Women Unite

In 2024, we want more of this pls & thank u

to when our Executive Director, Liz Jansen, joined Flowers for Dreams for their first annual Spaghetti Dinner. This event paid homage to the early days of the company, when staff would gather over spaghetti dinner and select which nonprofits and causes they would support for the year. Fast forward to year three of the Flowers for Dreams Foundation and more than $1M dollars donated to local organizations!

This dinner was an opportunity to connect nonprofit awardees to each other, to Flowers for Dreams staff, and foundation board members. It was full of good people, good food, and incredible stories about what happens when we use what we have to do what we can. It was a critical reminder that generous, compassionate work is happening across Chicago and it provided Liz the opportunity to connect with some of WU!'s clients and partners, including Chicago Voyagers, The Free Root Operation, Gyrls In The HOOD Foundation, and Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project - FLAP in person!

Thanks to the team at Flowers for Dreams for putting together such a powerful, fun event!

Welcome to Alexandria Crawford, newest member of the .

Alexandria is putting her passion for theater, storytelling, and social justice to good use as a Communications Contractor for Women Unite!. In addition to her work for WU!, Alexandria is a teaching artist, actor, and arts activist. To learn more about Alexandria and where you can find her hanging out around town, check out our website: https://www.womenunitechicago.org/staff-alexandria-crawford

This holiday season, we are celebrating some of our favorite things--local spots and small business gems that make Chicago the best. From books to fashion to nonprofits — consider supporting some of these incredible places this holiday season. WU! truly finds joy in uplifting our community and we urge you to explore the vibrant places that shape Chicago's culture❤️

Who'd we miss? Let us know in the comments!

Y'all, we have some great news to brighten up a dreary day. We reached our goal!! Thanks to 44 incredibly generous donors, we raised $7,500 in just over a month through our Community. Connection. Collective Impact. campaign.

As we wind down 2023 and head full speed into the holiday season, I hope you find some joy in what we’ve accomplished together, some strength in our collective power, and a reminder of the magic that happens when we take care of each other, together.

Thank you to everyone who made this campaign a success. Believe us when we say, we can’t do this without you! 💕💪🏾✨

Last month, folks from the team met up at for our last in-person co-work of the year. It's been so fun hosting these monthly and getting the chance to connect with one another . It's also been a great excuse to get out of the house and check out different coffee shops and work spaces across our fair city!

Where should we head to in 2024? Let us know in the comments!

PSA: Today is the FINAL day of our fundraising campaign, and there's a chance you're wondering, "Why should I give when billionaires are using their wealth to fly around in rocket ships?" And we agree, big eye roll to those billionaires, but we aren't trying to go to space.

We're trying to build connection and community here on Earth. Alexa, play "Fly Me to the Moon" and pull up the WU! donation page to help us support our own stars. 🌟✨

https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

At Women Unite!, we believe that connection drives change. We also know that all donations, no matter their size, have value and power. Each gift generates an impact far beyond its dollar amount.

Help us deepen our connection, grow our community, and continue to generate an impact in the city we call home.

We've got less than $500 to go before we hit our goal! Make your gift today: https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

During this season of thanks, we encourage folks to recognize and take stock of their privilege; to think critically and honestly about the ways certain systems work for them at the expense of others.

This , we're doing some old fashioned bingo, with a modern twist! For every box that you mark, consider donating $5 to a local nonprofit that's working to make our world a more just, more compassionate place.

Not sure who to give to? Check out some of our go-tos below and let us know who you're supporting in the comments!

AFIRE Chicago
The Evolved Network NFP
UMedics
The Free Root Operation
Sista Afya
Congo Square Theatre Company
Gyrls In The HOOD Foundation
Equiticity
the Collective
BA NIA Inc
NDoula Community Alliance
Midwest Access Coalition
Chicago Women's Health Center
Chicago Abortion Fund
Growing Home Inc
Healing to Action
Centro Sanar

Community isn't just a place; it's a feeling of belonging, a network of support. It's about lifting each other up, sharing joys and sorrows, and moving through the good, the bad, and the ugly together.

Our work is a reflection of our commitment to community and to ensuring that our network of clients, partners, grassroots activists, and local leaders has the resources necessary to make their visions real.

Currently, Women Unite! is supporting a network of 28 partners and clients. 7 of these groups are receiving free services, 12 are receiving sliding-scale support. This costs approximately $280,000 over the course of the year. Nearly 90% of our costs are covered through our service fees, the other 10% is raised via campaigns like this.

Help fund our work by making your gift today using https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

Deep in our gratitude era, baby!⁠
⁠
Yes, the world is on fire. Yes, the challenges we face are complex. In the face of *gestures wildly* all of this, gratitude can be very grounding. 2023 is nearly over — what are you grateful for this year? What have you grown through in 2023?? 📝

Hey folks, we are excited to share that we are 75% toward our goal of raising $7,500 by the end of this month! That's right, we've already raised $5,600. Help us reach our goal by making your gift today: https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

Remember that time you found the perfect parking spot in a crowded mall during the holidays? We need a bit of that luck (and you) to reach our $7,500 goal.

Send us all the good vibes and donate if you are able! It'll be like grabbing that last piece of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving—sweet and satisfying! 🥧

https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

We are also in our ~cozy era~ ☕️

Share in the comments something cozy/restful you hope to do this weekend!!

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HOW is Thanksgiving nearly here?

Speaking of the holiday season, let’s remind ourselves and each other that we’ll always make room for compassion and change…SO let’s pass the gravy and the love by helping us reach our $7,500 goal before the end of the month!

Use https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact to make your donation!

ICYMI: Last week we shared the story of Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation () and their incredible work with Destiny, a young person who shows what can happen when we collectively decide to take care of one another.

One way we care for our community is by multiplying the magic. For every dollar donated, to Women Unite!, we raise $16 for our partners and clients through our capacity-building initiatives! Your dollars become a catalyst, creating far-reaching change across Chicago. Join in on the magic with us by donating today! Check out: https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

We’re halfway through our campaign and have already raised 40% of our goal! Think we can get to 50% by the end of this week?!

Visit our website to make a donation to our Community. Connection. Collective Impact. campaign. Together, we can support and grow incredible grassroots work happening across Chicago. Together, we can make our world a more just, more compassionate place. 💕💕

https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

We see you, Miranda. Quit apologizing. Celebrate your wins (even the small ones).

My therapist once asked "is your inner voice as kind as you are when talking to a friend?"

Let this serve as your friendly reminder to be kinder to yourself 💞

Yesterday we mentioned how our community and the impact of our partners and clients gives us hope. Our work with Gyrls In The HOOD Foundation (Gyrls) is an incredible example of this. Since beginning our partnership with Gyrls last year, we’ve helped multiply their good by rebuilding their website, expanding their grants program, and contributing nearly $20,000 in direct cash contributions.

Here, Chez, the Executive Director and Founder of Gyrls, is pictured with a young woman named Destiny. Destiny first reached out to Chez in a tough spot—she was unhoused, pregnant, and in need of proper prenatal health care. After receiving the call, Gyrls did what they always do: they showed up and extended a multi-faceted lifeline. Today, Destiny resides in a stable home, caring for her daughter as a certified nursing assistant. She has even been able to invest in the purchase of a car, a pivotal asset for her ongoing career journey. Destiny’s story is one of community, connection, and collective impact. It shows what can happen when we decide to use what we have to do what we can.

Help us to continue our work with groups like Gyrls by making a donation today: https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

A little end of week motivation from the one and only Shirley Chisholm. 💓

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to last month when folks from the met up for an in-person co-working session at Two Hearted Queen in .

We started these meet ups this past August as a way to connect local members of our team. is and has always been , even before COVID-19. These in-person sessions provide an opportunity for folks to collaborate and get to know one another. They also offer up a chance to explore different coffee shops across .

Where should we have our next co-work session? Let us know in the comments!

In the spirit of yesterday's post, we're excited to announce our Community. Connection. Collective Impact. campaign. Between now and the end of this month, we want to raise $7,500.

While the monsters and villains pose threats to us all, we know unexpected power always lies with the heroes. And spoiler alert: we are the heroes! The heroes are us!

Together, we can foster community, create connection, and fund collective impact.

Join us and make your gift today: https://give-usa.keela.co/community-connection-collective-impact

When reality is scarier than fiction! This , long-time WU! supporter and friend, , captured the horror of some of our most vile villains.

We've got:
as Professor Moriarty from , who seems to have been created with the sole intention of destroying us all.

as Miss Trunchbull from , a boorish bully who likes to attack students.

as Captain Beatty from Fahrenheit 451. One is obsessed with burning books, the other with banning them.

, the biggest boo scare.

Happy Halloween Eve!

Anotha oneee! When the worst monsters are state funded.

Would be funny if it weren't so scary.

is just around the corner!

To continue our spooky kick off we’re calling out the OG ghoul, Ronald Reagan himself. Wondering how and why things are so hellish? Probably safe bet to assume that the answer is somehow connected to this creep.

We're heading into weekend, y'all. A few friendly reminders: Don't be stupid. Don't be an as***le. The internet lasts forever!

Thanks to for this content that's good year round!

Did you know that this month marks Filipino American History Month?

This month was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipinos who arrived in 1587. It also commemorates the birth month of Larry Itliong (born today in 1913!). Itliong is considered "one of the fathers of the West Coast labor movement," starting one of the biggest labor movements in U.S. history--the five-year strike of California grape workers.

In addition to celebrating the vibrant Filipino community and contributions from leaders like Itliong, we're excited to support our current partner, AFIRE Chicago, with a $1,000 donation! A grassroots community organization, AFIRE Chicago works to build the capacity of Filipnx/a/os to organize towards progressive change. Follow them on social media and sign up for their newsletters to learn more about how you can join and support their movement!

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Spooky season is in full swing, y'all. Reminder that billionaires are the real villains and hex work is real work (see what we did there?!).

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Last week, the Women Unite! team showed up at Eden in Chicago to support The Evolved Network NFP at their annual fundraising event. It was an incredible night of food, drinks, and community. We're so lucky to be in partnership with TEN and continue to be inspired by Sebastian's Kitchen. Sebastian sees food as an opportunity to connect with and provide healing supports to youth. As he said so passionately last week, "Food is something that feeds and speaks to the soul, [it] fosters community building, connection, curiosity, hope, creativity, belonging, agency, choice, equity, and love."

To learn more about TEN and how to support their work, check out: https://theevolvednetwork.org/

Sign me tf up for whatever this is 🥹

Friendly reminder for whoever needs it💕

*tips hat*

The fight is exhausting and ongoing. Take time to rest.

art by:

Real life footage of me on this Monday / let's be honest, almost every day.

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Welcome to our partners .

AFIRE Chicago works to build the capacity of Filipinx/a/os in Chicago to organize toward progressive change. They are one of our three 2023/2024 partners and are committed to making our world a more just compassionate place.

Click here: https://www.womenunitechicago.org/partner-ryan-viloria to learn more about their Executive Director, Ryan Viloria, where you might find him out and about in Chicago and his sage advice on how to best prepare for baking cookies!

💛💛💛

s/o

Intrigued. Who's in??!!

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