Greater Lansing 100+ Women Who Care is closing in on $1 million in donati0ns

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The Greater Lansing chapter of 100+ Women Who Care held its first meeting of 2021 on March 23. The chapter includes multiple towns around Lansing, including Mason and the rest of Ingham County, as well as Clinton and Eaton County.

The Greater Lansing area 100+ Women Who Care organization has more than  200 members and meets four times per year. Due to COVID, the past few meetings have been held over email. 

The organization’s mission is to choose a charity or non-profit at each meeting to support and donate to. Each member is required to write a $100 check to the charity that is chosen, which is mostly the only requirement to join. Once the checks are written, the two main facilitators of the organization, Barbara Dunlap and Donna Oade, deliver them to the chosen charity.

Michelle Lantz, Greater Lansing Food Bank CEO; Marna Wilson, Greater Lansing Food Bank volunteer and 100 Women Who Care Advisory Committee member; Donna Oade, 100 Women Who Care facilitator; Barbara Dunlap, 100 Women Who Care facilitator; Kelly Miller, Greater Lansing Food Bank Director of Philanthropy. 

“100+ Women is not a non-profit itself; it is mainly a vehicle to help the non-profits in the tri county area,” said Margie Griffith, advisory board member.

At each meeting, three members present a charity they are passionate about and would like to have chosen. The charity has to be local. After the presentations, members vote and the one with the most votes wins. The last recipient chosen in 2020 was Tuesday Toolmen.

The Greater Lansing chapter started in 2010, when Oade’s friend, Rose Zack, was inspired after hearing about a chapter in the Jackson area. Oade and Zack decided to start the organization for the Lansing area, and had 41 people attend the first meeting. Zack died three years ago, and Dunlap stepped in. Now with over 200 members, the organization has grown quite a bit.

“Some have been members since the Greater Lansing chapter started in 2010. These are ladies that really want to learn about charities and nonprofits in our community through the presentations and then, of course, want to donate. … We feel there is power in the numbers, so when we gather together and we vote and we are all putting our money together, it’s over a $20,000 check,” said Dunlap.

Dunlap said there are members of all ages and different paths, but most are between 50 and 70. However, the group has been getting more younger members.

“The total we have donated so far is over $750,000.  We hope to celebrate when we hit a million,” said Oade.

If you are interested in joining this organization and would like to see what it is about, you may attend one meeting before you commit. However, after that one meeting, you must make a decision if you would like to join or not. If you would like to, you have to fill out a commitment form, and donate $100 at each meeting.

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