MENDOCINO Co., 8/7/20 — The 100+ Women Strong Inland Mendocino fundraiser has continued raising money for local community organizations through online crowdfunding during the COVID pandemic. In June, it donated $19,785 to Project Sanctuary, a nonprofit that provides services and support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. You can read more about Project Sanctuary on their website or in this interview with Lia Holbrook, its coast services director.
Its fundraisers have continued on zoom, and participants contribute $100 and then vote on which one of three nonprofits will receive the donations. According to a press release, 100+ Women Strong Inland Mendocino has raised $115,236 in five gatherings between March 2019 and June 2020. “The success has exceeded expectations,” says Katie Fairbairn, founder of 100+ Women Strong, in the press release.
The next gathering will take place on Thursday, September 10, from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m. The nonprofits that might receive donations are Space Theatre, Caring Kitchen, and Seabiscuit Therapeutic Riding Center.
Here is the press release with more information on how to join:
Project Sanctuary is 100+ Women Strong Recipient
Good news during these trying times means that 100+ Women Strong Inland Mendocino County surges forward with their newly formatted online quarterly event, the financial success of its first year and the latest award to Project Sanctuary by popular vote of 182 participants.
“We were shocked at the participation and being awarded $19,785 at the 100 Women Strong online event in June,” says Dina Polkinghorne, Executive Director of Project Sanctuary. They plan is to increase availability of domestic violence counseling and continue helping people with temporary restraining orders and shelter.
“As someone who came to Project Sanctuary seven years ago for help navigating a temporary restraining order, then volunteering on the crisis line, I have come full circle to now being a board member,” says Amy Wray. “I want to see every home a safe home.”
Board treasurer Willow Anderson was thrilled with the award. “I don’t know where our community would be without the services of Project Sanctuary. I’ve been on the board for four years because I wanted to spend my free time supporting these programs that make a difference.”
Project Sanctuary began as a grass roots domestic violence shelter in 1977 and has grown to become a full-service domestic violence and sexual assault and crisis intervention center for the whole county. Their mission is “to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault in Mendocino County through advocacy, crisis response, community collaboration, education and shelter.”
In addition, two other two presenters at the June online gathering, the Good Farm Fund and Mendocino Shelter Pet Rescue were recipients of more than $3.000 total designated by donors for their programs.
Katie Fairbairn, founder of 100+ Women Strong, is proud to report that the total amount raised between March 2019 and June 2020 (five gatherings) is $115,236.00. “The success has exceeded expectations,” says a jubilant Fairbairn.
The purpose of the 100+ Women Strong gatherings is to give one of three designated nonprofits a “shot in the arm” with an award of $10,000 or more at the end of the evening, depending on how many women and men attend and pledge $100 to the winning nonprofit.
How does it work? Anyone who is interested in donating a hundred dollars to the winning nonprofit at each of the quarterly gatherings is invited to register on the 100+ Women strong website. For the next gathering on September 10, everyone will be sent a link to a Zoom meeting and information on making donations with a credit card. Checks are also accepted and may be mailed to 100 Women Strong, PO Box 1349, Ukiah, CA 95482. Participants are encouraged to mail in a check for $100, with the” Pay to the order of” line blank, or make their online contribution as soon as they receive the link. Donations and registrations after September 9 will be counted after the event and you may not receive a link to the meeting.
At the online event, at the end of the recorded presentations, you will be given a ballot on the screen with a chance to nominate a future recipient. When a 100 Women Strong supporter can’t attend one of the events, their donation will be made out to the winning nonprofit. There is a voluntary credit card fee for the online transaction which allows the winning nonprofit to receive the total donated by those present.
The next gathering of 100+Women Strong Inland Mendocino County is Thursday, September 10, from 5:30 until 7:00 pm. The nonprofits who will present are Space Theatre, Caring Kitchen, and Seabiscuit Therapeutic Riding Center.
For more information check out the website 100strongmendocino.com. The membership form is at the bottom of the page. For more information on Project Sanctuary, the website is: projectsanctuary.org.
Photo caption: Dina Polkinghorne, Executive Director of Project Sanctuary, Katie Fairbairn, founder 100+ Women Strong, Willow Anderson, Project Sanctuary BOD, Amy Wray Project Sanctuary BOD, and Karen Christopherson, 100+ Women Strong, get together to present and receive 100+ Women Strong check.
I requested help with shelter from Project Sanctuary and I even offered to pay back any assistance. I need help until at least next year but I am willing to do what I can to give back. Why has nobody gotten back to me? I do not smoke, drink or do drugs, no criminal history, and i have excellent landlord references. I have CPTSD and I am stuck depending on a partner who has brain damage because of the economic shutdown, I no longer have income.