Dear Giving Circle Members,

Is the quality and affordability of health care something you find yourselves thinking and talking about these days? Imagine how difficult access and accessible care could be if you are low income, unemployed, or unhoused.

Our 2026 grant focus on women’s health, well-being, and education, provides us with an opportunity to address critical health care challenges facing women in Philadelphia. Recent local reports highlight serious needs in maternal and postpartum care, mental-health services, support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and access to preventive and reproductive health care. These challenges are compounded by racial inequities, financial hardship, and barriers such as transportation, language, and caregiving responsibilities.

Having excellent hospitals in our city does not ensure that every woman can obtain the care she needs. Finding an affordable appointment, arranging childcare, or completing follow-up after an abnormal cancer screening can be difficult. Community-based nonprofits can help close these gaps through trusted relationships, counseling, postpartum support, and practical assistance that connects women with care.

Giving Circle Philadelphia can make a meaningful difference by supporting organizations that understand these barriers and offer effective, measurable responses. As we consider nonprofits with annual operating budgets under $3 million, let us ask: What prevents the women they serve from receiving care, what would our grant change, and how will we know it helped? Together, we can help more women in Philadelphia receive timely care, feel supported, and improve their health and well-being.

If you already made your contribution to this year’s fundraising campaign—thank you! If you have not yet made your donation, click the DONATE button below. If you wish to be on the Grants Committee to help select our grantees, click HERE.

Many thanks for your continuing support of GCP and we look forward to seeing you at the Gather for Giving on December 1st at 5 p.m.

Together in giving,

Phyllis Bookspan and Kris Lindenmeyer, Co-chairs, Giving Circle Philadelphia

Join us December 1 to recognize the final weeks for our fundraising campaign focused on Women’s Health. As we’ve discussed in our newsletter, Women’s Health is a timely and important cause that we will continue to learn more about in our upcoming educational programs on Zoom in January and February. At this year’s Gather for Giving we will hear from one of our 2026 grantees about how our grants made a positive difference. The event is also the chance to share time with other GCP members and introduce new friends to the joy of collective giving.

Registration for Giving Circle Philadelphia members is $25, but guests are free! We hope to see you there!

A FEW EVENTS LEFT

We are holding our annual Engagement Events in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. The events held in October have been a great success and there are only a few left. If you know anyone who you feel would like to hear more about our organization, please email Mary Klein at marywealklein@gmail.com and bring them. These are casual gatherings with like-minded women who care about the issues facing Philadelphia today.

Giving Circle Philadelphia (GCP) has selected Women's Health as its 2027 focus area concentrating primarily on underserved women in Philadelphia, ages 18 and older. Eligible nonprofits will include those dedicated to helping women overcome barriers to affordable quality health care, providing access to preventive and ongoing care, maternal and reproductive health services, educational programs and initiatives that equip women to make their own health care decisions, and/or advocacy addressing these issues.

As you know, The Community Grocer was one of our 2026 grantees. In about two months, The Community Grocer will open a new grocery store in West Philadelphia. The concept for this grocery store is innovative and new! The grocery store will be stocked with locally sourced healthy food that can be purchased with SNAP benefits and will also provide the unique opportunity to use SNAP benefits to purchase prepared meals. 

The Community Grocer is holding a special evening on November 12th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Fitler Club in Philadelphia and all Giving Circle Philadelphia members are invited to attend. The Community Grocer hopes to raise funds at this event to help stock the shelves of the grocery store for Opening Day.

Enjoy drinks, conversation, and community as we help complete their very first shopping list. Every item you purchase goes straight into the opening inventory: fresh produce from local farms, quality proteins, pantry staples, and other groceries for families in the neighborhood. Watch the list grow all night long and be a part of the movement to tackle food insecurity in West Philadelphia and beyond.

Click on the button below to buy a ticket. The cost to attend is $30 plus a $3.85 credit card fee

If you see a "Login" button on the new website, you can disregard it. The site is open architecture so . . . no logins are required. But, if you wish to see your last donation, the login button will take you there.



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