PD Charitable Fund History and Vision
Written by Raquel Lauritzen 2004
One of the most important ways Professional
Dimensions members demonstrate commitment to community involvement is through
its Charitable Fund, which was founded in 1992. Charity had already been
important to Professional Dimensions much earlier, beginning in 1979 with a $200
scholarship given to a local area student. Cumulatively, Professional Dimensions
has contributed $778,500 in scholarships and grants in the Milwaukee area!
From 1979 to 1985, Professional Dimensions
offered scholarships progressing up to $1,000 to young women selected by a
committee of members. In 1985, in addition to scholarships that had increased
in value to $2,000, PD began to award direct grants to community organizations
that provided assistance to area women and girls. That year, the amount of money
donated in scholarships and grants increased significantly to over $5,000.
The establishment of the Professional
Dimensions Charitable Fund marked a change in the PD philosophy of charitable
giving. That is when PD realized that a major gift to a single organization
would make a real impact on the community and was within reach of the
increasingly recognized organization. It was hard to be noticed for the small
grants made in the previous 13 years, even though PD had awarded $23,050 in
scholarships and $15,300 in direct grants up to that point.
Two significant changes were adopted: (1) a
multi-year commitment to an organization was made and (2) direct fund raising
was initiated among members with matching funds contributed by Professional
Dimensions. This created an exponential increase in the amount Professional
Dimensions had available to give, and in 1992 its contributions more than
doubled.
The Professional Dimensions Charitable Fund
Board of Directors coordinates fundraising and philanthropic giving through the
Professional Dimensions Charitable Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Funding decisions are governed by the selection of recipients that meet the
following criteria:
They support targeted programs
that are cutting edge and visionary, such as addressing emerging issues or new
approaches to long-standing problems;
They promote women’s philanthropy to impact the direction of
charitable giving to under served populations, such as women and children;
They ensure effectiveness of the use of Professional Dimension’s
charitable dollars through choosing programs with measurable results; and
They benefit Professional Dimension’s strategic areas of focus:
leadership, diversity, community, and networking.
The collective contributions of Professional
Dimensions members to the Professional Dimensions Charitable Fund have made a
powerful statement in Milwaukee about women as leaders. As we enter the 21st
century, women’s income has grown to nearly $2 trillion. That new economic
power can play a significant role in philanthropy and social change.
Professional Dimensions provides the conduit for such possibilities and the
long-term impact on worthy and vital efforts that empower women and girls in
Milwaukee.
Funding is generated primarily by the annual Sacagawea Dinner,
where two outstanding female leaders are honored for their community and
professional leadership and achievements. The “Saci” Dinner was named after the
Shoshone woman who led Lewis and Clark on their journey through the Pacific
Northwest over 200 years ago. She embodies the spirit and mission of
Professional Dimensions. More than 500 business and community leaders attend
this event. Using the money raised from the Sacagawea Award Dinner, the
Charitable Fund matches gifts to the project agency. The awards provided
to the winners are original works of art created by a Wisconsin female artist
commissioned to embody the theme of Sacagawea.
Among the recipients of funding from
previous Sacagawea Dinners are The Women’s Center, a retreat for women victims
of domestic abuse, Meta House, a transitional living center for women with drug
dependencies, the YWCA Women’s Business Initiative Incubator, the Women’s Fund
of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, S.E.T. Ministries, which helps central
city families, PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc. a dynamic leadership development
organization serving central city teen girls, The Benedict Center, which helps
women who are in conflict with the law return to self sufficiency.
Professional Dimensions (PD) was founded in
1978 to fill a need for an organization to promote the career development and
personal growth of business and professional women in the Greater Milwaukee
area. The founders were three visionary businesswomen—Barbara Stansberry of
Northwestern Mutual, realtor Susan Scott, and Penny Scheuerman of Junior
Achievement. Twenty-six charter members attended the first meeting on October
11, 1978. Dr. Ruth Fossedal, Director of the Women’s Development Center at
Waukesha County Technical College, was the featured speaker.
The objectives of this visionary group were
to help each other reach their goals and to provide an organized link with the
community in which they live and work.
Today, with over 400 members, Professional
Dimensions is the preeminent women’s networking organization in Southeastern
Wisconsin. Professional Dimensions is recognized for its members’ wealth of
talent, capabilities, and accomplishments. They also represent diverse racial,
generational, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The organization has
established a reputation for attracting decision-makers with proven track
records of achievement who are enhancing the quality of life and furthering the
economic growth of the area. As such, Professional Dimensions is recognized as
the “organization of choice” for professional women in the greater Milwaukee
area. As an organization, it is accepted and sought after as a valued source of
proactive leaders.
A 25-member Board of Directors oversees
Professional Dimensions and employs a full-time executive administrator who
handles the coordination and continuity of programs and activities out of the
office located in the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee building at 1915 North Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212.
The mission of
Professional Dimensions focuses on four tenets: leadership, networking,
community involvement, and diversity.
Leadership—Providing direction and vision on
issues affecting professional women.
Diversity—Committing
to programs and membership representing a variety of professions, cultural and
ethnic backgrounds.
Community—Affecting
long-term change on critical issues facing our community through personal and
monetary support.
Networking—Participating
with PD members and other civic and professional groups in meetings, programs
and special interest groups.
Bi-monthly meetings offer varied formats and
provide social, educational and business development opportunities. There is
usually a breakfast or lunch meeting on the second Wednesday of the month and a
dinner meeting on the fourth Wednesday. Frequently, a recognized speaker or
panel is featured but some meetings have a strictly social format.
Committees undertake the work of program
development and implementation of the mission. Informal special interest
groups allow members to target specific ways to network and grow. Professional
Dimensions volunteer leaders coordinate the activities of nine standing
committees, which include Program, Members-Only Program, Member Involvement, New
Member Orientation Committee, Charitable Fund Champion Team, Sacagawea
Committee, Website/Directory Committee, Media Relations Committee, and Community
Affairs-Strategic Initiatives and Community Leadership.
The future looks bright as Professional
Dimensions grows in stature. The Charitable Fund will grow with it, reflecting
the thoughtful philanthropic leadership of the Professional Dimensions
membership.
Written
by Raquel Lauritzen 2004
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