"I postponed my mother's birthday party in Texas so I could attend the Site Visit." said Women's Fund member Patti Monroe at the end of the 9th annual Women's Fund Site Visit on October 17. "And I'm so glad I did. I was so inspired by what I heard and saw. I can't wait to get more involved with some of the nonprofit programs we funded."

This year's Site Visit attracted nearly 200 members and guests who toured and heard progress reports from eight local nonprofit agencies - the 2012-13 recipients of $525,000 in Women's Fund grants last April.

Women's Fund member Leslie Dinaberg captured the excitement and details of the day in her story prepared for Noozhawk (click here).

Filling three Santa Barbara Airbuses, Women's Fund members and their guests toured three grantees in the afternoon: Catholic Charities, Doctors Without Walls, and the Westside Boys & Girls Club. The buses returned to the Santa Barbara Woman's Club for a wine and cheese reception and progress reports on the other five grantees: Future Leaders of America, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Isla Vista Youth Projects, Youth Violence Prevention Program and Women's Economic Ventures (WEV).

If you were inspired, let's start now to make next year's Site Visit (it will be our 10th!) even better. You can do that by:

• Becoming a member
• Growing your group
• Increasing your donation
• Writing your check today and triggering the matching grant from our generous benefactor, Betty Wells.

"The Site Visit always reminds me that by pooling our donations, we are able to make a much greater impact than most of us could ever have on our own," said Sarah Stokes, Site Visit Chair.

If you have questions about membership, please contact Tish Gainey, Membership Co-chair (805) 682-2911 or  tish244@cox.net.

To see more photos >>>>>

...to our dedicated Site Visit volunteers led by Chair Sarah Stokes and to our generous supporters who - along with our members - ensured all Site Visit costs were 100% covered:

Carole MacElhenny, Founding Member
Jen Abed, Chateau Ste. Michelle
Allen Associates Construction
Anthony Carroccio, Organic Soup Kitchen
Cookies by Nikki Rickard
Easy Lift Transportation
Eco Green Supply
Ferguson's Bath & Kitchen Gallery
Barbara Lowes
San Marcos High School Royal Pride Foundation
Santa Barbara Airbus
Santa Barbara Woman's Club
Stolpman Vineyards
WEV client businesses
(C'est Cheese, Genuine Bread Company, Goodland Kitchen and
Santa Barbara Popcorn Co.)

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