THE AURORA FOUNDATION
GIVING CIRCLE.
GIVING CIRCLE
ABOUT
The Aurora Women’s Giving Circle is a group of motivated women who pool their resources, work collaboratively, and through a democratic process grant money to one or more worthy organizations supporting women and girls in Greater Hartford.
Individuals who would like to become members, begin by donating to the 2024 Giving Circle pool of funding. Due to the urgency of funding, there is no minimum donation and 100% of donations go directly to the chosen community organizations. During scheduled meetings, members work together to learn more about a crucial issue facing women and girls, about organizations addressing the problem, and about how investing in women and girls can make all the difference.
Membership is one year in duration and consists of 4 meetings throughout the year. At the end of the year, participants may opt to renew membership in the circle, or simply use their new understanding to become more effective donors to the organizations they support.
THE AURORA FOUNDATION
WOMEN'S GIVING CIRCLE
FOCUS FOR 2024:
REPRODUCTIVE EQUITY
The 2024 Focus is Reproductive Equity: Learning about strategies to address the inequity in access to reproductive care that disproportionately impacts low-income people and people of color.
Newly released data shows that maternal mortality has doubled in the United States. We are going to explore how we can center women’s reproductive health—to benefit women, their families, and our community.
Together, we will learn more about how to help increase access to care that will make a difference by allowing women to be healthy, make decisions about their bodies, plan their families and ultimately fully participate in our communities.
The organizations we will invite to speak about this topic include:
Mutual Aid Hartford
Diaper Bank
Reproductive Equity Now
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
Giving Circle Meeting Dates:
- Wednesday, May 1st, 12 – 1 PM - Giving Circle Meeting on ZOOM
- Wednesday, May 8th, 12 -1 PM – Giving Circle Meeting on ZOOM
- Wednesday, May 15th, 12- 1 PM – Giving Circle Meeting on ZOOM
- Wednesday, May 29th 11:30 – 1:00 - IN PERSON Giving Circle LUNCH
FOCUS FOR 2023:
Women in the Workplace: Moving from Covid to Economic Security
The 2023 Aurora Women's Giving Circle focused on the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on working women. Members asked the question: "How can we help women in the workforce coming out of the pandemic?" The continuing concentration of women, especially women of color, in low-wage service jobs means they struggle to support their families, especially with the rising costs of everyday essentials, as well as expensive and hard-to-find childcare. Large numbers of women left the workforce during the pandemic, and we may lose the hard-earned gains that we’ve been working on in corporate America. This could lead down a path where we see even more inequality in the workplace.
Awarded $6,000
Awarded $6,000
Awarded $4,000
Awarded $4,000
The 2022 Aurora Women's Giving Circle funded programs that addressed the ongoing effects that the pandemic has had on girls, particularly girls of color, their education, access to mentors and role models, and social/emotional intelligence.
The group pooled their resources to raise over $20,000 and made an impact on programs that will reach hundreds of girls in Greater Hartford.
Our 2021 Women's Giving Circle identified childcare, housing and mental health as the focuses for 2021 funding.
2021 Grant Recipients included:
GIVING CIRCLE
WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF IT?
GIVING CIRCLE
GIVING CIRCLE GRANTMAKING
The 2019 Giving Circle voted to award a $5,500 grant to Strong Girls Camp at the Albany Avenue Branch of the Hartford Public Library. This six-week summer program will serve 25 Hartford girls and offer them lessons in gender inequality, body image, building self-esteem, and intersectionality. The program addresses the social and emotional obstacles young women face and helps them to overcome them and express themselves.
The 2018 Giving Circle voted to award a $6,500 grant to Girls for Technology, a Hartford-based organization whose mission is to inspire and increase girls’ interest in STEM through educational enrichment programs and partnerships with area business leaders. Funds from the Women’s Giving Circle will support a bi-monthly Math and Science Academy serving up to 100 low-income girls from Hartford’s North End.