OUR GRANTS

About Our Grants

The mission of the Giving Circle of Women's Connection Philadelphia is to support local nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of women and children in the City of Philadelphia by raising funds for collective donor-advised philanthropy. The Giving Circle is the philanthropic arm of the Philadelphia Chapter of Women's Connection, a national organization of professional women aged 50 and forward who seek to continue a life of learning, engagement, and leadership in the world.

Giving Circle members pool dollars, make grants to nonprofit organizations and conduct educational programs and other initiatives to raise awareness of the significant needs in our city. We are passionate about making a difference, nurturing relationships with the organizations we support and engaging with our members to build a better community. The Giving Circle is committed to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion and identity. We are looking to support organizations who share this commitment.

Through the generosity of our donors, we raise funds throughout the calendar year and then in January determine how many grants - and at what amounts - can be awarded. 100% of the money raised goes towards the nonprofits selected.

Dear Giving Circle donors:

On a snowy day in Philadelphia registering some of the lowest temperatures we have seen in over 20 years, I am writing to share how warm my heart feels for all of you—YOU --the special donors who participate in collective giving, who trust our Women’s Connection Philadelphia Giving Circle with your money, and who join us in identifying and selecting the nonprofit grant recipients that we select each year.   

Our request for grant applications is live on the Philadelphia Foundation website. It says that we are seeking:

 applications from nonprofits with a significant commitment to improving access to affordable, healthy food for women and their families in Philadelphia. Eligible applicants will include those offering a range of services, such as food banks, community gardens, meal programs, excess food collection and distribution and nutrition education.

A few weeks ago, we held an information session for prospective grant applicants. Fifty (50) nonprofits joined that call. The prior year we had 27 nonprofits join our information call. On January 29, we had our first education program on food insecurity and over 140 registered for this program and heard passionate comments from our panel and moderator. (see below in this newsletter for a fuller discussion of this program)

This is an historic year for the Giving Circle.  Thanks to you we raised over $120,000.  Given that our base donation amount is $200, this is not an insignificant sum.   Other giving circles require $500, $1000 or more as their entry point.  In 2012, our first year, the Giving Circle asked for a $200 minimum donation. In 2026, the amount to be a voting donor in our circle is the same because we believe that collective giving should be accessible for all -- not just for wealthy women. 

This year I am proud to announce that we have 227 donors, including 67 first time donors, and because you understood the critical need of hunger facing our community, our average donation was approximately $528 - the largest average donation ever. 

Kris joins me in saying it fills us with warmth to know all of us are making a difference in Philadelphia. We hope you find your experience with our Giving Circle meaningful and important; we encourage you to participate in a way that is meaningful to you, and we hope that you will continue your donations for many years forward.

Together in giving,

Phyllis Bookspan, Co-chair of the Giving Circle

We just heard from our excellent panel on the topic of Understanding Food Insecurity in Philadelphia. Now, the second program entitled Philadelphia's Response to Food Insecurity is being held on Thursday, February 26th. For this program you will hear from others in the field of food insecurity who are also trying to make a difference.

To register for the event, click below. We need you to register so that we can send you the Zoom link at a later date. Attendance is free.

Register Here

 Giving Circle Contributions 2025

On hot August day in 1957 Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a sermon identifying one of life’s most persistent and urgent questions: “What are you doing for others?” As we start a cold February in Philadelphia, this question continues to be central to the Giving Circle’s mission. As a Giving Circle supporter, you can confidently answer that your donations are helping improve the lives of women and children in our city. In 2025, 227 donors contributed over $120,000 to the campaign to help ease hunger and food insecurity in Philadelphia. That is a record. A handful of donors have been giving annual donations since the Giving Circle’s inception in 2013. A majority have been donating for several years and we hope to continue that trend with the 67 first time donors that joined the Giving Circle in 2025. 

 Thank you for supporting the Giving Circle of Women’s Connection Philadelphia. The power of collective giving in contagious!

 Understanding Food Insecurity in Philadelphia

Thursday, January 29th

2:00 to 3:30 pm via Zoom 

 The Giving Circle of Women’s Connection Philadelphia held their first educational program which featured leaders from state government, legal advocacy, and the nonprofit sector gathered to address the escalating crisis of food insecurity. The program, moderated by Louise Hayes of Community Legal Services (CLS), provided a sobering look at how federal policy changes and economic pressures are reshaping the landscape of hunger in Philadelphia. We asked AI to summarize the presentation and it did a pretty good job but, for those who were not able to attend, we encourage you to watch the recording, click here.  Passcode is BmQR0W&H.

The event began with Phyllis Bookspan, co-chair of the Giving Circle, who outlined the organization's philanthropic role. Founded in 2012 by six women, the Giving Circle has grown to 227 donors and awarded over $600,000 to local nonprofits. This year, the group collected a historic $120,000 to distribute specifically to organizations tackling food insecurity. Bookspan emphasized that the group supports smaller nonprofits with budgets under $3 million to maximize their impact.

Ellan Bernstein, co-chair of the Educational Presentation Committee, followed by highlighting the exponential increase in the need for healthy food access. She noted that the goal of the presentation was to inform donors and citizens about the critical roles state government and philanthropy play in "combating the unfortunate and unnecessary crisis of food insecurity".

Moderator Louise Hayes, a nationally recognized SNAP expert at Community Legal Services, provided the data defining the current crisis. In Philadelphia, over 250,000 people (15% of the population) struggle with food insecurity, including over 100,000 children. Hayes underscored the racial disparities, stating that Black and Hispanic households experience hunger at rates more than double those of white residents.

Hayes explained that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains the primary defense against hunger, providing nine meals for every one provided by the emergency food system. However, she warned that SNAP faces "unprecedented challenges" due to shrinking government support and rising living costs.

A central focus of the discussion was H.R.1, also known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," signed into law in July 2025. Secretary Valerie Arkoosh of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services explained that this law targeted SNAP and Medicaid, introducing stringent new community engagement requirements. Under these new rules, certain SNAP recipients must work, volunteer, or participate in training for at least 80 hours per month. 

Secretary Arkoosh expressed deep concern that the law fails to address the actual challenges Pennsylvanians face, such as the affordability of food and healthcare. She noted that SNAP is a vital economic engine, with $365 million in federal benefits flowing into Pennsylvania grocers each month, supporting 10,000 retailers and local farmers.

The panelists detailed the practical and emotional toll of these changes:

•         Secretary Valerie Arkoosh (PA Dept. of Human Services): Shared a story from her medical career about a pregnant woman with gestational diabetes who had to take two buses just to find fresh produce, highlighting that medical care cannot fix systemic poverty. She detailed the state's efforts to implement a new website (DHS.PA.gov/work) to help people find volunteer opportunities and other information to maintain their benefits.

•         Louise Hayes (Community Legal Services): Discussed the "real work" of representing individuals whose benefits are cut off due to paperwork errors. She highlighted the plight of legal immigrants, refugees, and asylees who lost SNAP benefits entirely under H.R. 1. Hayes also raised the alarm on SNAP theft, where criminals use skimming devices to steal benefits from cards that lack modern chip technology.

•         George Matysik (Share Food Program): Described the "emergency food system" under extreme strain. Share Food Program serves 500,000 people monthly and manages food for 800 schools. Matysik reported a 120% increase in need since the pandemic, while federal funding and food donations have simultaneously shrunk. He noted that his organization lost $8.5 million in federal support in 2025 alone.

•         Mark Edwards (The Food Trust): Emphasized that "strong systems grounded in community" are the only way to create lasting change. The Food Trust operates programs across the Commonwealth with a mission of "delicious, nutritious food for all". Their holistic, community-centered approach to nutrition security weaves together three core programming elements – access, affordability and education – as well as a focus on advocating for public policy solutions.

The presentation painted a picture of a system at a breaking point, where the "lifeline" of SNAP is being frayed by federal mandates while the nonprofit sector struggles to fill massive gaps. As Secretary Arkoosh noted, even more challenges are on the horizon, with Medicaid work requirements set to begin in January 2026. The call to action for the Giving Circle was clear: informed grantmaking and community advocacy are more critical now than ever to ensure that Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents do not go hungry.

This panel touched on many of the challenges they face. During the second educational program entitled “Philadelphia’s Response to Food Insecurity” being held on February 26th, you will hear from others about possible responses. The “Register Here” button is above. See you there.

Please note that we have changed the date!

Donor Appreciation Event

Our annual Donor Appreciation Event will be held on Monday, March 16th at Independence LIVE, 1919 Market Street. This event is held every year as a THANK YOU for your passion and your support. You will hear from Phyllis and Kris, you will hear from the Co-chairs of the Grants Committee and there will be lots of time to mix and mingle with your fellow donors. 

To register . . .Click here!

 🌟 Exciting Changes Are Coming to Our Giving Circle! 🌟

We’ve reimagined our voting process to make it more flexible, inclusive and celebratory than ever before. Our finalists are doing critical work to address food insecurity in our community, and we want to be sure you can learn about their missions, hear their stories, and see the impact of their work before casting your vote.

How the New Process Works 

Our updated approach is designed to honor both your time and your voice, while celebrating the collective power of our donations:

• Ultimate Flexibility: Attend finalist presentations in person or watch the recordings online when it’s convenient for you.
• Inclusive Participation: Every eligible donor will have the opportunity to vote—no scheduling conflicts.
• Thoughtful, Empowered Voting: Take time to reflect on each organization’s impact and choose the nonprofits you believe will make the greatest difference.
• A True Celebration of Impact: On May 20th, we’ll come together to celebrate our grantees and what we can accomplish through collective giving.

Stay tuned as more information is rolled out over the next few months.

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