This week’s Blackbaud Non-Profit of the Match is the Center for Women, an organization dedicated to the overall advancement of women in the Charleston area. The Center for Women is a 501(c)3 non profit that serves to educate and connect women in Charleston. The organization’s goal is to empower and help women achieve economic success and become leaders in their professional, personal, and community lives.
The Center for Women uses a combination of educational and networking opportunities, training and dev
elopment workshops, and mentoring programs to achieve its goal. The organization focuses on three areas: Awareness Advocacy, Financial Management and Entrepreneurship, and Leadership and Development.
Awareness Advocacy includes programs that raise awareness and connect women with stakeholders and decision-makers to aid in their advancement professional and personally. Financial Management and Entrepreneurship is connected with the SC Women’s Business Center which seeks to promote and encourage economic security and self-reliance for women through entrepreneurial instruction and financial education. Leadership and Development includes programs and initiatives that provide resources, skill development, and training to help women learn and develop leadership abilities in all stages of life.
The Charleston Battery touched base with one of just seven employees at the Center For Women to learn more about the organization. We spoke to Leigh Ann Garret, the Center for Women’s Event and Program Manager.
CB: What is the overarching goal of the Center for Women? What’s your elevator pitch describing what the organization does to help people in the Charleston community?
Our mission is to help SC women achieve economic success. We provide education and opportunities for working women through programs, events and advocacy.
CB: What types of people is the Center for Women trying to attract? Can anyone join?
Anyone can join! Our programming is designed for professional women and invite women, men and young women to get involved and connect for success!
CB: The C4W offers memberships, what does a membership include?
We offer personal memberships for $50 a year and Business Membership for $500 a year, which include more marketing opportunities through the C4W. All memberships allow for free monthly programs, a network of hundreds of women and a discount for other events or workshops that we host. People can sign up through the C4W website, call us or see us at a program!
CB: It looks like the organization has plenty of ways to get involved, how can Battery fans help?
Absolutely! We are always seeking volunteers in a variety of ways, mostly field experts or other professional women who would like to be a program speaker for the C4W, serve on a board committee or be a program specific volunteer for something like our ‘Ready for Work’ program, that assists unemployed women find the confidence and skills needed to gain employment. If you are interested in anything, please call, email us or visit us on social media (Twitter, FB & Instagram) to learn more.
Visit http://www.c4women.org/ for more information about the organization and opportunities to get involved!
