For Stevens Point News
Submitted by the Women’s Fund of Portage County

$62,400 Granted To Help Those Who Need It Most

STEVENS POINT – With over 250 attendees, the Women’s Fund of Portage County held its annual Spring Luncheon on Friday, May 11, 2018, at the SentryWorld Grand Hall.

Katie Young, chair of the Allocations Committee, announced this year’s grant recipients. Five of the grant recipient organizations provided an overview of how their funds would be used. Mary Berard and Dianne Somers announced the 2018 SPARK Philanthropy award recipient, Patty Noel.

The mission of the Women’s Fund is to empower women philanthropists by creating opportunities to fund programs that will develop the full potential of women and children. Since 1997 the Women’s Fund has provided over $561,000 to local agencies. Notably, the funds have been built from donations of everyday women in the community. The support of the local business community with special raffle donations and sponsorships of the event has also been a vital part of the Women’s Fund’s success.

(Contributed Photo)

This year, a record $62,400 was allocated in grants to local agencies for over 20 projects that improve the situation of women and children in Portage County.

The agencies and projects that received grants this year include:

For Children in Need
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters – Big Little Program
• Boys & Girls Club – Smart Girls
• Central Wisconsin Royal Family Kids – Camping For Fosters
• Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum – Every Fund
• Health & Human Services – Cribs For Kids
• Health & Human Services – Healthy Smiles
• St Paul’s United Methodist – Project Fresh Clothes
• Junior Achievement Programs – School Programs
• Stevens Point Child Safety Center – Car Seats Program
• Girl Scouts – Community Connect Program
• United Way – Foster Care Kits

For Women in Need
• Operation Bootstrap – Energy Assistance for Single Moms
• Operation Bootstrap – Housing Assistance for Single Moms
• Cap Services – Skills Enhancement Program
• UWSP – Scholarships for Single UWSP Moms
• Meals on Wheels – For Senior Women
• Operation Bootstrap -Transportation Assistance
• UWSP Helen Godfrey Center – Early Care Scholarship
• Portage County Literacy Council – Tutor Adults Program
• “Hope is Building” Breast Care- St. Michael’s Foundation

The Women’s Fund also allocates a portion of endowment earnings to its partners:
• St Michael’s Foundation: “Hope is Building” Breast Care project
• YMCA: Child Care, Teen Center and Farm to School Program

(Contributed Photo)

The event also honored Patty Noel, the SPARK Philanthropy Award recipient for 2018.

The Women’s Fund Spark award is given to an individual that has been involved in the community and whose life represents the mission of the Women’s Fund. The Women’s Fund SPARK Philanthropy Award, established in honor of Ann Dudley Shannon, is presented to an individual who has shown exemplary passion and compassion for local women and children. Patty Noel has been selected as the seventh recipient of the SPARK Philanthropic Award.

Patty Noel greatly exceeds the requirements for this award. She has been involved in the Women’s Fund since its inception. Patty was a Founder, a Legacy Leader and a SPARK donor and continues to host gatherings at her home for the organization.

In 1996, Patty and her husband, John, started the Noel Compass Scholarship Program to provide an education at UWSP for low-income, high-achieving students from Wisconsin’s urban communities. Patty is also one of the founders of the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County and is still an active board member. Thanks to John & Patty’s leadership, there are currently nine Boys & Girls Club sites in Portage County that serve more than 2,000 youth each year.

John and Patty Noel (Contributed Photo)

“Patty Noel has provided our community with leadership, guidance and inspiration. This community is so fortunate to have Patty as a role model and worker bee. If something needs to get done, you can always count on her to volunteer and help. She is incredibly compassionate and always leads with her heart,” stated Brittany Von Ebers, Director of Development & Marketing at the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County.

The Women’s Fund knows the Spring Luncheon would not exist without the generous support of their sponsors including: Exclusive Sponsor – Sentry and Premier Sponsors – Ameriprise Financial – Michael Smith and Associates and Head Case Salon.

The next Women’s Fund event will be in partnership with the Portage County Business Council (PCBC) for their Women in Business Luncheon on Thursday, June 21. Register through the PCBC website.

A.R.T.S. Night will be on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point. Your attendance at A.R.T.S. Night provides a majority of the funding for the next grant cycle.

If you are interested in becoming involved or donating to Women’s Fund visit www.womensfundpc.org or Facebook.com/womensfundpc.