Severna Park Womenade Growing and Going Strong
Severna Park women band together to help others in temporary need.
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(l-r) Cathy Trogdon, Paula Novash, Ellen Eckert and Olivia McCleary
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This year Severna Park Womenade celebrates its fifth year of assisting local women in temporary need due to illness, the economy and other unexpected reversals.
The group is an offshoot of Annapolis Womenade which was started in 2001. "It started in Annapolis but after about five years we realized that the group was just getting too large to be hosted in private homes," said founding member Liz Montaner. "That's when Carolie Noyes, Livie McCleary and Linda Schaible and I put our heads together and decided to start a Severna Park branch. It has really exceeded our wildest expectations."
The group now boasts more than 100 members, all residents of Severna Park. Thus far it has given more than $30,000 to women in temporary distress. A social worker from from Anne Arundel County assesses each request and then makes recommendations to the Womenade board on who should receive funds.
"We've been able to help women who can't get to work because they can't pay for a car repair, women whose children are in need of a bed or medicine and women who can't pay their heating bills. Most recently we paid the fee for a young mother to take a medical technician exam so that she could find work. And she has," Montaner said. "Our goal is to be able to step in and give temporary help so that women who are facing immediate crisis can receive immediate assistance with little to no red tape."
All of the funds disbursed are given directly to the provider of the service, whether it's an auto repair shop or the Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. Only one grant per year is given to any single individual. The idea has become somewhat of a national sensation with more than 50 Womenade organizations across the country.
More than 75 women attended last week's meeting at Kim Lank's sensational waterfront home in Linstead. Some who attended included Miriam Morrow, Cindy Schaefer, Kristyn Kuhn, Joan Duffy, Karen Strange, Debbie Howard, Sharon Flagler, Ann Lloyd, Lisa Krawchyk, Jodi Meisenberg, Maureen O'Brien, Ann Danneberger, Peggy O'Connor and many more.
Michele Rose
7:42 am on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Sounds like a wonderful group - lots of familiar faces. Are they involved in making private contributions or collecting financial donations and /or fundraising? If there are people who would like to make a donation, who would they contact?
Liz Montaner
8:06 am on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Hi, I'm Liz Montaner co-founder of Severna Park Womenade. Yes, we do accept individual donations and also encourage other Severna Park women's groups to contribute as well. We have a Anne Arundel County Social Worker who pre-screens requests and then we collectively decide if a request meets our mission statement. If it does and we have the funds, we issue a check to the provider of the need, never the client directly. I would be happy to give you more info. Feel free to call me on my cell 443-871-1143. Thanks for your inquiry.
Rev. Curtis Oliver
8:30 am on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Great Group Mission and Objectives.
Especially for here in Severna Park.
Hi. I am Pastor Curtis Oliver. I am the Executive Director of the Calvary Community Economic Development Corp. located next to Spalding HS in Severn.
Our purpose is to assist families in the West AA County area with funds to prevent Rental Evictions and Utilities Services turn-offs. We work in conjunction with other area non-profits (SPAN, NCEON, AA County Social Services) to help the needy in our area. We are funded in part by the County Office of Arundel Community Dev. Services in Annapolis.
What may not be known is that the vast majority seeking our help are Women, especially Women as Heads of Households with children.
In the past 5 years, we've assisted over 700 families with children (with a volunteer staff of 4) to prevent evictions and utilities interruptions. Especially to stabilize families so that children and women can remain in their homes, schools and jobs.
Is it possible that we can partner with you to refer clients to your services for assistance, also?
Our clients a referred, also, from Social Services.
The needs are great, and many in these times.
Keep up the good work and be Blessed.
Call me at 410-845-4645 work, Cell @ 410-507-1857, or home
@ 410-544-3827. Thank you.