BREAKING NEWS | By Maureen Volland

Ojai Women’s Fund Awards $105,000 in Grants

The Ojai Women’s Fund gave out $105,000 in grants this week.

More than 150 attendees gathered at the Ojai Valley Woman’s Club on January 17 to attend the third annual Ojai Women’s Fund Grantee Gala Awards Celebration. A total of $105,000 in grant money was distributed to 13 nonprofit organizations providing services to the Ojai Valley community in arts, education, environment, health, and social services. The grants were funded by donations from 358 Ojai Women’s Fund members and a contribution from the Wilson Family Fund grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation. The Ojai Women’s Fund is an all-volunteer collective giving circle dedicated to making substantial grants to organizations that address critical needs in the Ojai Valley.

The grants were awarded to organizations in the Arts—Ojai Studio Artists; Ojai Youth Opera Company; Performances to Grow On; Education—School on Wheels, Inc.; Ojai Valley Youth Foundation; Environment—Ojai Trees; Center for Regenerative Agriculture; Health—Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association; Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation; Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation; and Social Services—The Nan Tolbert Nurturing Center; Reins of H.O.P.E.; The Arc of Ventura County.

Anna Wagner, co-chair of the Ojai Women’s Fund Executive Committee, said that in its third year of philanthropy, the Ojai Women’s Fund has had a substantial impact in the Ojai Valley by awarding a total of $229,000 to 25 nonprofit organizations. “I love that we can, together with friends, learn about organizations and programs that are serving our community. We learn about needs that we didn’t even know existed and express gratitude to the programs that are prepared to fill those needs. Together we can do much more that we could ever do alone.” The Ojai Women’s Fund inspires and educates women to become leaders in philanthropy and to help make a difference in the Ojai Valley Community. To learn more about the Ojai Women’s Fund and recent grant recipients, visit www.ojaiwomensfund.org.

Media contact:  Maureen Volland; vollandmo@earthlink.net; (717) 682-5189