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1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, April 25, 2021 41 center at New York Uni- versity’s medical school carries her name. “What I would really like to do is make people more aware of what heart disease is and how easy it is to begin to change it,” Ross Soter said. “I want people to realize it is the No. 1 killer of women, and the younger you are to learn this, the better.” The advisers Certain organizations support women’s needs generally, but it is still bet- ter to lay out your wishes, donation advisors said. “If you’re giving money to food pantries — the hungry, the poor, the working poor — it’s primarily women and chil- dren who benefit,” Searing of Deloitte Tax said. “In the arts, if you want to fund women artists, you’re going to have to designate that.” Some donors may need to look more closely to find where a large orga- nization is spending its money, said Julie Neitzel, partner and adviser at WE Family Offices, which advises wealthy families. She pointed to the Miami Foundation, which makes grants in the commu- nity to organizations that support equity, includ- ing initiatives targeted at women, and the National Association of Corporate Directors, which is helping to add more women to corporate boards. “It’s all about raising awareness and understand- ing in allocating resources to women and girls — on the individual, community and national level,” Neitzel said. “It makes us better communities and corpo- rate organizations.” Jennifer Buczek Ezring of New Canaan, Con- necticut, a partner at the law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, had been sup- porting her alma mater and Multiplying Good, a nonprofit organization that promotes community service. When her daughter, now 12, was entering middle school, Ezring reached out to LiveGirl to learn more and ended up becoming a donor and sitting on its board. “What makes people want to give is clear evi- dence, a compelling story and demonstrable results, particularly when we’re talking about a time of uncertainty in everyone’s lives,” she said. “You want to make sure your efforts and your dollars are going to what you desire.” The recipients Organizations that are self-funded and local face a challenge if they want to become large enough to attract donors. What has worked is starting local, to prove the concept, and then teaming up with more established organiza- tions for validation. In Connecticut, the Fairfield County Com- munity Foundation’s Fund for Women and Girls was started in 1998 with a $30,000 donation from one person. It now has about $17 million in assets, accounting for 10% of the community foundation’s assets. Some of its first pro- grams targeted single mothers who were strug- gling to finish community college, and its success brought the fund atten- tion and more donations. Recently, the fund started a program to improve health care and economic well-being for women in Bridgeport, the state’s largest city and one of its poorest. The focus of the fund’s giving has been “organiza- tions with a good concept and a good vision that are inclusive and effective,” said Juanita James, presi- dent and chief executive of the Fairfield County Foundation. LiveGirl started in 2014 in New Canaan, West’s af- fluent hometown, but has branched out to Stamford and other economically diverse communities in the state. It has worked in partnership with the 13 Boys & Girls Clubs in Connecticut to increase its reach. Its signature program is Confidence Club, which helps girls improve their self-esteem and confidence in middle and high school. In the last year, with the pandemic affecting in-per- son learning and mental health, LiveGirl extended its SheWorks internship program to cover time off from school and added one-on-one mental health counseling. Last year, it worked with 2,000 girls. “We’re supporting these girls and giving them the experience to thrive,”West said. “We have to make sure our most vulnerable young girls are supported. You’ve got to fund the world you want to see.” GIVING GUIDE Women Continued from page 33 “It’s all about raising awareness and understanding in allocating resources to women and girls — on the individual, community and national level.” Julie Neitzel WE Family Offices TO DONATE: Text GIVEBIG to 55678 or give at seattleymca.org/GiveBig2021 DOUBLE YOUR DONATION! A generous donor will match your gift when you donate by May 5th, up to $50,000. From crisis intervention to long termmental health support, housing for young people, and hunger initiatives for families, the Y is here for those who need it the most. One in six children in King County face food scarcity and the need for mental health services are more critical than ever, especially for marginalized communities. Will you give big to help provide these critical resources in our region? Social impact is our cause. Y M C A O F G R E A T E R S E A T T L E