Check out current Philanthropy News HERE.
Make A Donation
FAUSA Philanthropy seeks to support projects that benefit women and children, including programs of the FAWCO Foundation and an annual Banner Project concentrating support in the Americas (North and South America and surrounding islands). The seeds of the FAUSA Philanthropic program were planted in 1997 with donations of backpacks filled with books and school supplies for children in Bogota, Columbia. FAUSA philanthropy has evolved through the years to become a dedicated and reliable support for FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation. FAUSA's growing relationship with the Foundation has given our members and their children greater opportunity to apply for the Foundation’s Education Awards and Development Grants. In 2018, FAUSA was granted tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status to better enable our members and other supporters to donate to our causes.
2019 Annual FAUSA Banner Project
Veronica’s Voice was established in 2000 to empower women to exit from, prevent entry into, and end all demand for commercial sexual exploitation in the US through survivor leadership.
Our recovery home, Magdalene KC, has been in place since 2016, funded primarily by private donations, foundations and local grants to provide women in recovery a sanctuary from abuse, violence, sex trafficking and addiction to focus on deep healing. Our program provides women exiting 'the life' up to two years of free transitional housing, food, and basic necessities in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Importantly, Magdalene KC also provides participants specialized services consisting of: a) comprehensive trauma, addiction recovery, and other mental and physical health services and b) education, life skills and job training. $49.80 per day is the cost for this pathway to prosperity and economic independence to be provided to a woman in recovery. This compares to $67.15 per day of incarceration. The return on investment is most greatly felt as each woman develops a healthy safety net, achieve gainful employment, and gives back to her community. www.veronicasvoice.org
2019 FAUSA Annual Grant Additional Nominee
The RED Book Shelf was started to inspire children to read by providing them the opportunity to own books and have those books in their home which equips them with the tools for better literacy. Since being read to is an important component for learning to read, the focus of this expanded
mission is to encourage Non-English speaking parents to read to their children by having children’s books in their native language. With over 1000 volunteers in 2018, the staff and volunteers were able to organize
community collections, as well as recondition and distribute free books for children to choose and keep. Volunteers range from middle school to college students, corporation workers to retirees, special needs individuals to the community-at-large. www.theredbookshelf.org
FAUSA’s Support of FAWCO Foundation Programs
FAUSA has historically supported The FAWCO Foundation with yearly sponsorships of both a Development Grant and an Education Award. Currently, FAUSA fully funds:
The FAUSA Effecting Change for Women and Children at Risk Development Grant under the category of Human Rights.
The FAUSA Skills Enhancement Award allowing a FAWCO or FAUSA member to acquire new skills or enhance already existing skills.
In addition, FAUSA supports the FAWCO Target Project, which is a two-year fundraising effort administered by The FAWCO Foundation. The current Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement, an initiative of Collateral Repair Project, was submitted by the 2017-2019 FAUSA President, Therese Hartwell.
In addition to the FAUSA Banner Project, the FAWCO Target Project and the FAUSA-funded FAWCO Foundation Development Grant and Education Award, FAUSA philanthropy has supported:
- The Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC)
- The Eleanor Roosevelt Girl’s Leadership Program
- The Aleethia Foundation Secret Santa Program at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, MD
- The FAWCO Millennium Goal Treated Malaria Net Project
- Science equipment for a new school in Ribralta, Bolivia
- The FAWCO Emergency Relief Fund
- Estancia Fraternidad in Oaxaca, Mexico
- El Maestro En Casa, a literacy program broadcast by Radio San Miguel in the Amazon region of northern Bolivia.
Where Do The Funds Come From?
Fundraising occurs throughout the year via the FAUSA website, with the bulk of FAUSA’s charitable funds being raised at the Gala Evening at the FAUSA Getaway and Annual Meeting, through silent and live auctions and a quilt raffle. Members (and others) who cannot attend the Getaway and Annual Meeting can purchase tickets for the quilt raffle and submit bids for Live Auction items online.
FAUSA is in the process of developing a sponsorship program to facilitate corporate giving opportunities. In addition, three FAUSA members have committed to donate 5% of their profits from transactions with FAWCO/FAUSA members and their friends and family, to the FAWCO Target Project. Thanks to these vendors/FAUSA members:
- Tony Armand, BEMER (www.aahealthresource.bemergroup.com/en-US)
- Ellie Badanes, The Pajama Company (www.thepajamacompany.com)
- Janet Darrow, Janet Darrow Real Estate (www.janetdarrow.com)
You can also donate to the FAUSA Philanthropy Program, through PayPal or credit card payment, at the top of this page. For more information regarding FAUSA Philanthropy, contact Director of Philanthropy, Marilee Watts.
Making A Difference
A Note from the Director of Philanthropy
I am honored to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors and others who have been instrumental in leading FAUSA’s philanthropy efforts. FAUSA has already provided well over $50,000 in funding for very worthy and much needed causes. Since FAUSA is a ‘virtual club,’ your fundraising ideas for our individual Metro Groups and for the Annual Getaway/Annual Meeting are key to our success. We are all philanthropic in one way or another and, by becoming members of FAUSA, we are showing the world we CARE and are willing to SHARE. Together we will do great things!
