Show your love for Women Nonprofits this Month

Share your love for women’s nonprofits this month

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Show your love for Women Nonprofits this MonthShare your love for women’s nonprofits this month

Philanthropic giving by individual Americans has been steadily increasing. According to National Philanthropic Trust, Americans gave $427.71 billion in 2018 (a 0.7% increase from 2017) and the largest source of charitable giving was by individuals at $292.09 billion (68% of total giving).

Nonprofits helping women and girls may have been gaining visibility, but they receive a small percentage of the charitable dollars. According to The Women & Girls Index: Measuring Giving to Women’s and Girls’ Causes by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that in 2016 more than 45,000 organizations dedicated to women and girls received a total of  $6.3 billion — only 1.6% of charitable giving.

The WINGS team believes it is time to change that. Here are 4 ways you can show your love for women’s organizations this month:

Donate your time and talent by volunteering

Over 77 million (30%) adult Americans volunteer their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. Most women’s and girls’ nonprofits can use volunteers’ expertise and support all year long. This month is a good time to reach out your local women’s or girls’ organizations to determine where they could use a helping hand.

Donate your Treasure

Philanthropy is not just the domain of the wealthy. Small financial contributions are impactful. According to the study, Women and Giving by Fidelity Charitable, 55 percent of millennials support a wide variety of causes, but may be diluting their impact by giving to too many charities. This month is a good time to make a list of your giving priorities and save the majority of your giving budget for 2020 for the issues you care most about.

Become a voice for the organizations you love

According to the study by Fidelity Charitable, 51% of millennial women encourage others to donate to the charities they do by posting success stories on social media to inspire friends, family and potential donors. Donate your voice this month to advocating and educating others about women’s and girls’ issues. You could start small by sharing a post or a news article as way to inform and inspire.

Leverage your personal and professional Network for a cause

According to the Millennial Impact Project, 75 percent of Millennials say they share content on social media. Recognize the incredible influence and potential your network carries. This Feb, recognize the influence you have online, in social networks, in your relationships, and at your workplace. Introduce two people in your network to a women’s organization you are passionate about.

About the Author:

Sheeba Madan Loewinger is the Business Manager at Little Silver Foot Care. She has a multi-faceted background in marketing and communications. She is a mentee of the WINGS Signature Program 2019 cohort.

Dr. King’s dream inspires us to have equal rights for women to lead

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Celebrating Dr. King's legacy and continuing his crusade

Dr. King’s dream inspires us to have equal rights for women to lead

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday honors the minister, civil-rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner whose accomplishments have continued to inspire generations of Americans. Dr. King’s philosophy and leadership style continues to inspire WINGS leadership.

Dr. MLK Jr

WINGS CEO and Founder, Varsha Waishampayan, left a successful career on Wall Street to start a women’s leadership development non-profit when her father echoed Dr. King’s sentiment. Her father told her,

“You should give back with what you have learned. There is never a bad time to do good; it’s just a matter of priorities.”

Chairperson of the WINGS Board, Dr. Bob Eng wishes men, women, and children across the country and around the world celebrating Dr. King’s birthday: “WINGS joins like-minded men and women around the globe to advance the cause for a more just world…much remains to be done to reach Dr. King’s dream.”

Bob opines on Dr.King Jr.

Dr. Bob Eng, Chairperson, Board of Directors, WINGS for Growth opines on Dr. King’s legacy

Dr. Eng adds, “A visionary and leader who fought for a more just world, he is a towering role model for all of us. Many of his words ring as stirringly today as they did when he spoke them. ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’”

Dilek on Dr. King Jr.

Dr. Dilek Uzunalioglu, WINGS Mentee ’19 opines on Dr. King’s leadership style

For the WINGS team, Jan 20 this year is not just a day to celebrate the phenomenal Civil Rights activist’s life and legacy, it is also a day to reflect on his leadership style that continues to inspire. The WINGS 2019 cohort mentees are inspired by Dr. King’s leadership style. R&D leader, Dr. Dilek Uzunalioglu, says, “Leadership is about developing a purpose, explaining it clearly and further building it by listening and asking questions, finally motivating the crowd to accomplish the purpose successfully. I believe the following quote from Dr. King says it well: ‘A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.’”

Santhi Nithi opines on Dr. King Jr.

Santhi Nithi, WINGS Mentee ’19 opines on Dr. King’s leadership style

Dr. King’s leadership style was truly transformative. WINGS Mentee and Consultant Senior Project Manager, L’Oreal, Santhi Nithi continues to be motivated by his vision. She says, “I believe in Dr. King’s transformational leadership that sets a vision to the team, makes the team believe in their capabilities, dream big on what is possible, and make their work fit in the broader company strategy by empowering them and giving them authority to take actions on what they believe in.”

Dr. King placed emphasis on character and lived his life with courage and integrity. Dr. King wrote, “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” We at WINGS believe that integrity is an important aspect of a mentee’s character and is worth striving for. Leaders with integrity help build trust and strengthen businesses as they are able to attract investors, customers and talented professionals.

As we commemorate this special day, the WINGS team would love to hear about what inspires you most about Dr. King’s leadership style.

About the Author:

Sheeba Madan Loewinger is the Business Manager at Little Silver Foot Care. She has a multi-faceted background in marketing and communications. She is a mentee of the WINGS Signature Program 2019 cohort.

The Power of Giving

The Power of Giving

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The Power of Giving

 

The Power of Giving

Charitable giving is in full-swing this time of the year, and Americans have a reputation for giving generously to charity. According to Giving USA 2019: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2018, American individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations gave an estimated $427.71 billion to US charities in 2018.

We all know giving helps others and is good for the giver. Whether we provide support to family members, friends, and neighbors, or donate time, talent, or treasure to charities or non-profits, having positive social interactions is essential for good mental and physical health. Scientists also believe that altruistic behavior releases endorphins in the brain, producing the helper’s high. Reciprocity since time immemorial has been an accepted concept. When you give, you’re more likely to get back. Studies by sociologists suggest that when you give to others, your generosity is likely to be rewarded by others down the line.

Giving also strengthens bonds in a community. When you give to others, they feel closer to you and you feel closer to them. You also spur a ripple effect of generosity through your community. According to a Harvard University study, seeing others give makes an individual more likely to give – in other words, giving is contagious.

So, it would seem intuitive that everyone would want to give. And many indeed do give informally.

Informal giving in many communities in the US:Informal giving in many communities in the US

So where are the foundations for giving laid? In the US, philanthropic habits and practices are instilled mainly in the nuclear family. A comprehensive review of more than 500 studies on why people give conducted by researchers at the University of Notre Dame found that giving is more common among people who are:

Giving is more common among...

A passionate advocate of giving and paying-it-forward and Founder and CEO of WINGS for Growth, a women’s leadership development non-profit, Varsha Waishampayan, says giving gave her a great sense of accomplishment and purpose in life.

About the Author:

Sheeba Madan Loewinger is a  Marketing and communications professional with a multi-faceted background encompassing content development and editing,  She is a mentee of the WINGS Signature Program. Follow Sheeba at the link shared for her viewpoints.

In the event of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, WINGS for Growth reminds everyone that daring to dream must continue!

Martin Luther King Jr. Had a Dream – Do YOU have a Dream?

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In the event of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, WINGS for Growth reminds everyone that daring to dream must continue!

In the event of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, WINGS for Growth reminds everyone that daring to dream must continue!

To help celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, WINGS for Growth wanted to take the opportunity to reiterate how important great role models and mentors are, and to share some inspiring messages to help put us in the mood for the holiday.

As many of us know – but it is worth repeating – Dr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. This inspirational role model was the author of the “I have a dream” speech. In it, Dr. King so eloquently states “I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’.” Although his 1963 speech stressed that even 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed – “the Negro is still not free”, today we celebrate many significant achievements of black people – including the eight year presidency of Barack Obama – which in 1863, no one dared to dream of. Today, daring to dream must continue.

Having role models and mentors, such as Mr. King, enable us to look beyond what is simple to achieve to tackle what is difficult to achieve.

Scientists, doctors, and researchers all work hard each day to prove what can be done – but first, someone had to dream that it might be possible. Who teaches and inspires us to dream? Mothers, fathers, relatives, friends, teachers, religious figures, local as well as famous role models instill in us the need to dream- to reach higher and farther. Mentors then show us HOW to achieve our dreams by sharing their wisdom, leading us, and enabling us to find our way.

What is a mentor?

  • A mentor is a career parent/person who has your best interest in mind
  • “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you than you see in yourself, and helps to bring it out in you” –Bob Proctor
  • A mentor imparts wisdom
  • A great mentor is a great person first
  • A mentor focuses on ‘developing’ NOT ‘doing’
  • “A mentor is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction” –John C. Crosby

As we celebrate the life and accomplishments of a great person, role model and mentor — Martin Luther King Jr. — remember that it is equally important to find your own passions and way, not to just follow in the footsteps of others.

The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves. — Steven Spielberg

“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai

“We are so often left to wonder whether one person can possibly make a difference. Mother Teresa said yes, we can. Her life was resounding proof that it is possible” — Craig Kielburger

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only celebrated in the USA, it is also recognized and celebrated in MANY countries around the world such as in Japan (Hiroshima), Canada (Toronto), Israel (Jerusalem), the Netherlands (Wassenaar) and more. Though not necessarily a national holiday, each country holds special ceremonies to remember, to teach tolerance and the importance of civil rights.

What will you do to celebrate?

Do you need a mentor? Do you wish to become a much needed mentor? WINGS for Growth was created to inspire, enable and empower talented young women to become leaders of the future through impactful mentoring, coaching and networking with visionary, successful, and caring leaders and role models. Contact us today www.wingsforgrowth.org

As we embark on another year…

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NewYear

Today as we are getting ready to ring in the New Year, we wanted to share this story which made 2016 one of the best years in recent memory.

We received a call from a young woman who will remain nameless… She inquired about what we do and about the WINGS. After our regular sales pitch, and sharing our views passionately on the phone, she asked if she could be a mentee even though she has nothing to do with Corporate America. She went on to explain she does not have a great education nor a great family to support her.

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My Father’s Good Advice

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MyFatherGoodAdvice

My father told me many times, “There’s never a bad time to do something good”. This is true today more than ever. With all the crazy things happening in the world, it makes sense to give back and mentor others whenever you can. Our world needs more passionate, inspiring and successful leaders. I was the fortunate recipient of some excellent mentoring during my 26 years on Wall Street, and now I want to share that experience and knowledge with other women. Finding it was difficult for me – so allow me to give back and make it easy for you.

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