DFW Admin's blog

Erika Keaveney, a San Diego chapter leader, is the Executive Director of Lotus Outreach International, recently selected to be a 2011 DFW program. 

Join us in November for an exciting partnership with Acumen Fund, an organization working to fight poverty by building businesses that serve the poor.

In early 2007, friends and Air Force Academy graduates Jared Greenberg and Nicholas Lumpp became aware of a growing international crisis: sex trafficking. They were disturbed more people weren't outraged. Jared and Nicholas decided it to take action. But with an industry that generates $12 billion a year, enslaves millions of women and children, and is protected by corrupt governments and law enforcement, they felt overwhelmed.

Children of Vietnam, an organization featured by DFW in April 2009,  has been recognized as providing one of the ten top programs in Vietnam for serving people with disabilities.

Sex trafficking is truly the 21st century’s version of slavery. One of the differences from 19th-century slavery is that many of these modern slaves will die of AIDS by their late 20s.
--Nicholas Kristof, NYT Columnist,  “The Evil Behind the Smiles”

Amy Schiek, chapter leader in Skaneateles, NY, reports the chapter's BeadforLife party on Wednesday, August 18th, drew a record crowd, generous media coverage, and raised over $5,000. Here, she shares how the chapter spread the word:

Longitude, featured program in May, is already seeing results from DFW's donation, as this thank you letter attests:

Dining for Women and BeadforLife joined hands in March 2009 with incredible success, raising more than $55,000 through the month's donations and the BeadforLife parties. BeadforLife is the featured program again in August.

 Here's how to host a BeadParty: [Click VIsit Our Blog to continue.]

1. Decide when you'd like to host your BeadParty.

You can now view, download, print, and share  the brochure detailing our third annual Leadership Summit, September 23-26, in Atlanta.

"Women Empowering Women" mixed media art piece is a collaboration between the Quilt Divas and the Ithaca, NY Chapter of Dining for Women. Read on and click Visit Our Blog at the bottom to find out how you can
win it!

Patricia Andersson, Chapter Leader in Portland, Oregon, writes about her experience traveling with DFW to Africa and shares photographs in an in-depth article appearing in the Oregonian. Patricia vividly describes meeting Hellen Nkurayia, a Maasai woman and school principal, and touring her village and innovative school. She describes Hellen's determination to provide Maasai girls with opportunities for education.

DFW  is fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers.

We're a grassroots organization, and we thrive on the generosity of members who donate their time and talents to DFW.

We're looking for even more generous folks who are skilled--and interested--in the following specific areas:

How well do you know Nest, June's featured program and the Nest project DFW will fund?

A few questions to test your knowledge: (Answers follow.)

1. DFW's gift will help women in three Moroccan villages. What is the name of the largest ethnic group in these villages? Hint: the name means "free people."

2. To date, Nest has given microloans to how many women?

Jean Peelen, the new Anna Maria Island Chapter leader, is featured in this article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Jean, who will hold her first dinner meeting this Thursday, says, "Women naturally socialize and support each other and we're extending it to other women in the world."

"The Essence of Grassroots Change"

The Barrington, Rhode Island Chapter (pictured) shares this success story from their dinner last month, when the  featured program was Longitude: