Moore Women – A Giving Circle (MWGC) has awarded $51,840 in grants to organizations supporting women, children and families in the local community.
The giving circle granted:
$2,500 to The Arc of Moore County for Early Childhood Support for Children with Developmental Disabilities
$1,440 to the Arts Council of Moore County for PAMS Program and ACMC Youth Theatre for Title I Schools serving students kindergarten through eighth grade
$2,400 to the Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills for Sponsor a Child
$14,000 to the Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for Childhood Cancer Safety Net in Moore County
$5,000 to Moore Buddies Mentoring for the After-School program
$5,000 to Partners for Children & Families for Positive Early Childhood Education (PECE) Program
$2,500 to Prevent Blindness NC for Moore County Vision Screening Program
$5,000 to Sandhills Children’s Center for Engaging Outdoor Play for Early Childhood Health and Wellness
$5,000 to Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc., for No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in our Town (NC Sandhills)
$5,000 to Southmountain Children and Family Services for Funding for Medical Provider of the Moore County Children’s Advocacy Center
$4,000 to Triangle Area Parenting Support for Moore County Support Groups
“These nonprofits are doing important work to serve women, children and families in our community,” said Diane Galusky, grants committee chair of MWGC. “We were thrilled to be able to focus on addressing early childhood issues this year, as we know it is a huge need in our community.”
In 2024, the Giving Circle focused on applications that address access to high-quality early childhood programs or projects that prepare Moore County children academically and socially for success, such as a program through the Arts Council of Moore County offering arts education to Title I schools in the county.
“The MWGC grant allowed us to obtain a matching grant from a private donor, and through these donations, we can offer arts and theater education to children in Moore County’s 11 Title I schools,” said Ray Owen, Arts Council development director. “The arts can be a great equalizer; it fosters well-being and a sense of belonging.”
Giving circle members and representatives from some of the nonprofits gathered last week at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines to celebrate 2024 grants awarded and a decade of MWGC grantmaking.
MWGC was founded in 2014 by a forward-looking group of women who wanted to make an impact through collective giving. By maximizing women’s leadership, MWGC believed it could strengthen the community with the goal of improving the lives of women and children. Moore Women – A Giving Circle is a North Carolina Community Foundation program.
“I helped get the first 30 women together to start the Moore Women Giving Circle. Each of our members believed in that Giving Circle’s motto: By yourself you can make a contribution. Together we can make an impact,” said Susie Smith, MWGC founding member.
Learn more about MWGC and its work in the community at nccommunityfoundation.org/MooreWomen. For further information, contact the central region donor engagement officer.
Feature photo: MWGC 2024 grant recipients. From left: Sleep in Heavenly Peace Chapter President Tom Bourne; Triangle Area Parenting Moore County Doula Naja Fitzgerald and Executive Director Monica Richardson; Arts Council of Moore County Executive Director Chris Dunn; The Arc of Moore County Executive Director Wendy Carter; C.A.R.E Group and Moore Buddies Mentoring Executive Director Joyce Clevenger; and Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas Director of Advancement Allison Brouillette.
Contributed article and photo.
