Women supporting philanthropy
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Meg Gleason, an associate at Jones Day, is a member of the Women's Leadership Council.
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Meg Gleason, an associate at Downtown law firm Jones Day, donates time out of the office to nonprofit organizations such as Sisters Place, a Clairton organization that helps homeless single parents; and the YMCA of Homewood-Brushton, where she is a member of the lay board of management.
As a professional at a prominent law firm, she's also accustomed to being asked to donate money or buy tickets for fundraisers and other charitable events.
But when an official at United Way of Allegheny County asked her to join the Women's Leadership Council, the 33-year-old professional saw an opportunity to give both time and money and get to know other female professionals in the region involved in charitable giving.
"We arranged to meet for coffee and talk about it," she said. "I am approached to donate my time quite often, but I don't think I have been approached for anything quite like this."
The Women's Leadership Council is a network of women who donate at least $1,000 annually to United Way -- or who donate less but commit to work toward the $1,000 threshold -- and who encourage other women to participate in local philanthropy.
Among its initiatives this year is to tap more young professionals like Ms. Gleason through direct outreach instead of waiting for them to emerge on their own.
"We're going individually and meeting one-on-one with women who have the capacity and are in a position to make a contribution at [the $1,000] level," said Linda Jones, vice president for workplace campaigns at United Way.
The campaign kicks off next Wednesday with an annual breakfast event, which is already sold out.
Though the council raised $3.1 million last year, the sluggish economy took a toll.
While last year's total jumped 7 percent from $2.9 million raised in 2008, that was down from the growth rates in previous years. The women's donations had grown by 29 percent in 2008, 22 percent in 2007 and 19 percent in 2006.
Membership last year grew only 1 percent compared with growth of 27 percent in 2008, 17 percent in 2007 and 14 percent in 2006.
First Published September 8, 2010 12:00 am
