Art of Giving 2012

Women's Leadership

Mission:
Women’s Leadership is a unique group of women who recognizes the need to move our children and families from a place of instability to independence by providing out-of-school care and financial literacy programs. The movement accelerates the community’s goal of ensuring that every child begins school ready to learn and graduates with the skills necessary to enter into higher education and job training. Each Women’s Leadership member gives of her heart and influence to advocate for solutions to the problems that many Tampa Bay children and families face.

“Women’s Leadership members are true role models for women who aspire to become philanthropists in their own right.”
– Tana Welch, District Manager Publix Super Markets

Focus:
Summer Care is a free, innovative, neighborhood-based program that provides safe, enriching environments for school-aged children.

Summer Care enables low- to moderate-income parents to remain employed, work additional hours, further their education and receive free financial education.

Since its inception in 2005, more than 2,600 children and their parents have participated in Summer Care. Savings for participating families averaged more than $500,000 each summer.

Summer Care moms speak up:
“We recently received assistance from the United Way in the form of a scholarship that would assist in our tuition at Girls, Inc. This was a true blessing as I have been picking from the “bill hat” to see who would get paid next…that is a very scary thought and one I have never been faced with in the past. With this assistance, I was able to redirect my funds to pay other bills such as my car payment, the electricity and our water bill.”
— Melanie

“I am so very thankful for the angels/sponsors that help fund this center. Because of these special anonymous people, my children, who have no idea of how hard mommy works just to maintain a semi-comfortable living environment, can enjoy their summer, and I am able to work in peace and know that my children are in good hands.”
—Tamika

Join:
Women’s Leadership is a powerful leadership network of female philanthropists who donate $1,000 or more annually to the United Way of Tampa Bay.

With a substantial foundation of 800 women contributing more than $1.3 million, Women’s Leadership advances the common good through giving, guiding and growing; drawing on the commitment of successful women to advocate for our community. 

Benefits:
• Network of 800 professional business women in the Tampa Bay market.
• Collective influence on issues in our community that matter.
• Invitations to Women’s Leadership networking events, visits to agency partners, and advocacy opportunities.
• Personal and professional development through Women’s Leadership Power Lunch series.
• Opportunity to review partner programs and decide Financial Investments for the Summer Care program.

Quotes from our members:
“Our committed, passionate members work tirelessly to support summer care programs for children in need of a safe, educational environment while their parents work.  We use our time, talents and treasure while along the way meeting and working with wonderful women who all share the same desire to give back to our community.”
– Denise Palmer, President & Publisher The Tampa Tribune

“There is nothing more rewarding than knowing, at a personal level, that people's lives are better permanently because of what we do.”
– Janet Watson, Director of Business Development N perspective, LLC.

Women in Leadership impact our community.

• Free, safe, high quality out-of-school-time care to children from low- to moderate-income working families.
• Help in developing children and youth life skills through mentoring and tutoring.
• Free financial education and case management program that transitions families from instability to independence.
• Providing a foundation of care and support meeting basic needs, healthy living and safe environments.