Why should I consider joining 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer? There are lots of reasons to join and your motivation may be different than the next person’s. It’s simple, quick and fun: in just one hour you can be part of a group that donates $10,000 – or more – to a local charity. Collectively we make an impact. Here are a few reasons to join:
- You get to learn about a variety of groups who work in our community.
- There’s minimal time commitment: just four meetings per year.
- You get to share some time with like-minded women. You can reconnect withfriends and colleagues. You can meet new friends.
- You believe in local charities and local causes.
- You want to be part of a powerful group of women who care and who are havingan immediate, direct, and positive impact on our community.
- You want to see the impact that your donations make.
- 100% of the funds raised go to the charities selected.
What is the main goal of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer? Our goal is to support the wonderful non-profit and charitable organizations in Red Deer and district. There are so many groups that are working to make our community a better, healthier, stronger place to live, by offering our support we can help them achieve their goals.
Why 100+ Women? Could we be 100+ Women? We don’t stop at 100+ Women – we want as many members as we can get! The more women involved, the bigger the impact we can have on our community. Join us and experience that magical feeling of knowing that you directly impacted lives for the better four times a year!
Which charitable organizations are eligible for consideration by the group? In order to be considered at a meeting, the organization must be based in Red Deer and surrounding area and it must be a registered not-for-profit or charitable organization eligible to provide tax receipts for donations. It must be a previously established organization, operating for at least one year (no start-ups). No national or international charities, programs or organizations will be considered at this time as the current focus is on contributing to our local community. Organizations with political or church affiliations will not be eligible. An organization that is selected for the group donation may not be considered again for two years.
Is my donation tax deductible? Yes, donations are tax deductible. The group will sponsor only registered not-for-profit and charitable organizations. Cheques are written directly to the charitable organization and NOT to 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer. Tax receipts will be issued directly by the charitable organization.
How is the organization that receives the group donation chosen? A member in good standing can nominate a local organization. Organizers review the nomination and ensure its eligibility. At each meeting, three organizations will be randomly selected from the nominations. The nominating members will be asked to come up and give a short 5 minute presentation as to why the organization they are nominating should be selected, followed by 5 minutes for questions and answers. We encourage members to participate by submitting the names of local, needy, charitable organizations! Then the members vote by secret ballot for one of the three charities and write a cheque at the meeting.
What if I cannot attend a meeting? If a member cannot attend a meeting she can do one of two things: She can send in a blank, signed cheque with a trusted friend to the meeting (preferred). The friend will write in the name of the charity that is chosen on the cheque and give it to the organizers on her behalf. The member can check the website/meeting minutes or contact one of the organizers to find out which charity was selected. The member can then send in a cheque to one of the organizers where we will send it to the charity on the member’s behalf.
How can my vote still count if I am not present at a meeting? We will give your ballot to any member who presents another member’s blank cheque at the registration desk. Your trusted friend can then vote on your behalf.
Can I just send the donation to the charity myself? Because the goal of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group, the answer is no. We want to be able to support this endeavour and give $10,000+ dollars at a time to make a large impact in our community with each member’s donation being part of the larger donation. This is the power of joining forces! We also need to be able to track your donations so that you get credit for the donation and remain eligible for nominating charities and voting at meetings.
How long do the meetings last? Meetings are intended to be very short and no longer than 60 minutes. There will be time to socialize before and after the meeting. Can I bring a friend to the meeting? Of course you can – we are always seeking women who care! However, in order to vote she will need to sign a Commitment Form and become a member. Otherwise she is free to observe and contribute a donation if she likes.
Does any of the money I donate go to administration costs of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer?
Absolutely not! 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is organized and operated entirely by volunteers. We are thankful for the generosity of sponsors who help cover our costs. 100% of the money raised at our meetings goes directly to the selected organizations.
What do you do with my personal information? 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer collects your personal information (including name, address, email address, phone number) strictly for the purpose of maintaining our membership list. 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer will not sell, give or otherwise share your personal information without your express consent, unless required by law.
How do Red Deer charities get in the running? Each member of 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is allowed to nominate one local charity of their choosing for any given meeting. The charity must serve Red Deer and district and it must be a registered charity to be eligible for consideration. The member must submit her completed nomination form at least one week prior to the meeting in order to have it vetted as eligible and added to the “hat” from which we randomly draw three names at each meeting.
The charity that is selected to receive our group’s donation will be invited to the next meeting to give a 5-minute speech on how our donation was spent and the impact that was made from the donation.
Helpful tip: At each meeting, a charity CAN be nominated by more than one
member. This increases their chances of being drawn for consideration. We must always have three different charities for our members to consider voting for, but multiple nominations for one charity does tip the hat in that charity’s favour to be drawn as one of the three. Please note: the member’s name on the ticket drawn is the person who must come up to speak for the charity. ie: every member that nominates a charity must themselves be willing and able to get up and speak about why our group should vote for that charity and they must also be able to answer questions from the group.
Are there other benefits to the charities nominated and selected? There is a benefit to all three charities considered at each meeting, because of the exposure each one gains from this opportunity. These charities may expect to gain some volunteers and/or donations from people who simply did not know about them before! Remember, many of our members are joining so that they can learn more about our local charities. This is a great way to do it!
What about National and International Causes? We care deeply about many national and international causes, but our focus, at this time, is Red Deer and area.