Every three months, Tallahasseans hear about a big donation to a little nonprofit that helps locals. The latest, in mid-May, was $28,000 for Elder Care Services. There’s a woman with a big idea - and a big heart - behind all this.
“It’s just such a blessing to be a part of something that’s making such a difference to so many very small nonprofits for the most part that had no funding and had no way to raise money and we stepped in like little angels and helped them survive.”
Virginia Glass co-founded Tallahassee’s chapter of 100 Women Who Care during the pandemic with 65 members. Now, it’s 253 Women Who Care, plus a men’s group of about 100.
The idea is simple: They meet four times a year. Members contribute $100 apiece at meetings, where they hear short presentations from three nonprofits. Then they vote on which nonprofit will receive this quarter’s funds.
“We announce the winner and we’re done till the next quarter," Glass says. "And I think the simplicity and the minimal time required and the effectiveness is what’s made it so successful.”
So far, 100 Women Who Care has chosen 15 nonprofits whose work runs from Alzheimer’s to human trafficking to homelessness to re-entry for people who’ve been in prison.
“Gosh, I’m really nervous, but I just hope you like what you hear.”
That’s what Cassie McGlynn of Bike House says she told the group when she presented her nonprofit at one of their first meetings. Bike House repairs bicycles and gives them to people who need transportation. 100 Women Who Care awarded Bike House $18,300.
"They are so nice," McGlynn says. "And then Virginia Glass has come and visited us several times since then.”
Grace Mission is another organization that’s benefited from Glass’ group. It gives homeless people access to food, showers, clothing and the chance to do their laundry. Mother Rachel Hill remembers speaking to the group about the mission’s work.
“I shared very briefly about the need there is in Frenchtown and the need for the homeless folks, the need for… Addiction is such a big issue, a big problem," she said. "I just shared very briefly the needs and shared how we regularly try and meet those needs and how we work with other organizations to do that because we can’t come close to doing it on our own…”
With $29,000 from 100 Women Who Care, Mother Rachel was able to expand Grace Mission’s services. Glass says she’s happy to be able to provide help to a wide variety of organizations helping people locally.
“The diversity of these nonprofits has been nothing short of miraculous,” she says.
But many local leaders say the miracle is Glass herself. Chuck Mitchell of Tallahassee Memorial Animal Therapy gave Glass a print of starfish on a beach. It’s based on his favorite parable, of the boy picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea before they die. “Don’t you realize you can’t save them all?” he’s asked. “You can’t make a difference.” The boy picks up another starfish and heaves it into the water. “Well, I can make a difference for that one,” he says.
“She’s one of those people who’s got such a big, wide and deep heart," says Mitchell, "but it’s really like it’s gravitational, because it draws other people into it. And you just become passionate about the things she’s passionate about, which is helping people in any way, shape and form that she can. And of course, the starfish story is all about that. It’s just Virginia in a nutshell.”
So far, 100 Women Who Care has given $373,850 to 15 nonprofits. To learn more, visit WFSU.org.
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The Process
Approximately two weeks prior to the meeting, all members will receive an email requesting nomination for their favorite local nonprofit. Once nominations are received, the co-founders meet and randomly draw three names from the pool of nominees. All members will then receive a subsequent email announcing the three local nonprofits that were selected. This email will also contain the selected nonprofits’ websites. We encourage you to visit the websites and research each group prior to their presentations. At the meeting, after all three presentations, each member will vote via secret ballot. The winner will be announced at the end of the meeting.
