100+ Women Who Care

100+ Women Who Care is a group of women who gather quarterly to support different nonprofit organizations.

How does it work? Members nominate local nonprofits. Three organizations are selected at random to make a pitch; each has five minutes to tell the group about their work and how the funds will be used. Each member donates $100—which means that 100 women can raise $10,000—and then vote on which group will receive the money. National nonprofits are not considered, but local branches of national nonprofits are eligible, as long as 100 percent of the contribution stays in Santa Cruz County.

The Santa Cruz group is one of many chapters all over the world associated with the 100 Who Care Alliance. In 2009, local resident Sandy Skees brought the idea to Santa Cruz after a visit with her mother, who belongs to a chapter in Ohio. Along with Mary Talpas, Kirsti Scott, and Diane Lamotte, she ran the local chapter of 100 Women Who Care for more than 10 years. Now, a new group of women has taken on the task of leading the group.

100 Women Who Care was started in November of 2006 by Karen Dunigan of Michigan, whose group has grown to more than 200 members. Women Who Care chapters have formed all over North America, and have collectively donated more than $1 million dollars to local organizations.

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