From WEF's President: Philanthropy is a Privilege

Welcome to the Women's Endowment Fund's 2024-2025 year!

As always, we remain committed to our mission of uplifting women and girls by funding programs that significantly impact their well-being, now and forever. Our vision is to be a leading advocate for women and girls, and to collaborate with others to promote philanthropy to serve their needs. By cultivating and sustaining donor relations, we continuously grow the fund to serve the needs of women and girls in our community.

As we move into the Women's Endowment Fund's new fiscal year, beginning on July 1, I owe my gratitude to the 2023-2024 advisory board for their dedication, service and leadership. Our current board is composed of 21 women who give their time, talent and treasure to our cause. Each board member brings her own tremendous power to this group. Through our collective action, I am confident we can fulfill our mission and be leaders in a better Akron for women and girls.

To all of our wonderful community partners: Thank you for your support, dedication and belief in our mission. Your continued support shows that you believe in this work. Our collaborative work, as well as our ability to leverage our knowledge of the community and the organizations within it, allow us to create a depth of impact that would not exist without concentrated grantmaking efforts within Summit County. We must help, nurture and develop the organizations that contribute to the well-being of women and girls. As you read about our grantees, I hope you will be inspired by our work.

Philanthropy is a privilege, and there are responsibilities that come with that privilege. One of those responsibilities is to make the most of our opportunities. We need to be aware and prepared for possibilities to change and grow at all times. Our founding mothers were driven by the belief that women can create positive change. They set an example that we proudly carry forward.

To experience the power of our collective action and community spirit, subscribe to our biannual newsletter, attend our events, and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Together, we are the living embodiment of the change we want to see in our community, and we do it with love and compassion.

I'd like to leave you with a quote by Steve Jobs: "The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

With gratitude and commitment,
Pamela Kiltau
President of the Women's Endowment Fund, 2023-2025