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The Kamloops Chapter of 100 Women Who Care has been raising funds to support Kamloops and area organizations since 2014. This unique group of community minded women meets four times a year to support organizations that are doing important work in the Thompson Nicola Regional District. Under the leadership of Bobbie Harrison, Shannon Wallis, Maryanne Bower, Niki Ramirez, and Sherry Sim this group has raised an incredible $215,000 dollars over the past 6 years which has been used to directly support community initiatives!
Their efforts have supported the work of community outreach programs like A Way Home Kamloops, the BC SPCA, and many other worthwhile projects, including the Kamloops Music Collective! To see a full list of the organizations they have donated to, click here.
The 100 Women Who Care meet quarterly and at each meeting they invite three community groups to present about the work they are doing. Each presentation is only 5 minutes. The 100 Women Who Care then discusses the merits of each presentation and votes for the local organization that will receive their donation.
What is unique about the 100 Women Who Care is that 100% of the money raised at the meetings goes directly to the not-for-profit organization chosen to receive the funding. This organization got its name because they strive to have 100 women at each meeting, each of whom donates $100 to the chosen organization. As Bobbie Harrison recounts, “the catch phrase we have is ‘the power of 100’. We could donate $100 dollars individually to a group, but if 100 women donate $100 dollars, that $10,000 dollars is so much more powerful!” Bobbie is also quick to point out that the group is generously supported by the staff at the Delta Hotel, previously known as Hotel 540, who graciously donate a space each meeting.
Becoming a member of the 100 Women Who Care is easy! There is no registration fee or paperwork. All the organization asks is that at each meeting members make a $100 dollar donation to the chosen cause. The group is always looking to attract more women than just 100. When we spoke to Bobbie Harrison, she mentioned, “We have been looking at some different options to attract younger women. Some groups allow team donations, so four women would team up and each could go to one meeting and donate $100 or they could all come together and each donate $25, and get one vote as a whole.”
Donating to the 100 Women Who Care means so much more than simply supporting our community. It means that as a collective we can work together from the inside to build a home that we are proud of and where everyone can be supported and prosperous. The group's commitment to our community has meant that so many local charities have received funding crucial to delivering service to people in our area.
Last fall, the Kamloops Music Collective was given the incredible opportunity to present to the 100 Women Who Care organization. We were thrilled to have been chosen as the November 2020 recipient for their generous support! The Kamloops Music Collective has been touched by the work that the 100 Women Who Care do in our community and we are pleased to be able to share their story in order to encourage more local women to join in their amazing
community initiative.