Dear Friends of the Fund,

 

To set out to improve the lives of women and girls is no small task, yet that is what we strive to do every day with our work.  Chester County is a very special place, but it is not without problems.  Issues affecting women and girls such as health, education, homelessness, and domestic violence all call for action.  With your support the Fund helps organizations address these issues.  It is our hope that we provide a view into these organizations through a gender lens to our donors.  The Fund raises an awareness of inequities affecting women and girls and with our grants enables direct service providers to adopt strategies that take into account the causes of injustice for their suffering.  It is our desire to not only alleviate these situations but to strike at the roots of these issues.

 

In a year of transition, the Fund stayed true to its mission.  While incorporating fresh perspectives into an already solid foundation we had a year that was very positive.  The Compass Fund was established to provide financial resources to expand and grow the bold, purposeful work of the Fund for Women and Girls and to explore fresh, innovative approaches to the challenges faced by women and children in our community.  Moreover, the Fund celebrated the major milestone of granting over $2 million since its inception. This is a remarkable accomplishment that started with a group of women sitting at a kitchen table wanting to make lives better for women and girls in our county. The Girls Advisory Board once again allowed transformative philanthropy to create future leaders well-versed in the needs of our area.  It is our hope that with your support we will continue to make Chester County a better place for all.

 

We are proud to present this Annual Report of the Fund’s work.  This coming year will be busy as we launch into a comprehensive strategic planning process to keep the

organization operating for the maximum benefit of our

community.  The empowerment of women is necessary to

build a strong community.  We look forward to

doing this with you.

 

 

 

With deepest gratitude,

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine Swift Sennett                                    

BOARD CHAIR