Representatives from seventeen Mid-Shore non-profits will be accepting checks totaling $57,221 at the Women & Girls Fund’s Grants & Awards Luncheon on April 24.  That will bring the Fund’s overall grant total to $839,523, awarded to 110 organizations whose programs benefit women and girls in one or more of the five Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot.

The grants will be presented to 5 new organizations and 12 non-profits that have been awarded Women & Girls Fund grants in the past.  New this year are: Benedictine School for Exceptional Children; Foundation of H.O.P.E.; One Mission; Open Doors Partners in Education; and Radcliffe Creek School.

In addition to bestowing the grant checks at the luncheon, the Fund will present its two annual awards to the 2023 recipients as well as those who missed their moment in the spotlight during the three years the luncheon was not held due to the pandemic.

The Women & Girls Fund Award for 2023 will be presented to Jo Ann Asparagus Murray, Esq., of McDaniel. Jo Ann has lived a life of service,and has continually found new ways to benefit our community. With a combination of her legal and social work degrees she has succeeded in revamping the way families are treated in the court system. She was the first Domestic Relations Master in Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, and the Family Law Magistrate in Caroline County.  A lifelong volunteer, she has supported and has served on boards for many organizations including the NAACP, Talbot County Board of Education, Habitat for Humanity, Talbot Interfaith Shelter, and Kappa Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.  Her dedication to protecting the rights of women and girls, and her leadership, integrity, and compassion are the hallmarks of this annual award.

The 2023 recipient of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award is Deborah Hudson Vornbrock, of Stevensville, executive director of Martin’s House & Barn.  Her community development career has focused on raising funds to provide care for the elderly and infirm, support the health of women and families, and, in her current position at Martin’s House & Barn (formerly St. Martin’s Ministries), she has strategically addressed increasing access to services and program delivery around trauma informed care.  Deborah epitomizes the Sheryl V. Kerr Award in every respect having excelled in her field with vision, integrity, and respect for others, coupled with her devotion, which has empowered countless at-risk individuals.

The Women & Girls Fund Award recipients in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were Carlene Wilson, Julie Lowe, and Chrissy Aull, respectively.

The Sheryl V. Kerr Award recipients in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were Peggy and John Ford, Leslie Bishop, and Beth Brewster, respectively.

“All of our award recipients are tireless advocates for Mid-Shore women and girls. Their lifelong dedication and fruitful effort deserve to be commended. Our grant recipients address a wide variety of critical needs facing women and girls in our community.  We are proud to be able to support their good and necessary work,” said Karen M. Kaludis, president of the Women & Girls Fund Board of Directors.

The Grants & Awards Luncheon will be held on Monday, April 24, 11:30am, at The Tidewater Inn Gold Room in Easton.  Ticket price is $60 and the event is open to the public.  Registration deadline is April 12.  To make a reservation or for more information, call 410-770-8347, email [email protected] or visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org.

On Tuesday, January 17^th, Alice Ryan, founder of the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore, hosted a lunch at the Tidewater Inn to celebrate 20 years of philanthropy, to honor and thank the women who have given of themselves to help enrich the lives of women and girls throughout the Mid-Shore, and to look ahead to the next 20 years.

The event was attended by 26 of 48 past and present board members. Ryan thanked all of the women who have graciously given of their time and talents to help build the Women &Girls Fund into what it is today. Ryan spoke about “the power of pooled resources to improve the lives of women and girls on the Mid-Shore”, and said “each board member brought significant skills to the board and contributed to the organization’s ongoing success.”

Over the past 20 years, the Women & Girls Fund, a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, has built an endowment fund of $1.6 million and awarded grants totaling more than $782,000 to 105 non-profits in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties. The Fund works tirelessly to support organizations on the Mid-Shore that care for, educate, and advance local women and girls, and to make a difference in their lives and help them have a better future.

In attendance were four of the eight founding members: Bettie Baer, Pemmy Noble, Alice Ryan, and Meg van den Berg.  The other founding members, Fran Parker, Kearby Parker, Emilie Robinson, and Carolyn Thornton, were unable to attend.

Board President Karen Kaludis thanked Ryan for her remarkable vision and gift to the community in establishing the organization, which presents its grants at an event every April.  She stated, “The Women & Girls Fund Annual Grants & Awards Luncheon brings together an extraordinary group of supporters and those we support through our grant programs.  It celebrates the importance of improving the lives of women and girls every day on the Mid-Shore,” and added, “We are excited to gather this year together after three years. COVID-19 made it impossible over the last three years, but this year we are thrilled that we can celebrate and honor so many worthwhile non-profits helping women and girls live better lives.”

The Grants & Awards Luncheon will be held Monday, April 24^th in the Gold Room of the Tidewater Inn.  The event is open to the public.  Details are forthcoming and will be posted on the Fund’s website www.womenandgirlsfund.org.  For more information about the luncheon and the Women & Girls Fund, call 410-770-8347 or email [email protected].

The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore celebrates its 20^th year using the power of pooled resources to support local nonprofit initiatives that benefit women and girls.

In 2002, Alice Ryan of Easton set out to create a fund to support the many local efforts to benefit women and girls. She brought together seven female friends from different parts of her life, and together, they established an endowment fund at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation to address the needs of women and girls in the region. Today, 20 years later, the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is one of our region’s most respected philanthropic institutions.

In the first year, Ryan’s friends raised enough funds to offer just under $13,000 to four different groups. Twenty years later, the organization funded 12 nonprofits a total of $50,432 this spring. In all, the Fund has granted $782,302 to 105 different nonprofit organizations. The Fund’s reach extends from innovative childcare solutions for working mothers, to outdoor environmental education for teen girls, to special comfort kits for rape and sexual assault victims. The Fund supports nonprofit initiatives in any of the five Mid-Shore counties – Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Kent and Talbot.

Over 400 local women have participated as volunteers in the Fund’s activities over the years. That work ranges from reading grant applications, making site visits and vetting projects, to coordinating, organizing and running special events. Donors to the Fund are encouraged to participate in grant reading to learn more about local nonprofits and their work.

This year, the Fund’s endowment reached over $1,000,000. This mark is notable as that amount generally earns about $50,000 each year that can be distributed to nonprofits in the community while preserving the Fund’s legacy for generations of women and girls to come.

The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore is known for supporting smaller organizations that often don’t have a lot of funding options, ones for whom a $3,000 – $5,000 grant can make a powerful impact. Sometimes these are new organizations, just getting off the ground, or established groups launching new initiatives for at-risk females. Often Fund Board members connect one-on-one with local groups to help identify best management practices and strategize on other funding options. The relationships between the Fund’s donors and local nonprofit leaders grow each time the Fund puts on a new event or reaches out into the community.

Since 2003, the Fund has held an annual luncheon for 200-250 donors, supporters, and grantees. It is an annual draw for many who see it as a joyful celebration of what’s right about the region, celebrating successes of local women and girls and the nonprofits that support them.The group presents annual grants as well as two significant cash awards each year, one honoring the late Sheryl V. Kerr who had a philanthropic mission to empower women, and a ‘Women & Girls Award’ for someone whose work in the community represents the mission and values of the Fund. The women receiving these honors over the years represent leaders from every facet of the communities of the five counties of the Mid-Shore. Covid unfortunately cut into the Fund’s annual celebrations since 2020, but the group plans to return to its annual celebratory luncheon tradition next year.

The Fund raises money through annual giving campaigns, an annual golf tournament, and special events. All donors are valued as much as any other – the core value of the group is that every donation, no matter the size, contributes to the larger good of the community when pooled together with others. Donors are encouraged to “Honor Someone Special” throughout the year with a special gift to the Fund.

Teaching and creating the next generation of philanthropists is part of the Fund’s mission, and in 2015 the group established the “Daisy Fund” to encourage learning about philanthropy. With a $10,000 pledge, anyone can establish an account for a younger person. The “Daisies” use the funds earned by their endowment accounts to give extra support to initiatives selected for grants each year. These gifts are carefully selected by the younger generation fund holders as they learn about philanthropic giving by doing it themselves.

Over the years, the Fund has sponsored educational programs, speakers, panel discussions, exhibits, and outreach events. For its 20^th anniversary, among other activities, the Women & Girls Fund, with support from the Ellie Spurry Christ and Margaret Ferree Funds, is partnering with UM Shore Regional Health on a Mammography Initiative to provide screening mammograms to local women with financial need.

Given the success of the first 20 years of stewardship of the Women & Girls Fund, the Mid-Shore can expect to see annual grants and awards marking accomplishments for women and girls throughout the region for decades into the future. More information about the Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore can be found at www.womenandgirlsfund.org, where one can make a donation or view videos of the Fund’s work and its current video series in partnership with the Talbot Spy highlighting the 20^th anniversary, called “Women and Girls Fund: 20 Years of Success.”

The Women & Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore has announced Chrissy Aull, of Queenstown, and Beth Brewster, of Denton, are the 2022 recipients of the Women & Girls Fund and Sheryl V. Kerr Awards, respectively.

“Our annual awards are special because they shine a spotlight on individuals, often unsung heroes, who are making a difference in our communities.  We want the recipients to know their inspiring work, either personal or professional, is recognized, valued, and improving the lives of Mid-Shore women and girls,” said Kathy Deoudes, president of the Women & Girls Fund Board of Directors.

Chrissy Aull received the 2022 Women & Girls Fund Award for her efforts in co-founding the Wye River Upper School (WRUS) to educate bright high school students with learning differences.  Based on a shared personal need for an appropriate high school experience for their young adult sons, she and co-founder Patricia McGlannan, of Tilghman, opened the school in 2002 with nine students, three teachers, and two staff members on the campus of Chesapeake College.

Establishing the school was not without challenges, and Beth Spurry, former WRUS board member and current Women & Girls Fund board member, recalled, “At every point in the founding and development of WRUS, when it appeared there was ‘no way this will work’, Chrissy did impossible things through her positive attitude and compassion.  She never took no for an answer.  It’s a remarkable story and look where the school is now!”

Wye River Upper School grew to 57 students from as many as nine Maryland counties and Delaware while Mrs. Aull’s served as Founding Head of School from 2002 until her retirement in 2020.  The school offers a wide range of curricular options, including an impressive digital and mechanical tools space, and extra-curricular offerings including interscholastic sports, theatre, and off-campus experiential learning.

In 2010 the school purchased the Centreville Maryland National Guard Armory as its permanent campus.  Mrs. Aull led a successful capital campaign to raise over $5 million dollars to complete a total renovation of the historic structure.  During her tenure, the school awarded an average of $150,000 annual financial aid to enable deserving students to attend.

The Women & Girls Fund Award was established by the board in 2004 to recognize a community member who, through their body of professional work or volunteer experience, exemplifies the Fund’s mission.  The shared traits among recipients are vision, integrity, compassion, and generosity of time and talent, which demonstrates a commitment to improving the lives and opportunities of women, girls, and families.  This award is publicized in all five counties, and nominations are accepted from the public.

Previous recipients of the award are the following women of distinction:  Lois S. Duffey, Harriet S. Critchlow, Sandra W. King, Maria Boria, M.D., Sr. Patricia Gamgort, OSB, Tracy Davenport, Sandra Redd, Sara Jane Davidson, The Hon. Karen Murphy Jensen, Kathleen Francis, Maureen Jacobs, Janet Pfeffer, Joy Price, Nancy Wilson, Mary Lou McAllister, Diana Mautz, Kathy Weaver, Ellen Rajacich, Susan Stockman, Krista Pettit, Carlene Wilson, and Julie Lowe.

Beth Brewster received the 2022 Sheryl V. Kerr Award for her accomplishments as the driving force at the Chesapeake Culinary Center (CCC) in Denton, which she founded in 2005. The center’s focus is on job training, youth education, and economic development in Caroline County, critical issues in the area Mrs. Brewster recognized needed to be addressed.

In partnership with the Caroline County Public Schools, Town of Denton, Caroline County Government, and other organizations, CCC undertook the rehabilitation of the original Caroline County high school building, built in 1901.

The old building has been retrofitted with classrooms, training kitchens, and a retail store featuring local products.  The building lends itself to be a community kitchen incubator for farmers to create added value products and promote small food-based businesses entrepreneurship.  It also houses the Caroline Career and Technology Center’s culinary arts class allowing high school students to gain a job skill as well as a variety of community programs.

For many years, Mrs. Brewster has offered “The Dinner Party”, an after-school program for at-risk students, and “Cooking Matters”, a program to teach lower income families how to cook and shop on a budget.  She leads “Farm to Freezer”, an in-house project capable of preserving up 20,000 pounds of local produce to serve all year.

Caroline Curbside Market is CCC’s newest project.  A specially outfitted van – “Sho Go Mobile” – follows a busy weekday schedule traveling to food scarce areas of Caroline County to bring residents with mostly local fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat at deeply discounted prices.

Mrs. Brewster’s tireless efforts at CCC – in addition to her “day job” as Caroline County Public School’s Supervisor of Food Services – have earned her town, county, state, and national awards.  She is legendary for her vision and innovation.  Says Women & Girls Fund board member, Kathy Bosin, “Beth is one of the brightest stars on Delmarva.”

Established in 2015 with a grant from the Grayce B. Kerr Fund, the Sheryl V. Kerr Award can be given to an individual or organization.  Recipients are identified and selected through an internal board review process that recognizes exceptional community outreach or work that aligns with strategic goals of the Women & Girls Fund.  The late Shery Kerr, a philanthropist and vice-president of the Grayce B. Kerr Fund, was a proponent of women empowering women, which is hallmark of the Sheryl V. Kerr Award.

Previous distinguished recipients of the award are Maria D’Arcy, Estela Ramirez, Cheryl Hughes, Robbin Hill, Debbye Jackson, Peggy and John Ford, and Leslie Bishop.

For further information or to download a 2023 Women & Girls Fund Award nomination form, visit www.womenandgirlsfund.org or call 410-770-8347.