Giving Circle


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 2025 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

STAY TUNED FOR THE 2025 FOCUS



FOCUS FOR 2024: REPRODUCTIVE EQUITY

 

Addressing 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 learned 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.


Donations Ranged from $30 - $5,000

resulting in:

$30,000 raised by 70 members


Funding Awarded
 
Mutual Aid Hartford - $10,000
 
Diaper Bank - $7,500
 
Reproductive Equity Now - $7,500
 
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England - $5,000

2024 Giving Circle Members

Amber Anthony
Janet Bailey Faude
Katherine Ballard
Sara Barczak
Melody Bernhardt
Karen Binkhorst
William and Cyndi Bittinger
Lisa Bonner
Cyndi Brown
Carlene Bush
Mary Carangelo
Chloe Carlson
Anne Carroll
Nicole Castelli
Janine Cote
Christina D'Amato
Angela Delaney
Natalie Demers
Meghan Dubois
Jill Dulitsky
June Dunn
Michele Dyson

Kate Eikel

Sandra Fischer
Tracey Flynn
Gretchen Fountain
Kathleen Francalangia
Tammy Freeberg
Karen Gilbert
Katherine Hall
Sivan Hines
Carolyn Hoffman
Lisa Hurley
Princess Hyatt
Roberta Kurlantzick
Jane Leary
Paddi LeShane
Suzanne Levere
Farmington LINKS
Regina Livingston
Mickey Mattei
Marie McNamara
Karen Diaz Meaike

Amy Miller
Sarah Moore

Debra Morton

Leah Murchie

Michelle Murphy
Thomas Murphy
Ann Newbury
Rita Ortiz
Sara Pierce
Sharon Pope
Johanna Rincon
Ellen Robinson
Gilda Roncari
Alison Scherer
Nancy Shaich
Emma Simon
Christina Smith
Donna Sodipo
Molly Spolarich
Donna Stout
Katherine Sullivan
Ann Thomas
Patricia Visintainer
Joanne Vitarelli
Sharon Ware
Chef Renee Williams
Linda Wright 


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?

The group dynamic of a giving circle provides social networking, leadership development, peer support, personal engagement, learning opportunities and the chance to collaborate with other women who share your values.
“Participating in the Aurora Women’s Giving Circle enlightened me to the issues and challenges faced by women and girls in my community. Equally enlightening was to learn of the amazing heroes that work hard to address these issues and offer a brighter future to those in need.”
 
-Lori Pennito, 2017 Women’s Giving Circle member

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.



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