Women Helping Women

The Women Helping Women Fund was established 15 years ago in August 2010 by Janice Norlin, Anita Huntley, Nada Schroeder, and Yvonne Gibbons, who invited Gina McDonald, Debbie Jensen, Melanie Terrill, and Jane Eilers to form the original steering committee. Recognizing a gap in crisis support for women in Saline County, the group met with local human service agencies to ensure they weren’t duplicating services. These agencies became Partner Agencies, now totaling 15, with 39 trained individuals helping women apply for funding.

To establish the fund, the founders recruited donors known as Fairy Godmothers, each contributing $500 or more, along with support from foundations and businesses. By the end of the first year, they raised over $63,000 in endowed funds and welcomed 83 Fairy Godmothers. The first grants, awarded in July 2011, supported 29 women.

Grants are designed to give local women a “hand up” and cover needs often excluded from traditional assistance, including dentures, car repairs, education tuition fees, and basic furniture and other like items. Today, thanks to 210 Fairy Godmothers, one Fairy Godfather, and three Tinkerbells, the fund has grown to over $750,000, with more than $403,000 granted to over 700 women in Saline County, making a mark in the lives of these women forever.