. In December alone, Moab Solutions spent $4,770 on helping people with those issues, says Melnicoff.

Sometimes a sponsor will note that their cause doesn’t necessarily require the entire $10,000 generated each quarter. Thus, funds may be divided and distributed to more than one organization or cause. The group also considers whether a case could be funded by another entity, like Medicare. Efforts are made to direct money in a way that’s most impactful.

100 Women Who Care Moab has no overhead; no administrative costs whatsoever. All contributions go to whatever cause or projects decided on each meeting. When more than three sponsors request funding, the pitches are placed in a hat, and three are chosen for further consideration and discussion at the meeting.

‘FUN FUND’

When 100 Women Who Care Moab was founded in 2017, members were mostly older, retired women, says Galen. Since then, young women – like 32-year-old Stefanie Biron, have joined the group. Biron works as a therapist at Margaret L. Hopkin Middle School in Moab; she joined after seeking money to purchase therapy equipment for the school.

Biron has since helped secure money for various school projects, like the school’s “Fun Fund” – to help students afford fun activities such as mountain biking – activities that would otherwise be unavailable to some children. The school also identified and found funding for families who need occasional help paying rent or utilities during the winter season when many Moab residents earn less income. Additionally, 100 Women Who Care Moab funded an AmeriCorps Vista position at the school to help improve graduation rates.

“People get excited about projects; it’s a cool way to get momentum going about what an organization is doing,” Biron says. “I have learned about projects/causes I never knew about before. Once I went to a meeting I knew I should join. Giving $100 a quarter is reasonable.”

Brown, 78, says she is glad to see younger women getting involved with the group. “They’re not making lots of money but they’re still willing to give,” she says.

In December, Till sends out a message giving members the option to opt out of the group if they want – so they won’t continue to receive email notices of meetings and proposed funding requests. However, “nobody has opted out,” she says. Also, always within two weeks of a meeting Till says she receives the entirety of that quarter’s contributions. “I don’t (have to) bug people,” she says. “I send out one email, and one text.”

She began facilitating the group’s communications after the group’s founder Cinda Coulton, who owns Sweet Cravings Bakery and Bistro, stepped aside. In-person meetings came to a halt during the pandemic, so Till signed up for a Zoom account, and in 2021, the group continued to meet via Zoom. Currently, members may attend meetings in-person or by Zoom.

Till attributes the group’s growth in part to “consistent, predictable and straightforward” communications. “Participants want to make a difference but they don’t want one more thing to do, one more board to sit on, or one more (lengthy) meeting to attend,” Till says. “The beauty of this you can turn your $100 into $10,000.”

Members are asked to make payments quarterly – as opposed to making one lump sum annual payment of $400 – to keep the bookkeeping simple and clear as to where the money is allocated each quarter. Till made an exception for one member who lives in Salt Lake City. The out-of-towner learned about the group through a friend in Moab.

And it’s not just women who care. Karen Dunigan founded the first 100 Women Who Care giving circle in Jackson, Michigan when she sought funding for portable baby cribs for new mothers at the town’s Center for Family Health. Dunigan realized she knew 100 women who could each give $100. There are now 100 Who Care alliances across the world, including 100 Men Who Care, 100 Businesses Who Care, and 100 Kids Who Care.

“I encourage women to join,” says Brown. “Although it says “100 Women” it doesn’t mean we can’t have more.” In fact, at last count there were 105 members of the local alliance.

For many members, like Roche, there is an appreciation that the group is nimble in its ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of local people and organizations.

She recognizes the twists and turns that life often takes. “Any of us could, at any time, find ourselves on the opposite side of the recipient/donor equation,” she says.

For more information visit: www.100womenwhocaremoab.com

Moab Utah Properties is locally owned and operated. As the only boutique luxury property management company in town, each person on our management team has between 15 to 20 years of professional hospitality experience. We generate high-demand and first-class care for our guests and property clients. Your property is in good hands with our full-time cleaning, maintenance, and marketing teams who work year-round to maximize your long-term investment. Let us show you the difference #MoabLocal can make.