CAROLINE MCDONALD

What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends? I first heard about ninety-nine girlfriends while hiking with a friend. She knew a woman who was a girlfriend and who raved about the organization. I wasn't in a financial position to fully contribute at the time but was intrigued by the concept of a women-led collective giving circle. I looked it up online and came across ninety-nine girlfriend's Fellows Program. I loved how the fellowship not only made the organization and its mission more accessible for young women but also included a mentoring and educational component. I applied a month later and was accepted!

Why do you volunteer? Philanthropy, specifically informed philanthropy, is in my opinion the best way to put your money where your mouth is. Organizations need resources to make a difference in their communities, whether that be staff, materials, expertise, or funds. As someone who has worked both in the grant and the direct service industries, I have seen first hand how transformative a charitable gift can be in the life of an organization. Whether it takes the form of expanded services, additional staff training, improved data collection, or a host of other things, funding can go a long way in helping an organization realize its mission. At the end of the day, money does matter. That is why I volunteer my time, skills, and resources to an organization that helps recast money not as a barrier but as a tool for empowerment and growth.

Anything else that you would like to share? Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, dedicated individuals can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” In my opinion, ninety-nine girlfriends is the embodiment of this belief. I am inspired both by the power of a locally-focused, women-led collective, as well as the many values that ninety-nine girlfriends touts: inclusivity, education, diversity, mentorship, and resilience. I know this organization is rooted in the fundamental understanding that we have so much to learn from each other and from our communities.