MANSFIELD – The Women’s Fund of the Richland County Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Philanthropist and community volunteer Linda H. Smith and nine other women created an endowment fund in 1996 dedicated to helping local women and girls in Richland County.
The other founders were Edith Humphrey, Joanne Humphrey, Suzanne Davis, Erin Fain, M.D., Catherine Goldman, Carol Goldman, Carol Payton, Betty Risser, and Suzanne Wilson under the guidance of former RCF President Pam Siegenthaler.
The women wanted to support and encourage the development of programs to meet the unique needs of women and girls. They also encouraged women to be philanthropic knowing that communities that support the growth of women and families are stronger.
During the lunch, 12 grants were awarded totaling $86,000. For the eighth year in a row, the Women’s Fund awarded a grant to make quality child care affordable and accessible to women in Richland County.
A $34,100 grant was awarded to the YWCA of Northwest Ohio. They will take applications from in-home child care providers and centers for grants of up to $1,000 for resources and continuing education. The Women’s Fund believes that child care is important to the economic security of women.
Since 2019, the Women’s Fund and its partners have invested $372,000 in local child care.
Other grants were awarded to Avita Health System for a cultivating nurses program; Community Health Access Project to provide essentials for pregnant women, new mothers and infants; Crossroads Community Church City Center for essential supplies including diapers, wipes, formula and postpartum wellness kits; the Domestic Violence Shelter for its Safe Steps to Independence Program; Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring for a wellness program; Oasis of Love Foundation for a Women’s Wellness program; Planned Parenthood of Mansfield for cancer screenings; Rubies Women’s Group for financial literacy classes; Shelby Diaper Pantry for supplies; Third Street Family Health Services for a mobile food pantry for expecting and new mothers; and the YMCA of North Central Ohio to provide a certified babysitting course.
Since 1998, the Women’s Fund has awarded $772,000 via 355 grants impacting thousands of lives.
The Women’s Fund also announced the JoAnn Dutton Volunteer Community Service Award winner. The award was named in honor of JoAnn Dutton, former executive director of the Mansfield YWCA.
It celebrates women who devote a significant amount of time and energy in a meaningful way to local charitable organizations.
This year’s winner is Carol Payton who has volunteered at many organizations including the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, UMADAOP, NAACP, Community Health Access Project, Richland County Task Force on Racism, Richland County Children’s Services Board, Culliver Reading Center, the Richland County Foundation and the Women’s Fund of the Richland County Foundation.
About the Women’s Fund of the Richland County Foundation:
The Women’s Fund was founded in 1996 as a permanent endowment to meet the unique needs of women and girls in our community.
The Women’s Fund supports programs at nonprofit organizations that promote the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, economic, or cultural growth of women and girls in Richland County.
About the Richland County Foundation
The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501c3, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County and its residents.
The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county’s citizens. Collaborating with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future.
