The Fabulous 50 Women’s Giving Circle, also called the Fab 50, met Sept. 9 at the Nashville United Methodist Church for their annual accountability meeting.
In 2013, Betsy Voss Lease promoted the concept of how a small group can do great things and recruited 49 members to give $200 each per year and then pool it into larger impact awards for Brown County nonprofits. Fab 50 meets twice a year – once to select recipients for the awards and a second time to hear about the award’s impact.
Grant money given to Brown County nonprofits during the Fabulous 50’s nine-year existence totals $122,521. Since its beginning, the group has also established an endowment at the Brown County Community Foundation (BCCF), which is now worth $9,110.75 and helps support small BCCF grants. The group has also contributed $11,172 towards the BCCF sustainability fund.
The 2021 award winners were the Early Education Center (EEC) of Brown County Schools ($11,000) and Brown County Habitat for Humanity ($5,500).
Maddison Miller, BCCF, CEO and grant submitter for the Brown County Schools Early Education Center, provided updates.
Most of the award money was used to purchase furniture for the toddler room, some of the grant money went to staff recruiting costs.
Miller also updated the Fabulous 50 members on major aspects of the EEC programming that are taking place in the Brown County schools.
A career and technical education teacher will also be the EEC site director.
A lead teacher has been hired for the preschool room, along with one paraprofessional. An additional preschool paraprofessional is needed for the fall semester.
Staff is also needed for the toddler room that is scheduled to open January 2023.
Seventy high schoolers have already signed up to participate in the workforce training program at the EEC.
Headstart classes are held directly across the hall from the EEC preschool room.
BCCF scholarships will be available to families who meet free and reduced lunch criteria.
Enrollment is open.
Sue Lindborg, vice president of Habitat for Humanity, provided award updates:
$500 of the Fab 50 award was designated to BC Habitat’s Brush with Kindness Program that works with families regarding home accessibility and minor repairs. In 2022 a ramp was built so a mother could bring her son home.
The larger portion of the award will be added to expenses for the next build, as costs of housing are skyrocketing.
A capacity building grant ($100,000) was received to be used specifically for wages to pay for a fulltime executive director for two years. In exchange, BC Habitat must raise $300,000 in two years and build at least three houses instead of two.
The 2022 home build is waiting on a federal HUD funding award, which is anticipated to be available in late October.
There is an ongoing search for a building contractor to oversee projects (paid position).
Excavating services are needed. Habitat is seeking land on which to build 3-4 homes. Volunteers are needed.
Donna Ormiston, Fab 50 member, reflected at the evening’s end on how even a small group’s philanthropic actions can make a big positive impact for the future.
“I feel this group, by pooling their $200 donations, they are doing just this,” she said. “What better way to provide for ‘generations to come’ than to use these funds to support early childhood education and affordable housing for families?”
The Fab 50 is recruiting members and collecting donations now for awards to be disbursed in February 2023.
For information on how to join Fabulous 50 call Betsy Voss Lease, 812-988-8798 or Jenise Bohbrink, BCCF, development and program assistant, 812-988-4882.
Submitted by Sue Lindborg, Habitat for Humanity vice president
