Photo Link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/v18nj66u96c6yaqgt5ady/h?rlkey=ely5g3apfb7xofbgmpvqrr0d2&dl=0
Photo credit: Simon Luna/Orchid Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation
DALLAS, Texas, November 27, 2023 – Orchid Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF) distributed a record $376,688 in grants to 24 nonprofit organizations that serve the North Texas Asian community. The event took place at Communities Foundation on November 10 with 200 in attendance. Over the past nine years, the giving circle has granted $1,721,688 to 44 nonprofits and helped impact thousands of lives with these gifts.
The nonprofit organizations and three leadership grants included the following:
- Amphibian Productions Inc. – Program support for Spark Fest 2024
- Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIA) – Scholarships
- Best Buddies International, Inc. – School friendship program support
- Bryan’s House – Social service programs for low-income Pan-Asian women with special needs children
- CHETNA – Legal counsel, representation and mental health counseling
- Child Care Associates – Raven’s Hope International Leadership program
- Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas – Operating support for translation services
Communities in Schools of North Texas – Support for Chin family engagement specialist
- Dallas Asian American Historical Society Inc. – Hear Me ROAR project
- Dallas Chinese Community Center – Youth programs, cultural outreach initiatives and life skills courses
- Heart House – Head, Heart and Hands (H3) program
- Healing Hands Ministries Inc. – Defray cost of healthcare for Burmese refugee women and children
- IGNITE – Equip Asian American Pacific Islander young women to become lifelong civic and political leaders
- Literacy Achieves – Family literacy program for immigrant and refugee families
- Maurice Barnett Geriatric Wellness Center Inc. – Low or no-cost healthcare services for elderly Asian women in their own homes
- Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation’s Asian Breast Health Outreach Project – Breast health outreach and mammograms
- Mosaic Family Services – Partial salaries for full time case managers fluent in Laotian, Thai and Hindi
- Rainbow Days, Inc. – Summer camp program for children experiencing homelessness
- Richardson Adult Literacy Center – ESL and workforce readiness for low-income
- Scholar Shot – Academic management, tuition, books and supplies for scholars
- Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation – Intimate partner violence prevention
- Trinity Habitat for Humanity – Construction cost of a new home for a low-income Asian family
- United to Learn – Professional development initiatives
- Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation – College readiness program for students, educational program support for Asian parents
Orchid Giving Circle at TXWF Chair Mylinh Luong said, “These nonprofit organizations are helping Asian and Asian Americans who need the most assistance. We are thankful to our members, donors, corporate sponsors and in-kind supporters for helping us make a significant impact.”
Dena Jackson, interim president and CEO of Texas Women’s Foundation, said, “We salute the amazing work that Orchid Giving Circle at TXWF does to make a difference in the lives of the North Texas Asian community. The collective impact is truly a ripple effect in North Texas.”
About Orchid Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation:
As the first giving circle at Texas Women’s Foundation launched in 2015, the Orchid Giving Circle at TXWF is a group of Asian women who collaborate, pool their resources and leverage their networks to generate community grants that support social change and services benefitting the North Texas Asian community. Orchid members represent a wide range of Asian cultures, ages, ethnicities and professions with the goal of increasing awareness of the local Asian population, community needs and knowledge about philanthropy. The group has provided grants in education, housing, healthcare, arts and culture, social services and more to the North Texas Asian community. It is also a member of the Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy.
Orchid’s leadership includes the following: Mylinh Luong (Chair), Kim Cummings (Vice Chair), Monica Chen (Grants), Lillian Jersa (Treasurer), Anna Hung (Secretary), Priya Venkat (Membership) and Cynthia Yung (Advisor). The founders include Arang Cistulli, Kim Cummings, Sejal Desai, Loh-Sze Leung, Caren K. Lock,, Mylinh Luong, Lynette Payne, Gowri Sharma, Thear Suzuki, Charmaine Tang, Anne Woods, Cynthia Yung, Trea Yip and Radhika Zaveri. For more information about Orchid Giving Circle and grants, visit https://www.txwf.org/orchid-giving-circle/ or email orchidgivingcircle@gmail.com.
About Texas Women’s Foundation:
As Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF) nears its 40th year, it is clear that now more than ever is the time to elevate Texas women. By working with women, families and communities, they are building a stronger, more equitable Texas. TXWF raises funding from a broad base of donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations. These resources support more than $7.1 million in investments that advance economic security and leadership for Texas women and girls through timely research, advocacy, grants and strategic initiatives. Since inception in 1985, TXWF has invested $78.9 million in women and girls. Their statewide research on issues affecting women and girls provides decision-makers and lawmakers with critical data to inform policies, practices and programs in the state. Its advocacy, grantmaking and leadership initiatives support solutions that help Texas women and girls thrive. In addition, Texas Women’s Foundation is an acknowledged leader and advocate in the gender lens investing movement and has deployed 100 percent of its invested assets – endowments, operating investments and donor-advised funds – in a gendered impact portfolio that yields strong financial returns and social benefits to women and girls. For more information, visit www.txwf.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram or donate now
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