Many people wonder “Is there life after work?” The lucky ones are able to transfer their talents and expertise to nonprofit organizations, trading salaries for a sense of empowerment and the chance to do good deeds in the nonprofit world. Leslye Heilig, a retired pediatrician in Great Barrington, has funneled her enormous wellspring of energy into Dining for Women (DFW), a national organization that supports women and girls living in extreme poverty in developing countries.
Heilig, who earned her degree at Harvard, practiced pediatrics for thirty years before orthopedic difficulties forced her into early retirement. But she quickly became involved in Dining for Women. As its name denotes, the organization is based on regularly scheduled potluck dinners (and, sometimes, lunch) where interested women share a meal and learn about an international organization, with the motto, “changing the world, one woman, one girl, one dinner at a time.”
Heilig and Linda Baxter, a nurse/midwife in Great Barrington, started a Dining for Women chapter in early 2012. Heilig and Baxter held the first meeting of the local Dining for Women group in February 2012, expecting no more than a handful of women to attend. They were pleasantly surprised when thirty women showed up that night, and contributed $1,100 to the organization. The local chapter has been thriving ever since.
The group has met monthly for nearly four years, and has raised over $42,000 thus far. Donating is very easy. Pay at the meeting or sign up for a monthly donation that can be made automatically. Heilig reports that about $1,000 is raised locally every month, with about half of coming from people who donate online or who have signed up for automatic monthly contributions.
The local Dining for Women chapter has about 150 “active” members, with another 150 who have attended at least one meeting. “There is a core of regulars who always attend, and there are always new faces,” says Heilig. The Great Barrington chapter has spawned two other local chapters: a second one in Great Barrington that meets during the day, and one in Pittsfield.
The Dining for Women meetings serve several purposes. Of course its primary purpose is to support women internationally. But as is often the case with mission-oriented organizations, there is a social component. Those who attend the local meetings meet others who share their interests and values.
Donations of any size are welcome. As Heilig says, “Donating to Dining for Women enables people to give a small contribution that will make a big difference.” She describes Dining for Women as a “collective giving circle,” enabling its donors to learn about international needs as well as satisfying the personal need to “make a difference in the world.”
Heilig asserts that educating girls is a major component to alleviating poverty around the world. “That’s the key to Dining for Women,” she says. “The organization is a successful example of groups that enable the donor to feel like she’s making a difference.” The organization has promoted a wide range of opportunities to help women around the world, such as educating girls to keep them from becoming sex trafficked or sold as child brides to enabling entrepreneurs who build and sell eco-cookstoves — the range of help is impressive.
When asked why Dining for Women concentrates on foreign countries, Heilig points out that the U.S. dollar goes much further in the developing world than here at home. “Besides, there are safety nets here that don’t exist in the developing world,” she says. The organization is beginning to consider a role in advocacy.
To those who wonder if philanthropy can be fun, Dining for Women provides a big “yes!” Donors enjoy the communal meals with women who share their values. “Our organization satisfies a social need both for the donor and the recipient.” There are about 8,500 “members” nationwide in 430 chapters. Here in the northeast there are about 50 chapters.
There is a 10-member program selection committee at the national level, primarily overseeing the grant application process. The organization receives from 60-80 applications for the six donation slots that are open every six months. Organizations eligible to apply must have an annual budget over $100,000.
The organization must be a “501(c)(3),” (government shorthand for a charitable organization) and cannot be affiliated with any religious, political, or government entity. It must be run primarily by indigenous people (primarily women). And its mission must concentrate on education, maternal and child health, or environmental issues, such as clean water or solar energy.
Most of the recipient organizations are holistic and have an impact on multiple levels. For example, providing cook stoves helps improve the health of the family as well as decreasing deforestation and providing a cleaner environment. Keeping young girls from sex traffic is a major goal. Other projects include money for educating children, aid for beginning entrepreneurs, provision of cook stoves to improve family health, and the like.
Although each chapter nationwide learns about the same program and raises money for it, the groups themselves differ widely. Some evolved from a book club, some are simply good friends who wanted a charitable outlet, and others started as neighbors and grew as word spread. “There are many models,” says Heilig, and there is no desire within the organization to alter the organic nature of chapter development. The Great Barrington chapter has about 300 women on its list, although monthly attendance is generally 25-40.
Dining for Women is a successful example of how a good idea can spread throughout the country. It provides much-needed help to women in underdeveloped countries, as well as providing an opportunity for American women to expand their philanthropic and social horizons.
