Area Female Leaders Organize Women’s Giving Circle

GARDNER, Mass. - Feb. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Are you passionate about issues affecting women, children and families in the Greater Gardner region? Do you have a desire to network with other women who share your passion and wish to have a more direct impact on the community?

The newly established Women’s Giving Circle is an informal network of women who care about the community and are eager to take an active role in making change. Co-founders of the group include Patty Delay, Project Coordinator at Mack Protoype Inc., Elaine Fluet, President & CEO of GVNA HealthCare, Inc., Deborah Hubbard, Director Child Care and Head Start of the Montachusett Opportunity Council, Joanne Foster, Executive Director of Growing Places, Marilyn Malik, Board Member for the HOPE House, Linda Saloom, owner of Saloom Furniture, Darlene Morrilly, owner of Beauregard Liquors, Tina Sbrega, President & CEO of GFA Credit Union and Tina Santos, CNO & VP of Operations for Heywood Healthcare.

“Everywhere we look in our community, there is need. I believe this group will give the women of the Greater Gardner region an outlet to come together, think creatively, network and ultimately make an impact of right in their own backyards,” stated group founder, Tina Santos. “By pooling not only our resources, but also knowledge and passion, this group of women can bring about lasting positive changes for our friends, family, coworkers and neighbors.”

The initial goal of the Women’s Giving Circle is to organize 100 + women to contribute $50 a quarter for a total $200 a year per group member. These donations would provide the group with an opportunity to invest back $20,000 to local nonprofit groups that are working to improve the quality of life and health of women and children in need.

The first meeting of The Women’s Giving Circle was held at the Colonial Hotel in Gardner on Wednesday, February 26th with 62 area women in attendance. Participants voted on what organization would receive the combined contributions based on presentations from three possible recipients. The decision was made to award the initial contributions to the Winchendon Community Action Committee, a not-for-profit social service agency dedicated to assisting individuals and families in crisis and has been providing invaluable services to those in need throughout the Winchendon community for forty (40) years.

The Women’s Giving Circle will meet quarterly at evening networking meetings where the needs of the community will be discussed. Collectively, the group will determine where the most critical need lies and how to invest resources in hopes of creating the greatest impact community-wide.

If you are interesting in learning more about the Women’s Giving Circle, please contact Christina Zoldak by phone at (978) 632-2542 or via email at czoldak@gfafcu.com.

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About Heywood Healthcare

Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system located in the North Central region of Massachusetts. It is comprised of Heywood Hospital, a non-profit, 134-bed acute-care hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25 bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; Heywood Medical Group with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region; and four satellite facilities -Winchendon Health Center and Murdock School-based Health Center in Winchendon, West River Health Center in Orange and Heywood Rehabilitation Center in Gardner.

About Heywood Hospital

Part of the Heywood Healthcare system, Heywood Hospital is a 134-bed acute care hospital in Gardner, MA, which provides a broad range of high quality medical, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric and behavioral health services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital’s Centers of Excellence include the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care; the LaChance Maternity Center; the Diabetes Center; and the Heywood Heart Center, an affiliate of the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial Health Care.