Inspiring Woman

The Web Women Giving Circle

THE MISSION STATEMENT:

The Web Women Giving Circle is a group of professionals dedicated to leveraging and pooling their individual talents and resources to make a positive impact worldwide.

THE PROJECT:

The CARE Organization recently started the CARE MORE Giving Circle Challenge.  The goal is to raise $1M to benefit women and their communities worldwide.  Along with MORE Magazine, CARE is partnering with giving circles around the world to help eradicate poverty.  As part of the challenge, the giving circle that generates the most money for the organization gets to attend a volunteer experience in Peru next spring.

THE INSPIRING WOMAN SITE:

Strong and powerful women shape our lives for the better each and every day.  Here, we have that gift.  Yet, in other places, due to poverty and oppression, women are not able to give their full potential to the world.

This site was created as a way to acknowledge and honor inspiring women, while (in a sense) 'passing on' the gift of inspiration to women of poverty around the world.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

You can help us to pass on this gift by nominating the women in your life who have inspired you and changed your life for the better.  For the chance to honor these women, we're asking for a $10 donation to CARE per nomination to empower women of poverty.

Read some of the other nominations made below or see the full list here, and then nominate the leading ladies in your life.

Make your donation now.

PASSING ON THE GIFT OF INSPIRATION:

 

I am a woman,

poor but proud, invisible but invincible,

a natural resource with unlimited potential.

I am important.  I am ready for change.

Given a choice, given a chance,

I will participate, strive, achieve.

I will improve my community and contribute to society.

 

You can help.

 

With tools, with knowledge and opportunities,

I am someone - one of many,

working together to overcome prejudice,

fight poverty, wage peace,

for our children,

for our future.

 

I am a wife, mother, sister,

daughter, partner,

force, leader.

 

I am powerful.

 

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She has the power to change her world.

You have the power to help her do it.

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Getting involved is so easy.  You can make a difference with one nomination, one small $10 donation, and five minutes of your time.  Please help us to pass on the gift of inspiration to women of poverty.  Make your nomination today.

 

Then, if you want to help us even more, you can help us spread the word about this great project.  Tell your friends, family, and colleagues to visit our blog and make their nominations.

 

One nomination at a time, we will make a difference.

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*This information was compiled from CARE's "I Am Powerful Action Kit."

Deborah Guerriero

My sister is the most selfless person in the world. She does anything and everything for anyone at any given time. Her children, family and friends are her life. She volunteers her time for several events at one time and still has time to cook for a sick friend. She lives over one hundred miles from me, but at a drop of a dime, she will drive and be there for me without asking a thing. I can go on forever and tell you the sacrifices she has made to make another happy. She is incredible, wonderful, and she my sister!!!

The one word that describes her is selfless.

Nominated by Dawn Martinelli

Rebecca Fabiano

Rebecca has an extensive background in education, leadership and program administration, specifically with regard to adolescent development and youth programming. For the past seven years she utilized these skills as Director of Opening Doors and Building Bridges youth development & after school program at the Martin Luther King Educational Campus in New York City. Since 1999, she has successfully provided vision, supervision and effective program management for a start up grant from The After School Corporation (TASC), which has grown to serve more than 3,000 high school students cumulatively. No longer ‘just’ an after school program, Opening Doors and Building Bridges provides programming to students and their families year-round. A visitor to her program once said, “It’s as if you are the principal of a small high school!” In 2004, the Program was awarded a highly coveted 21st Century Community Learning Center grant totaling more than $1.2million over five years. A long time champion of the program, New York City Council Member Gale Brewer honored Rebecca in July 2006 with a New York City Council Proclamation of Exemplary Public Service to Youth in the Community. Additionally, in 2005, CitiGroup honored Rebecca with a Promising Practice for her submission of a “Professional Documents Binder”. Under Rebecca’s leadership, in 2003, New York City recognized the outstanding nature of Opening Doors and Building Bridges through a Neighborhood Development Achievement Award. Recognizing Rebecca’s ability to relate effectively with business professionals and youth, the New York Knicks asked Rebecca to serve as a consultant to reorganize and revitalize their summer internship program in partnership with Merrill Lynch. In 2003, Rebecca was selected as a Robert Bowne Foundation Fellow and participated in a yearlong fellowship to conduct research about after school programs. She documented her findings in a paper called: Developing Social Capital in Youth Programs. In 2000, Rebecca contributed a chapter titled: “Teaching out of One’s Field” to Teacher Training, A Reference Handbook, by Dave Pushkin.

Rebecca is a former high school teacher, and prior to teaching in the pubic schools, Rebecca held the position of Senior Staff Trainer of the Adolescent Education Program/Teens Helping Each Other, part of the SUNY Research Foundation. In this role she guided program planning and implementation, curricula development and staff training for adult and adolescent peer educators. She contributed to the development of Core Peer Educator Training curriculum: Building Ourselves to Give back: Peer HIV/AIDS Education. Rebecca has been an HIV educator for nearly 15 years and in 1999 she earned her certification as a Community Health Education Specialist (CHES). In 1997, she was invited to speak during Black History Month at Kingsborough College, in Brooklyn, about HIV/AIDS in the Black community.

An accomplished educator and trainer, Rebecca excels in her ability to communicate information in a direct and effective manner. She has been asked to provide training for several national conferences including: Center for Summer Learning Conference (2006); Hamilton Fish Institute (2005); 21st Century Community Learning Centers National Conference (2004); American School Health Association Conference (2004); TASC/Citi Group Promising Practices Conference (2002); the Metro TeenAIDS Conference (1998) and Advocates for Youth Conference (1997).

An entrepreneur at heart, in 2002, Rebecca founded Scramble T’s, Inc. “changing the world one t-shirt at a time.” Scramble Ts™ are designs created by the acronym of common phrases, concepts for living, and political statements. For more than 10 years, Rebecca has worked as a consultant providing training in the areas of leadership, staff development, and technical assistance.

The word that describes Rebecca is amazing!

Nominated by M.G.

Norma Foss

Norma is inspiring! First, she just returned from weeks in Bali! I so love someone who lives her dreams! She is a successful real estate agent who knows her stuff and brings a high level of care to those she serves! She takes her real estate career seriously and is always looking for ways to add to her expertise and effectiveness. She earned the SRS (Senior Residential Specialist) designation this year in an effort to have more tools and skill in serving seniors! Thanks for the inspiration.

The word that describes Norma is Dedicated.

Nominated by Joeann Fossland

Andrea Purcell

Dr. Andrea Purcell is an inspiring woman who is making a positive difference in the lives of all she touches. A Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in natural and alternative medicine, she cares deeply about helping women take charge of their bodies and health. This young woman is going to make an impact in the world and will have a book out in 2008! She is a dynamo who can make things happen with her intention and brilliance!

The one word that describes her is Brilliant!

Nominated by Joeann Fossland

Kelly Lloyd

Kelly inspires me every time I talk with her! A loving Mom and Wife and family member, a focused, successful real etstate agent, caring community volunteer and fantastic woman are just some of her roles! In everything she does, the love and committment to excellence is evident. She makes a difference in many lives because of this. She brings a strong intention to leave things a little (and sometimes A LOT!) better than she found them. The world would be a wonderful place if more people could act like Kelly!

The one word that describes her is Amazing!!!

Nominated by Joeann Fossland

Mary Pope-Handy

Mary is one amazing lady!  She is the epitome of knowing one's values and living by those priorities.  From her Dad, to her husband and children, she takes time to spend with those she loves.  She takes care of her real estate clients with a wonderful mix of expertise and caring service.  She has excelled this year as a Blogger, winning the Active Rain/Inman Project Blogger.  She and her coach, Frances Flynn Thorsen donated their prize of $5000 to CARE.  And, giving back to the community is another aspect of how Mary spreads her love to many!  Take a look at her blog: www.LiveInLosGatos.com  And, leave her a message! She is one inspiring woman!

The words that describe her are Creatively Caring.

Nominated by Joeann Fossland

Allison Simson

She's running a real estate company, taking care of her own business, nurturing her hubby and twin girls and living a joyful life! Wow!

She inspires me in her intentionality to having life be balanced and yet full of achievement. She a great model for her girls. She loves working with her team and cares about all the things that affect the environment around her.

The words that describe Allison are Accomplished with Love!

Nominated by Joeann Fossland

Frances Thorsen

Frances Thorsen has inspired me constantly, daily and always.

The one word that describes her is outrageously giving.

Nominated by: Marlen

Heidi Markow

Heidi Markow

My mom has inspired me through her work as an educator on intimate partner violence. Since the murder of my aunt (her sister) through an act of domestic violence my mom started a non-profit in my aunts honor. My mom has inspired me to seek healthy relationships, and to never let anyone control my life. My mom has aready spoken to 10,000 students in just 1 year of the murder. I know she hasn't just inspired me but thousands of others. Her dedication and lifetime pledge to honor her sister has showed me the true value of life and love. Thank you.

Ashley Stecker, proud daughter of Heidi Markow the Founder of Beginning Over Foundation

The one word that describes this leading lady is honorable.

Nominated by: Ashley Stecker

Racquel Turner

Racquel Turner

She convinced me, after four children, that we had more than enough love to adopt more. I was unsure and concerned that I couldn't love an adopted child as much as my four boys. But she prevailed and inspired me to believe that the love they brought into our home would overwhelm me. She was right, of course. Two little girls from Guatemala later, we now have six children and I have two little girls who I love in a way I never knew I could. She inspired me to look past myself and to our family as the source of love. She inspires me everyday with her commitment to the family and to her blog, muthahood.com, which is designed to give her an outlet for her stories, life lessons and ideas, and to raise money for street children in South Africa. Because of her, I know a love I would never have known.

The one word that describes this leading lady: Passionate

Nominated by: Jeff Turner