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A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
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Dear Friends,
Earlier this year, the Fund received letters of interest representing grant requests of over $550,000 from 63 organizations. That amount alone, together with the number of organizations, represents a tremendous amount of work being done across the state to address the challenges to economic security women and girls face in Maine. This year the Fund will be able to address just less than 20% of that need. This month, the Fund's Grants Committee will make its final recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Fund will provide technical assistance to grantees to help the organizations build greater sustainability and strategic capacity for the social change they make. We're working to increase the amount of support that the Fund can give in grants to at least $300,000 by 2020, and I invite you to imagine what that kind of change looks like. Your support today is helping to make that possible.
When we come together on May 19 at the 2015 Leadership Luncheon, we will celebrate grantees and leaders that exemplify the work of the Fund. Read more below about Lamey Wellehan, this year's Visionary Partner. Luncheon tickets are going on sale in the next few weeks. Stay tuned to email, Facebook and Twitter for directions to go out the Fund's site, www.mainewomensfund.org, to purchase tickets. The Luncheon sold out as early as April in 2014, so be sure to get registered as soon as possible. We are so grateful for the time and energy of our Sponsorship Committee and Luncheon Planning Committee, and all of the volunteers and sponsors that make this event one "not to be missed"!
We are also pleased to have a new online presence. With the help of partner iBec Creative, our marketing committee and staff, the site is designed to increase your ability to engage with the Fund and access information about economic security for Maine women and girls and the work of the Fund to support it. Read more below and be sure to visit!
Finally, we are close to having $1M committed to the Karen Moran Leadership Fund for Women and Girls, with the receipt of a generous planned gift from Dick Hallstein, as well as hundreds of gifts from family and friends. Read more below about his life, family and legacy of leadership for Maine in which the Fund is privileged and humbled to participate.
Sarah Ruef-Lindquist
CEO
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WHEN: Tuesday, May 19, 2015
WHERE: Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland
Honorees: Melissa Smith, Nicole Maines, Judy Kahrl, and Lamey Wellehan Grantee speakers and networking Emcee: Suzanne Nance
Cornerstone Sponsors:
Benefactor Sponsors:
Rep. Chellie Pingree and S. Donald Sussman
Gift Underwriter:
Spinnaker Trust
Video Underwriter:
Supporter Sponsors:
Gayle Brazeau, Dean, College of Pharmacy, University of New England
Friend & Nonprofit Sponsors:
For sponsorship information, please contact Kelly at 207-774-5513 or via email. ASL Interpretation Provided
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Leadership Luncheon 2015
HONOREE SPOTLIGHT: LAMEY WELLEHAN
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The Visionary Partner Award is given to a person or entity who has helped to advance the Fund's vision of a just and caring society in which Maine women and girls thrive so communities prosper.
2015 Honoree: Lamey Wellehan
As WCSH6 put it, "Lamey Wellehan started in an era when many customers came on horseback. It has existed into an era when the President is Tweeting its name." Indeed, this 100-year-old Maine shoe company caught the eye of President Obama recently not just because of its remarkable history, but on account of its inspiring commitment to paying employees a livable wage.
Jim Wellehan, president and second generation of family leadership, has positioned his family's business as a leading example of a company helping to ensure economic security for women and their families. Wellehan is an outspoken supporter for increasing the minimum wage, and sales staff at Lamey Wellehan--most of whom are women--earn a base wage much higher than minimum wage, plus commissions.
Additionally, Lamey Wellehan workers enjoy a health plan and 401k package that matches each 5 percent contribution with a 5.5 percent company match. 
"When I was a kid, America was definitely committed to fairness. And that concern for other people seems to be missing today in our corporate culture," says Wellehan. "And we've got to change that. We should pay people enough to live on comfortably, to educate their kids, to bring up their kids."
Join us at the 2015 Leadership Luncheon to hear Jim Wellehan, president of Lamey Wellehan, speak.
May 19, 2015
Tickets on sale soon.
Check out this feature story in Bangor Daily News.
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THE FUND UNVEILS A NEW WEBSITE
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The Fund is proud to unveil exclusively to you a brand new website that provides a more streamlined, user-friendly, and more dynamic way to highlight the work being done by grantees and our donors on behalf of Maine women and girls.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Quimby Family Foundation, whose mission is to encourage vibrant sustainable Maine communities by promoting health and well-being, advancing opportunities for outdoor recreation, protecting and restoring our environment, and supporting local access to the arts for all Maine people. We are also thankful to our partner, iBec Creative, who designed and furnished our new web home for us.
You - the Fund's donors and volunteers - make up the generous, bold and joyful community reflected here. Without your hearts, our grantmaking program would not be possible. THANK YOU for giving your time, talent and treasure to help the Fund transform the lives of Maine women and girls.
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DONOR PROFILE: KAREN MORAN LEADERSHIP FUND
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The Karen Moran Leadership Fund: A Legacy to Cultivate Maine's Female Leadership
Imagine what Maine would look like if:
Women leaders represented half of the Maine legislature (instead of its current 30%)?
Women-owned businesses comprised half of Maine businesses (instead of its current 25%)?
Women led half of the largest employers in Maine (instead of the current 20%)?
Karen Moran was a Yarmouth leader with uncommon courage and integrity, fueled by a fierce passion for holding space for many diverse perspectives, particularly under-represented voices. As an innovative leader, a magnetic teacher, a consummate consultant, and a discerning coach, Karen's style was to lead from behind, nudging gently and firmly, bringing awareness to the heart of an issue. She was known to deftly guide people to their growing edge in a way that resulted in their feeling the joy of having successfully done the work by themselves. In her memory, her family and friends established The Karen Moran Leadership Fund for Women and Girls to reflect her commitment to strengthening leadership capacity, ensuring that women and girls of all races and classes have access to opportunities to reach their full potential.
Within a year of its founding, the Karen Moran Leadership Fund collected an astounding $500,000 in gifts and pledges to create a perpetual fund to support leadership programs for Maine women and girls. Dick Hallstein, Karen's widower, informed the Maine Women's Fund that he had included a gift to the Karen Moran Leadership Fund in his estate plans, and graciously accepted membership in the Ellen Wells Legacy Society to be recognized for his future planned gift.
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Marilyn Bronzi, MWF Board of Directors, with dear friend Dick Hallstein at the 2014 Leadership Luncheon. Dick passed away in November 2014.
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Sadly, this past fall, a year and 11 days after Karen's passing, Dick succumbed to cancer. While he had helped to create the KMLF to honor his wife, his estate designated the Karen Moran Leadership Fund with a significant gift using his unused retirement plan assets. As a result, together with many generous gifts in memory of Dick, the Karen Moran Leadership Fund has grown to over $850,000 in gifts and pledges. Still others have added to the fund by subsidizing its leadership grant-making capacity through their own gifts or Donor Advised Funds at the Maine Women's Fund. Yet more are helping the fund's future impact through their own planned gifts, resulting in a total of over $1,100,000 in current and future gifts in support of leadership programs for women and girls.
In a relatively short amount of time, friends and family of two people dear to so many in Maine and beyond have come together to create a powerful force for supporting the leadership aspirations of girls and women throughout Maine.
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| | Seated left to right: Lynn Hallstein, Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, Denice Hallstein. Standing: Melinda Shain, Zita Lazzarini |
Together, we have the opportunity to bring out the innate leadership qualities within Maine women and girls, providing them opportunities to build inner strength, find their voices, and develop the confidence to pursue their dreams. By funding programs like Hardy Girls Healthy Women, Maine NEW Leadership, Girls Scouts, the Passages Program of Wayfinder Schools, Maine Women's Policy Center, Trekkers, Coastal Studies for Girls, Tree Street Youth and a myriad of others doing great work, the KMLF will help Maine women and girls embolden and sustain their voices to make individual and collective contributions as leaders of Maine.
The Maine Women's Fund is proud to partner with the Karen Moran Leadership Fund. We envision a Maine where women and girls lead, thrive, and buoy up communities to prosperity. To learn more, visit www.mainewomensfund.org/donor-profiles.
Be sure to pick up Dick's inspiring book, "Life, Love and Loss: Pathways to Peace and Possibilities" at Amazon. All proceeds to benefit the Maine Women's Fund.
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SPOTLIGHT ON GRANTEE: FAMILY CRISIS SERVICES
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| | Young women from the Global Girls Group at Portland High School during the poster campaign to raise awareness of teen dating violence. |
For 37 years, Family Crisis Services has served survivors of domestic violence and worked to further women's rights in Cumberland County. The Young Adult Abuse Prevention Program (YAAPP) was established in 1996 to raise awareness and educate youth age 12 through 24 about dating abuse and domestic violence; it comprises the prevention team of Family Crisis Services. Each year, YAAPP educates youth using interactive presentations that focus on dating violence and providing youth with the information and skills they need to think critically about relationships. YAAPP also offers one-to-one advocacy for youth who are experiencing dating abuse.
The Maine Women's Fund's program funding supports the facilitation of YAAPP's Global Girls Groups discussion and activity groups at Deering High School, Portland High School and Casco Bay High School. The majority of the girls in these groups are English Language Learners coming from countries experiencing turmoil; or they are the first generation born here and have parents who are refugees or political asylum seekers. The Global Girls Group fills the need for an ongoing primary prevention program that offers New Mainer high school girls a safe and supportive place to explore gender equality, the oppression of women, and the global epidemic of violence against women and girls. The forums empower young women who have arrived in Maine from around the world and view these issues as problems that can be solved by speaking their opinions and inspiring others to do the same.
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| | Young women from the Global Girls Group at Deering High School during the poster campaign to raise awareness of teen dating violence. |
Planned outcomes of the grant include the creation of new curriculum; outreach efforts to potential collaborating organizations that work with new Mainers; the building of a safe space for discussion and
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| | A poster made by Portland High School students to help create awareness of the prevalence of teen dating violence during "Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month" |
exploration by setting goals, creating a group identity, and naming their own strength and power; and engaging in activities that allow them to communicate around violence and cultural norms. All the Global Girls Groups have chosen to make and distribute posters throughout their schools and on social media to raise awareness about dating violence.
Program outcomes will be measured by pre- and post-questionnaires for this year as well as the number of events and the number of people participating in the Global Girls Events. This data will be complemented by the sharing that takes place at a "Voices of Change" conference retreat for all the participants and through reflective journal pieces the will be submitted to the international community of World Pulse International via their website.
We are proud to fund this dynamic program working to educate Maine youth on dating violence and what makes a healthy relationship. For more information, visit www.yaapp.org.
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| | YAAPP's "Continuum of Harm" exercise, highlighting beliefs and actions that are prevalent in our society that perpetuate harm to gender equality. |
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GRANTEE NEWS
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Women, Work, and Community
5th Annual ALL for Women: Aroostook Leadership & Learning Conference
Thursday, April 2, 2015 from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the UMPI Campus Center in Presque Isle.
Pre-registration is required: $25 per person or 2/$40. Bring a friend and save. Don't let cost be a factor in your decision to attend! Sponsored seats are available by request to ensure that all are welcome. Download registration packet and send to: Women, Work, and Community, UMPI - South Hall, 181 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769. Registration deadline: March 20. Questions? Contact Erica Quin-Easter at (207) 768-9468.
CeleSoirée 2015: ILAP presents the 11th Annual celebration of immigration through the arts--this year through circus arts-- Friday March 27, 2015. Join the Cirque-style fun at Ocean gateway for high flying fun with Portland's Circus Conservatory of America, live music and a sumptuous international buffet from locally owned ethnic restaurants. Click here to buy your ticket today!
 Four Directions Development Corporation is providing free tax preparation clinics for Native Americans. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call the organization's office (207) 866-6545. Note that households making less than $60K a year can file online for free (both state and federal) at www.myfreetaxes.com. If there is a preference to have a volunteer tax preparer file their taxes, there are tax clinics available throughout the state (dial United Way's hotline at 2-1-1 or www.211maine.org).
Maine NEW Leadership accepting applications for 2015 session
Maine NEW Leadership is a six-day, non-partisan, residential, public leadership training program, provided at no cost to undergraduate college women from a variety of public and private, four- and two-year institutions throughout Maine. To be eligible, undergraduates must either be from Maine or attending college in Maine. Graduating college seniors are eligible to apply. The 2015 session will be held from May 28-June 2, 2015 at the University of Maine.
>>More info
Many Maine women and girls are currently being sexually exploited or trafficked. While organizations in Maine are responding to this issue, there are many more individuals and community groups who don't know how to help. Last month, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, with support from the Maine Women's Fund, launched the state's first human trafficking volunteer databank. The databank will be a single point of contact for individuals and community groups who want to share their time and resources with Maine-based anti-trafficking efforts. The databank is part of the resource collection offered at the Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network (which was established in 2012 with the support of the Women's Fund). To find out more, visit www.mainesten.org, or read our recent blog post about the databank at the Bangor Daily News.
The Global Girls Group is proud to announce its year-end conference: Voices of Change! This is a conference for youth to come together for a day of aspirational workshops and activities. The young leaders will work together toward creating a community where social norms, attitudes, and beliefs support equal, healthy, and respectful relationships. They will leave with actionable ideas for implementation in their communities. The format will involve a keynote presentation by a community leader, presentations by the students, and student led breakout sessions.
>>Read more
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EVENTS, NEWS & GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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March 8, 2015 All around the world, International Women's Day represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality. Make It Happen is the 2015 theme for the global hub, encouraging effective action for advancing and recognizing women. The first International Women's Day was held in 1911. Since then, thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Get involved and Make it Happen!
>>Read more
Justice for Women Lecture Series | Ruchira Gupta
Thursday, March 19, 2015
7:00 PM | FREE and open to the public
Abromson Community Education Center, University of Maine, Portland
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 2015 annual lecture featuring Ruchira Gupta, Founder and President of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a grassroots organization in India working to end sex trafficking by increasing choices for at-risk girls and women. Ruchira has proven to be a force and a game changer in the arena of human trafficking both in India and around the world. She has striven over her 25 year career to highlight the link between trafficking and prostitution laws, and to lobby policy makers to shift blame from victims to perpetrators.
>>Register here
Mainebiz will again host its annual Women to Watch Leadership Forum
Topic: How to bring an entrepreneur's mindset to any business
Thursday, April 2, 2015
8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Hilton Garden Inn Freeport Downtown
Whether you're a start-up or a long-time family business, every company needs new ideas and the will and know-how to see them to fruition. Hear how this panel of CEOs and business owners brought new ideas and energy to companies of all sizes. To buy tickets, click here.
Connectworking™: Standing Out From The Crowd By Turning Small Talk Into Big Business Success & Co. / Susan Dench Wednesday, April 15, 2015
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Harraseeket Inn, Freeport
Networking is the #1 unwritten rule for success. Kicking that up into high gear to get personal? That's connectworking™! Making personal connections (whether you're working across divisions, smashing glass ceilings, addressing your entire target market or building a business) in a digital age is hard. The people who can talk to, communicate and connect with others are the ones who will succeed. Susan Dench is the Founder and President of Success & Co., a corporate veteran, author and an expert on communication and women in business. Her latest book is "Connectworking™: The Savvy Woman's Guide To Turning Small Talk Into Big Business." >>Read more
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England's 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland
Join PPNNE and other Maine supporters for a fun, memorable and meaningful celebration as we take time to reflect on this important milestone in our history and look ahead to the next 50 years! Don't miss our special guest, Planned Parenthood Federation of America President, Cecile Richards. To buy tickets, click here.
Second Annual Cultural Inclusion Institute: Valuing the Culture of Women
June 29 & 30, 2015
at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Exchange knowledge, expertise, research, challenges and successes in addressing issues related to women and develop strategies for integrating the cultural values and beliefs of women into healthcare.
>>More info
Save the Date: Maine Women's Summit on Economic Security
Friday, October 16, 2015
Augusta Civic Center
Stay tuned for more details.
NEWS & RESOURCES
Mainely Girls Seeks New Executive Director
After 19 years of establishing programs and undertaking initiatives supporting girls in Maine, the founder/executive director of Mainely Girls is stepping down. The position will be open as of July 2015 to a person of vision and initiative with a desire to advocate for the issues and well being of Maine girls, with a special focus on those in rural areas. Someone with a well-developed entrepreneurial spirit who is able to entertain both risk and re-invention is desirable for this position. A strong vision, creativity and perseverance will be necessary to take on this part-time or full-time position; the person can live in and work from anywhere in Maine. A full description of this position and desired qualifications can be found at the Mainely Girls website: www.mainelygirls.org. Application deadline: April 30, 2015. Read more on how to apply.
IWPR Research Featured in Glamour Magazine Exclusive
 In its March issue on newsstands now, Glamour magazine takes an in-depth look at the status of younger women in the United States based on new, exclusive data from IWPR's Status of Women in the States project. IWPR has produced data on the economic, social, and political status of women in the United States since 1996. In Spring 2015, IWPR will release an updated comprehensive series of publications and website featuring new data and trend analysis. The disparities women face in the United States undermine women's rights, economic security, personal safety, and health. Data on women's standing across a range of issue areas are essential to elevating women's status and promoting the overall well-being of women, families, communities, and society. Advocates, policymakers, and other leaders need reliable information about the status of women to push for policy changes in a variety of ways, including through legislative action, advocacy and outreach, educational initiatives, institution-building, grantmaking, and coalition-building.
>>Read more
See the Glamour magazine article.
"More than one-third of Maine children live in households where parents lack full-time, year-round employment, while 21 percent of Maine children - or 54,000 - live in poverty." Read the full report here and the Maine report here. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
The goal of the Mary Kay Foundation is to eliminate domestic violence. As part of this effort, the foundation makes grants to organizations in the United States that assist survivors of domestic violence by operating emergency shelters. The grants are announced each October in observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Funds awarded by the foundation may be used for operating expenses, with the exception of staff travel. The foundation will award a grant to at least one domestic violence shelter in every state. Any remaining funds will be distributed based on state population.
Only applicants operating an emergency shelter (immediate overnight housing) for survivors of domestic violence are eligible for a grant.
>>Read more
Intel Corporation has announced a $300 million initiative aimed at boosting workforce diversity at the company and in the technology and gaming industries. Through its Diversity in Technology initiative, Intel will work to build a more robust pipeline of female and minority engineers and computer scientists; actively support the hiring and retention of more women and minorities; and fund efforts to increase the number of positive representations of these groups within the technology and gaming industries. To that end, the chip maker will collaborate with education programs focused on underserved neighborhoods and communities as well as computer science and engineering programs at higher education institutions, including historically black colleges and universities.
Mary Byron Project Announces 2015 Roth Award for Domestic Violence Programs
As part of its annual Celebrating Solutions Awards honoring innovative programs in the United States that demonstrate promise in ending the generational cycle of domestic violence, the Mary Byron Project created the Roth Award to reward and spotlight domestic violence programs that address the needs of under-served populations. Eligible programs provide services to populations (including those based on age, race, ethnicity, gender, faith, disabilities, low socioeconomic status, sexual preference, and victims from economically comfortable suburban areas) that traditionally do not know how to avail themselves of services or who are too ashamed to find them.
>>Read more
Launched a new global campaign to bring financial inclusion to low-income communities.
Invites applications for STEM programs.
For individuals working to make their community and the world a better place in the areas of arts and culture, community health and wellness, the environment, and justice.
Invites applications for programs that engage youth and communities in learning opportunities.
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SAVE THE DATE! THE POWER OF SHE 10K - OCT. 11
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READ THE 2013-14 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
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We have another amazing year of successes to report for fiscal year 2013-2014 on behalf of the Fund, all of which were made possible with the generous support of corporate, foundation and individual philanthropists, like you.
Click here or on the image to the right to read the report.
We thank you for your participation as a donor, volunteer, or for attending the Luncheon or our county conversations. We could not do this work without you. Together, we will make Maine the best it can be for all who live and work here by ensuring that women and girls thrive so our communities prosper. Thank you for your commitment to creating better lives for women, families and communities in Maine.
Consider giving a gift to the Maine Women's Fund today.
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The Maine Women's Fund thanks MaineShare for its ongoing support. MaineShare makes it easy to donate to more than 30 statewide organizations working every day to make Maine a better place to live. For more information, please visit the website. |
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On behalf of the staff and board of the Maine Women's Fund, thank you for reading and for all you do to support Maine women and girls.
Office locations: 74 Lunt Road, Suite 100, Falmouth, ME 04105 | 41 Mechanic Street, Suite 328, Camden, ME 04843
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