POWER OF THE PURSE IS
STRONGER THAN EVER
Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade
Raises More Than $360K at
Record-Setting Annual Luncheon
Miami, FL — The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade's
12th Annual Luncheon on Friday, April 18, 2008
was the largest Women's Fund event
ever. The luncheon raised more than $360,000
and convened more than 1,100 women
and men.
Philanthropists, non-profit
professionals and business leaders
gathered to celebrate the “Power
of the Purse: Part II” by learning about
recipients of Women’s Fund grants, bidding on designer
purses at the Power of the Purse Auction, and bidding on
Fair Trade items in the Women’s Fund Global Marketplace.
Proceeds from the luncheon benefit Women’s Fund’s
grant making, advocacy and community-building efforts
addressing unmet needs of women and girls in Miami-Dade
County.
This year’s theme, “Celebrating the Power of Women to
Connect Globally,” emphasized Miami’s special role as an
international city, with the power to make a difference
throughout the world. In keeping with this theme,
Women’s Fund partnered with
Women Thrive Worldwide
to highlight the
GROWTH Act, a groundbreaking bill now
before Congress that has the potential to help lift
millions of women in the developing world out of
poverty. Women Thrive Worldwide President and Co-Founder Ritu Sharma Fox gave a Keynote Address. During her
moving speech she explained that she became an advocate
for women’s rights around the world because both of her
grandmothers died young due to discrimination and
poverty.
Women’s Fund also partnered with the Fair Trade
Federation to create the Women's Fund Global
Marketplace, a silent auction featuring items made by
women artisans from around the world, including Mexico,
Kenya, Rwanda, Peru, Chile, and Haiti. The Global
Marketplace was such a hit that bidding wars broke out.
Many items sold well above retail value. For more
information about the GROWTH Act,
Fair Trade, and the Global Marketplace, please visit the
Women's Fund
resources page.
The Global Marketplace
built on the popularity and success of the
2nd Annual Power of the Purse Auction
of designer purses. Crowds gathered to admire and bid on
purses of all sizes and styles. Handbags donated to the
silent auction included: Prada, Marc Jacobs, Michael
Kors, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, Jill Sander, Chloe,
Burberry, Versace, Matthew Williamson, Lucky Brand
Jeans, Juicy Couture, Calvin Klein, Botkier, Valextra,
and many, many more.
Daisy Gil
of Coral Gables won the Membership Drawing,
which was open to all Women’s Fund Members who made
contributors of at least $100 between January 1st and
April 18, 2008. The prize, a week’s stay at The Phillips
Club, New York, was donated by Judy & Jordan Bittel.
Gail Shivel of South Miami won the grand prize of the
Women’s Fund Raffle, a seven night Caribbean cruise
donated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
“When each of us understands the power of our purse,
we can connect globally to strengthen families,
communities and the earth. At the Women’s Fund, we
believe that the challenges facing women transcend
borders and political parties,” said Claudia Kitchens,
Executive Director of the Women’s Fund, the only
organization in Miami-Dade solely dedicated to funding
and supporting innovative gender-specific programs in
this community.
The Women’s Fund’s Annual Luncheon was again
described as Miami’s best networking event for corporate
and community leaders who understand the need to support
women and girls in our community. “This luncheon is the
place to be for women who want to make a difference in
Miami. The commitment of key philanthropic leaders has
created momentum, which led to this year’s
record-breaking fundraising,” said Director of
Development Tiffany Zientz Heckler. Women’s Fund works
to build women’s philanthropy by empowering women to
recognize their power to transform the world as
philanthropists. The luncheon speakers emphasized the
tremendous influence and responsibility women have to
create change in our community.
Margarita Codina,
Norka Munilla, Sharon Socol and
Rhonda Smith welcomed guests as the event’s Co-Chairs.
Dolores Ziff, Honorary Co-Chair, was recognized for her
significant contribution to the Women’s Fund in the past
year. She was given a bouquet of flowers and a beautiful
basket made by a women’s collective in Africa. The
colorful hand-woven baskets served as centerpieces for
the luncheon tables and were available for guests to
purchase after the event. At the end of the day, many
guests walked out juggling several multi-colored baskets
and items won at the silent auctions.
This year’s major sponsors included: Mentor Sponsor,
Baptist Health South Florida and Advocate Sponsors,
Akerman Senterfitt, Merrill Stevens, Macy’s,
Florida
Power & Light Company, School Board Member Evelyn Greer,
Evelyn & Norman H. Cohan and BlueCross BlueShield of
Florida.
About the Women's Fund: Women's Fund of Miami-Dade was founded in 1993 to
fill the enormous funding gap that exists for programs
addressing the unmet needs of women and girls. Since
then, the Women’s Fund has supported, through money
raised from local donors, over 250 local projects.
Women's Fund’s grantmaking, advocacy and assistance to
innovative gender-specific projects in Miami are
creating social change that will have a lasting impact
on the entire community. It is investing more than a
half a million dollars in grants to local projects this
year. For more information, please visit
www.womensfundimami.org.
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