Women in Howard County have two big causes for celebration.

March 8 is the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day and, Monday night, Howard County got a head start, as it celebrated a female-centered organization that has blossomed on the local level.

At its annual meeting on Monday evening, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC) marked entry into its tenth year.

The organization, which operates through the Columbia Foundation and provides grants to empower Howard County women, disbursed almost $30,000 total to 22 organizations in 2010. Among programs it funded were a self-esteem-building summer camp, scholarships to Howard Community College, and a STEM Career Expo for Girls.

Surrounded by beauty at the Howard County Conservancy, 140 women and a handful of men heard from speakers on the WGC's annual meeting theme "Voices of Empowerment." Members reminisced about how far the organization has come and touched on the distance it still needs to go in lifting up the women of Howard County.

“Too often, in this economy, women are falling through the cracks,” said Kim Sheff Flyr, who works on WGC's Response Network, an emergency fund to aid women in acute financial binds. She explained that they may need gas money or a security deposit. When she gets the call for support, she puts out an email asking for help from WGC members, she said, and many times, the outpouring of assistance is overwhelming. “You give because that’s what we do, because you recognize that tough times could happen to any of us, and it is our responsibility to help each other.”

Keynote speaker Rachel Garbow Monroe, president of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, garnered laughs, nods and applause as she cycled through the challenges women face and the opportunities they have to overcome them.

The thread of empowerment wove the various voices from the podium together into a clear message: supporting other women was the taproot of strength.

Said WGC Advisory Board member Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz: “…women coming together to learn about issues and then leveraging their dollars for a greater impact than they might otherwise have on their own is extraordinarily empowering. It’s why women’s giving circles are forming all over the country.”

In fact, WGC has had a ripple effect through the past 10 years. Last fall, the group spawned an offshoot—a Young Women’s Giving Circle (YWGC) started in September 2010. Following in WGC's footsteps, now a group of 14 high school girls is getting ready to issue its first grant.

“We’ve heard from notable professionals in the field, we’ve gone on site visits, and we just decided to make our first grant to Girls on the Run, a program encouraging the healthy development of girls through running," said YWGC cofounder Julie Factor, a student at Glenelg High School. "It’s pretty cool that we are, to our knowledge, one of just a few teen giving circles under way in the country....Are we empowered? You bet!”

In addition to providing funds for the next generation of women, YWGC is also having an impact on its predecessor.

“Focusing on philanthropy early is so valuable, and I'm glad to see WGC engaging our youth. Having a young daughter myself encourages me to support WGC and the growth of the organization,” said WGC Administrator Kristin Metz-Mentz, whose child attends Deep Run Elementary School in Elkridge. “My hope is that I can help leave WGC's legacy to her and future generations.” 

Added Caroline Sherman, chair of WGC’s Grants Committee: “Our strong program and the change in the age of our audience has highlighted our organization’s maturity. I think we have come full circle.”