100+ Women Who Care DSM Raises More Than $750,000 Since 2010 for Local Charities

West Des Moines, Iowa — 100+ Women Who Care DSM raised more than $750,000 for 47 different Central Iowa charities since the group was founded in 2010, a testament to the power of collective giving.

As a networking and giving circle, members come together four times a year to nominate and vote on a local charity. They agree to donate $100 to the selected charity and, with a matching grant, are often able to raise more than $60,000 annually.

“Our collective impact is transformative for the community and the nonprofits our members support,” said Jessie Phillips, president of 100+ Women Who Care DSM. “It’s amazing how an individual donation of $100 can be multiplied into more than $15,000 each quarter.”

Many nonprofits selected by the giving circle serve youth in the area, meaning that children or teens that benefited from the group’s early donations may now be adults.

The latest donation round was in November, when the group raised nearly $15,500 to Raise the Bar Initiative, a nonprofit that helps teen girls build confidence and health through an after-school weight training program in Des Moines Schools. It’s the largest single-year donation the nonprofit has received since its founding in 2018.

“Our members were moved by the emotional and physical strength, and sense of community that weight lifting builds in young women,” Phillips said. “The dedication of the Raise the Bar leadership in building their organization from the ground up is inspiring.”

100+ Women Who Care DSM raised nearly $10,500 for Raise the Bar through its membership and submitted for a matching $5,000 grant that will be donated on the group’s behalf. Qualifying nonprofits are matched 50% up to $5,000, thanks to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.

The Des Moines chapter of 100+ Women Who Care was founded by Sue Kenny, Liz Kennedy, and Dotty Thurston after hearing about a 100+ Women group in Michigan that raised more than $10,000 for charity in an hour to buy new baby cribs for a local charity. There are now more than 350 chapters around the country.

The next meeting of 100+ Women Who Care DSM is a joint meeting with 100 Men on a Mission Des Moines, on Tuesday, Feb. 6th in West Des Moines.

Additional meetings in 2024, which are open to women looking to meet others through networking, learn about local nonprofits, and make a local impact through their donations, will be on Monday, May 13th; Monday, Aug. 5th; and Monday, Nov. 11th at the Rewind Hotel, Salon A, 6075 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

For information about upcoming events, to RSVP, or to learn more about 100+ Women Who Care DSM, email 100womenwhocaredsm@gmail.com or visit 100womenwhocaredsm.com.

100+ Women Who Care DSM raises money for local charities through collective donations. The mission is to connect caring women, educate ourselves on local nonprofits and leverage our collective impact. Learn more on our website 100womenwhocaredsm.com or on Facebook, Instagram, or Linkedin: @100womendsm.