Via: Dallas Morning News
By: Holly Haber
The Dallas Women’s Foundation has raised $42.7 million of a $50 million campaign to support its programs that aim to boost the financial security and professional advancement of North Texas women.
“Women make up an extremely disproportionate share of households living in poverty,” Ashlee Kleinert of the foundation pointed out.
In Dallas County, women head 34 percent of all households and 54 percent of households living in poverty, she explained. In addition, women hold 52 percent of professional jobs but only 14.6 percent of executive positions.
Ashlee and Chris Kleinert, Paula and Ron Parker and Trea and Richard Yip serve as co-chairs of the Unlocking Leadership Campaign, which kicked off in 2013.
In other news, writer, producer and A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay will speak at the foundation’s luncheon on Oct. 30. DuVernay will talk with former NPR journalist Michele Norris, who founded and directs the Race Card Project.
Luncheon co-chairs are Lael Brodsky and Tricia Miller, and honorary co-chairs are Matrice Ellis-Kirk and Ambassador Ron Kirk.
In addition, more than 40 women have established the Village Giving Circle at Dallas Women’s Foundation.
The group, which will fundraise for organizations and initiatives that serve the African American community in North Texas, collected donations exceeding $106,000 at a kickoff reception at the home of founding chair Shonn Brown.
Lisa Montgomery serves as co-chair of the circle.
Additional founding officers include Cheryl Alston, Christa Brown-Sanford, Annika Cail, Frances Cudjoe-Waters, Vera Ingram and Diane Reeves.
Brown, Montgomery, Alston and Reeves also serve on the board of Dallas Women’s Foundation.
“Through the Village, we empower our members to combine resources so that we are able to award larger, more impactful grants to benefit African-American women, men, girls and boys, and our communities overall,” Brown said.
To learn more, visit the foundation’s website or contact senior vice president of development Shawn Wills at swills@dallaswomensfoundation.org or 214-525-5318.