The 100 Women Who Care Mississauga celebrated International Women’s Day at their March Giving Circle on March 8th, 2023. The Giving Circle coincided with celebrating International Women’s Day, and the votes for Embrave aligned so well with the spirit of the evening. With 85 attendees in person, and another dozen online, the event was well attended, and the IWD theme of Embrace Equity was well received. The event featured a photo booth honouring the theme, which was a huge hit among attendees. Members came dressed in purple to acknowledge International Women’s Day, creating a warm, welcoming, and united atmosphere. Many said that there was no place they would rather be on this day, which is a testament to the importance of the Giving Circle and the power of women.

As the event was on International Women’s Day, it was no surprise that the theme of the night resonated with the attendees. Embrace Equity is a call to action for all women to embrace their unique qualities and to work together to create a more equitable world. It was inspiring to see how the theme of the night was woven into every aspect of the event, from the photo booth to the charities that presented.

Three charities were randomly pre-selected to present at the event. Each charity presented its cause, highlighting how they have been working to impact the community positively. The presentations were enlightening, and it was great to see the different ways each charity is making a difference.

• Twas the Bite Before Christmas: this local organization, that was founded in 2009, shared about their impact over the years and that they would use the collective donation to fund meals for residents in need throughout the year.
• Start2Finish: their Mississauga chapter presented details of their Running and Reading program and discussed their plans to use the collective donation, should they receive it, to fund another school program.
• Embrave: Agency to End Violence: as an organization that provides support to survivors of violence, they shared that the collective donation would be used to help fund their 24-hour crisis phone line.

After the presentations, members voted for the charity they wanted to support. The largest number of votes went to Embrave to End Violence Against Women. The collective donation will be used to support their 24-hour helpline. This is our highest collective donation to date and will certainly make a difference to many who are suffering and require support through the Embrave phone lines.

From Julie Shultz, Development Manager at Embrave:

“We are overjoyed by the incredible show of support! Tonight on #IWD Embrave presented to @100womenwhocaremississauga and walked away with over $10,000 in total donations, which will be directly invested in our 24-hr emergency crisis lines.

We are deeply grateful to all the members @100womenwhocaremississauga for their support in ending gender based violence in Peel Region. We rely on the generosity of our community to continue the work that we do.

What a way to wrap up International Women’s Day!”

On the morning of April 4th, once all of our member donations had been received by them, the Steering Team went to the Embrave offices to present a cheque for $12,000 to Julie and her team! Congratulations to Embrave, and thank you to all our members for coming together, for inviting your friends and family to join our chapter, and for helping us achieve this growth milestone of 120 contributing members!

The team at Embrave took the Steering Team on a tour of the facility, presented the team with beautiful Embrave scarves, and told us more about the helpline our collective donation will be funding. The 24-hour Crisis Support Line is funded 100% by individual donations. The donation from 100 Women Who Care Mississauga was the first dedicated donation for this helpline and the largest individual (non-government or corporate) donation Embrave has ever received. Our $12,000 will fully fund the Crisis Support Line for 3–4 months.

As the membership of 100 Women Who Care Mississauga grows, the reach of the Giving Circle continues to expand, enabling more connections and greater impact on the community. The event was held at the Irish Club of Mississauga, providing a perfect setting for networking, enjoying snacks, and visiting the sponsor tables. All members received a custom 100 Women Who Care Mississauga travel mug, which was a great way to commemorate the event.

Image Credit: https://www.facebook.com/katrinasuttonphotog
Go to https://100womenwhocaremississauga.com/gallery/ to view more images from past events.

The Giving Circle is a unique way of giving back to the community, bringing together women with a shared commitment to making a difference. The power of collective giving is enormous, and the impact that the Giving Circle is having on the Mississauga community is significant. The event was a great reminder of the importance of giving back and working together to create positive change.

This latest Giving Circle reminds us that the power of collective giving is enormous and the impact we can have is significant. With the membership growing, the reach of the Giving Circle continues to expand, enabling more connections and a greater impact on the Mississauga community.

If you (or someone you know) is in an unsafe relationship or experiencing violence and need help, reach out to Embrave’s 24-hour Crisis Line at 905 403 0864 or 1-855-676-8515. Go to https://embrave.ca/programs-services/24-hour-crisis-line/ to learn more.

Additional contributions by Xanthe Le Blanc