WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST

Women Helping Women funds programs that change lives in the Tri-City community.

By Laura Kostad

For over 23 years, Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities (WHWFTC) has been uplifting and empowering women and children in our community by bringing people together to raise money for grants and scholarships. These funds directly support local outreach programs and students in need and, above all, provide hope.

WHWFTC challenges the Tri-City community to ask hard but critical questions about the well-being of our neighbors and those living alongside us: What if sex trafficking, despair, abuse, violence, homelessness, addiction and fear were replaced by love, healing, peace, joy, comfort, recovery, hope and happiness?

As of 2022, WHWFTC has distributed over $3 million in funds to 163 different Tri-City nonprofit programs.

“It wouldn’t have happened if people hadn’t come together all these years,” said Alysia Johnson, executive coordinator of WHWFTC.

In 2022, they raised $190,000, which funded programs for Grace Kitchen, Forge Youth Mentoring, Columbia Industries, Mirror Ministries, Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity, Columbia Basin College Foundation, Academy of Children’s Theatre’s and Mid-Columbia Youth Orchestra and more.

“Women are usually at the core of a family, keeping things going, making sure the kids have everything they need, so if they’re struggling, it’s a domino effect. If you empower a mom, it sets an example for their children that lasts their entire life,” Alysia said.

On October 12, 2023 Women Helping Women will be holding the single event that makes it all possible: their annual fundraising luncheon at the HAPO Center.

“Passionate individuals join us during their lunch hour to dine on a delicious meal, listen to an inspirational speaker and raise money for those in need,” explained Alysia.

Past speakers have included Dr. Lonise P. Bias, Maja Kazazic and Carly Patterson among others.

The event is also live streamed so that supporters who are away or who have since relocated can continue to provide their support.

Women Helping Women’s annual luncheon is an opportunity to make a real difference that directly benefits fellow community members.

“Each attendee graciously donates a minimum of $100 to attend and 100% of the funds raised stay in our community. Each dollar raised at the luncheon is awarded to a local nonprofit agency through our grant program, and the luncheon is paid for by the generosity of our underwriters and corporate sponsors.”

Grant applications are accepted on an annual basis beginning in February and are due the third week of March. Grant amounts range between $2,500 to $25,000.

If you empower a mom, it sets an example for their children that lasts their entire life.

WHWFTC values programs that balance cost effectiveness with need, maximize community resources, are viable and sustainable, use a collaborative approach and are able to measure impact and evaluate outcomes.

The board gives priority to programs that help improve the lives of women and children in the Tri-City area by assisting in their care and development in the areas of child care/ early learning, drug use prevention, family violence, food insecurity, homelessness, mental health, parental and caregiver education and support, high school dropout reduction and self-sufficiency for women (i.e., employment training).

Rebeca Hanson, Finance Director at McCurley Subaru, has volunteered as a table captain at the annual luncheon the past few years, recruiting fellow community members to turn out for the event.

“I was looking for a way to give back,” she said. Women Helping Women’s mission deeply resonated with her on a personal level.

“I was on my own at 16 working three jobs in college and then I moved here. I had a couple degrees, nothing I could work into professionally. I started at McCurley by accident.”

Now she is one of only a few women working at her level in a male-dominated industry.

“Coming from nothing and being able to make this transition in my life where now I get to hire women in the dealership group and help come alongside them to help elevate their lives beyond what they believed was possible… Opportunities to connect with other women and help them be successful is something I want to be a part of.”

I want to be a part of opportunities to connect with other women and help them be successful.

It’s an opportunity to come full circle, to pay it forward.

“I go to benefits and help raise money because I was there. I had nothing, I was homeless, but I am so thankful for the people who helped me afford my college textbooks, showed up for me in the snow to get me to work and just so much more. Women Helping Women has allowed me to keep giving back."

“You’ll find, too, that my story is totally normal — there are so many people in this industry with backstories like mine.”

"...we can't necessarily pick out who standing next to us might be in need."

Rebeca sees people in need day in and day out at her dealership. Most don’t have that luxury and we can’t necessarily pick out who standing next to us might be in need.

Women Helping Women bridges that gap and enables anyone to provide direct assistance to other community members where it’s needed most.

Helen Keller’s famous adage couldn’t ring truer: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

To get involved with the luncheon, contact Alysia Johnson, Executive Coordinator at 509-713-6553 or by email at contact@whwftc.org. To learn more or make a direct donation, visit www.whwftc.org/. WHWFTC is also on Facebook.

This feature appears in our Non-Profit section, which is generously sponsored by McCurley Subaru.