Where and how did this group originate?
Our group is based on a model originated by 100+ Women Who Care in 2006 by Karen Dunigan of Jackson, MI. There are now over 650 100+ Women, Men, People, or Teen chapters all over the world. See https://www.100whocarealliance.org/ for more information.
Our Corvallis/Benton-County chapter was originally formed by Karen Rosenberg, Josie Quillan Workman and others in 2017, but the group only met once. In 2019, the chapter was re-booted with the help of Melissa Carter-Goodrum, who had been a member of the 100+ Women Who Care chapter in Bloomington, IN.
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Yes, your contribution is tax deductible since it is made payable to a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Checks are written directly to the local organization NOT to The Power of 100 People Who Care.
What if I cannot attend a meeting?
If a member cannot attend a meeting they are not able to cast a vote for one of the three non-profits presented. To stay a member in good standing, the person will still contribute to the group donation. They can send a check to the Steering Team Lead or make an online donation to the non-profit selected by the group (and send a copy of the receipt to powerof100pwc@gmail.com).
Can I just send the donation to the non-profit myself?
The goal of The Power of 100 People Who Care is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group. We present all member checks together to the non-profit selected shortly after the quarterly meeting (also taking a group photo). If you mail your check directly to the charity, then it’s not included with the group donation and is likely to get missed in the log of member checks received.
Can I bring a friend to a quarterly meeting?
Definitely! We are always looking for people who want to learn about our giving circle and potentially join. Your friend, however, will not be able to vote at the meeting unless they complete the Commitment Form and write a check to the previous quarter’s recipient non-profit before voting begins.
Do I have to put my name in the hat and nominate a local non-profit?
No, many people just like to show up, learn about local non-profits, and give. While all members have the opportunity to nominate a non-profit, it is not a requirement for membership.
When and where are your meetings?
We meet the third Wednesday of each quarter (January, April, July and October) from 6-7pm. Right now we are meeting via Zoom. More meeting info can be found on our Dates & Location page.
What local non-profits have been given to so far?
See the growing list on our Past Recipients page.
Is the group limited to 100?
No! If our group has more than 100 members, that just means more money for local nonprofits. More people = more impact.
Can more than one member nominate a nonprofit?
Yes, more names in the hat (i.e., multiple nominations) can increase the chances of a nonprofit being selected for presentation. Remember to complete the Charity Pre-Qualification Form beforehand.
Can someone other than the presenter answer questions about the non-profit organization?
The 5-minute Q&A part the presentation is supposed to be with the member who made the pitch. The intent of this is so one presenter doesn’t have an unfair advantage by having a “ringer” for the Q&A (i.e., all presenters are on an even playing field). Read Some Tips for Presenting to help prepare for the pitch and Q&A.
Can a non-profit organization join The Power of 100 People Who Care?
Not exactly. People join our giving circle, not organizations. Staff members of a non-profit can join, but they are joining as individuals and making a personal commitment to write a $100 check to the non-profit selected by the group for at least four quarterly meetings. We do not have organizational or team memberships where an organization sends a different person each quarter to our meetings.
Can a member pitch for a non-profit such as Zonta, Altrusa, Odd Fellows, Rotary, etc?
A member could make a pitch for them, but groups such as these are not generally who we donate to. While these service groups make a tremendous, positive impact on our community, they are often a 501.c.4 (social welfare organization), not a 501.c.3 (public charity organization). Our giving circle is geared toward giving directly to local 501.c.3 organizations. For example, our group donation might go to CARDV not to Zonta (the Zonta Foundation to be precise) so that they can give to CARDV. If there was a specific charitable project that one of these groups had, we might consider it. In the end, it’s up to majority vote of our giving circle members to decide where our group donation goes.
The Power of 100 People Who Care 