Archive for the ‘Membership’ Category

Thank you to all of our wonderful members for your enthusiasm this fall.  We have had two membership open houses, a Halloween party, and a five year celebration at Maria Hopper’s home.  Many thanks to Jane Knops, Carri Stoltz, Holly Sloan and Maria Hopper for hosting all of these events.   The contributions for toys are piling up at the CAC and we all feel great about The Circle.

But the fun is not over yet!  There are more opportunities coming up to introduce your friends (or yourself, if you are not a member yet) to The Giving Circle.  Mark your calendars and make your list for membership open houses at:

The home of Allison DeCourcey
4220 Peachtree Place
November 18th 7:30 pm
Please RSVP to Pamela Larson.

Membership Open House at the home of Caren Camp
January 2010, details to follow!

Any questions?   Please email Sue Setliff and the membership team.

1) Renew your membership or join the Giving Circle. You can renew or join online.  Come on, go ahead and click right now.

2) Spread a more generous gift out over time. It is easier to give more if you don’t have to give it all at once and if you don’t wait until the holiday season to do it.  And the very easiest way to give is to do it automatically.  Schedule regular contributions with your online billpay service to make a greater gift throughout the year. If each of us does this, our investment in our community can grow by an order of magnitude.

3) Bring a friend to a membership open house party. Another way to build the Giving Circle gift is to grow the circle of women.  If you know women looking for a way to learn about family and children’s issues in Alexandria and who want to be part of the solution, invite them in!  Growing the circle grows the gift but also the fun, laughter and friendship.  Here’s a list of parties coming up; please RSVP to Pamela Larson:

4) Volunteer to help an organization who has received a Giving Circle gift. The time commitment does not have to be large and it is the best way to see your investment at work. Contact me, Peggy Morrison-Curtis, to find out something that will be a good fit for your interest and whatever amount of time you have.

It’s as simple as that.  What kind of investment will you make?

Fall is renewal season! Our goal is to raise $70,000 for this year’s priority gifts and we need your help to meet this goal. Renewing your membership now, in the fall, allows us to plan our giving for next year and announce our gifts in the spring.

You will receive your renewal letter in the first days of October. Please respond to your letter to renew your membership, renew right now online or at one of this fall’s membership parties.

Also, please mark your calendar now for our Fifth Year Anniversary Celebration on November 4th at the home of our founding member, Maria Hopper.

Any questions?   Please email Sue Setliff and the membership team.

Who is that woman running all over Alexandria?  Even if you are not a runner yourself, you have probably seen Brooke Sydnor Curran out and about town.  Brooke, a Giving Circle member since 2006, has found a way to use her passion for running in a way that benefits the community.  Since the beginning of the year, Brooke has raised $15,000 towards a goal of $20,000 for the RunningBrooke Fund, an ACT donor advised fund.  Let’s get to know Brooke and her work a little more.  I promise it is worth the click! Read the rest of this entry »

The Giving Circle of Alexandria has begun its fifth program year with a new look and new opportunities. Visit our updated website, www.givingfullcircle.org, to learn more about our $275,000 strategic investments in Alexandria and our participation in community service events.

Whether you are a Founding Member or joined more recently, you made an important decision to engage in our community, to connect with other women and make a difference for children and families in Alexandria. And, while we have a new look, the core mission, Preparing Alexandria’s Children for Success, remains the same.

There have been some incredibly exciting things happening this summer. Our hope that we could support sustainable change beyond our financial gifts is happening for both Healthy Families Alexandria and the Playgroups. Read on for details on these exciting developments.

With great success comes great expectations, and the organizations and the people we help are looking to us for leadership in a challenging year. Our goal for the membership renewal season now upon us is to raise $60,000 between by December 31, for a total of $100,000 in member investments this year. While ambitious, stretching our personal financial commitments to The Giving Circle will be essential to take advantage of the important opportunities The Giving Circle has to make lasting and systemic change for families in Alexandria.

While our purpose is to help others, we have found our own lives enriched in so many was through The Giving Circle. We look forward to learning about our community’s needs and making a difference with you in the coming year.

Peggy Morrison Curtis and Holly Sloan Smith
Co-Presidents, The Giving Circle of Alexandria