The Women’s Philanthropy Network held its membership meeting on October 28 at the home of WPN member, Sarah Toups. This meeting is held annually for members to hear reports from grantees and for prospective members to learn more about WPN.
Since 2005, WPN has built a strong community of philanthropic women who leverage their charitable assets to effect positive change in our area. Each year, the group awards a high impact grant to evidence-based educational programs in Caddo Parish. By pooling their dues and utilizing the growing WPN endowment, the 106 WPN members were able to grant over $73,000 in 2021!
Kelli Todd – VYJ
The 2021 grant was awarded to Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) to implement a Trauma Response School Resource Center at University Elementary School. Through the Trauma Response Center, VYJ has brought several of its crisis intervention services to the school as a means of supporting students who have experienced trauma and may be exhibiting behavioral issues as well as training faculty and staff to provide a more supportive and trauma-sensitive response. At the membership event, Kelli Todd, Executive Director of VYJ, shared a report on the on its progress.
Chairwoman Susannah Poljak issued a membership challenge to increase the WPN membership by 25% in 2022. Doing so will allow for a significant increase in its grantmaking capacity and effect even greater change in our community.
If you are interested in joining WPN or learning more about membership, please go to cfnla.org/wpn or contact Amanda Felan at the Community Foundation: 318-221-0582.