COMMUNITY SERVICE
THE WHO FOUNDATION HELPS WOMEN AND CHILDREN TAKE GRASSROOTS TO NEW LEVELS

The WHO (Women Helping Others) Foundation lives up to its name
in an unique and effective way. Founded in 1993 with a mission of
supporting grassroots charities that serve the overlooked needs of
women and children in their communities, WHO thrives today as an
impassioned advocate and vehicle for an underserved population.

“The organization was founded from the idea of helping women and
children within the local communities. Our goal is to get right into
these community and find those organizations that don't necessarily get funding from the government, other big organizations nor do they get the publicity that helps them find large donors,” says Cindy Turek, WHO's executive director.

According to its webiste (www.whofoundation.org), since its inception, the WHO Foundation has granted over $2.5 million to other non-profit organizations supporting such issues as teen pregnancy, rape, education, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse and domestic violence.  “On our website, you can search by state to see every grant that we've given since 1993. For instance, we've helped an organization in Indiana called The College Mentor for Kids. We've worked with an organization called The Bridge, which supports uninsured woman from diagnosis to the recovery from breast cancer. We have helped the Temple Health Clinic, that serves people who have a low income and no insurance, to purchase a full year of insulin for their diabetic patients,” Turek adds.

The WHO Foundation says that over 22,000 uninsured women and children have been given medical treatment; 28,000 girls have been educated to prevent adolescent pregnancy; over 1,900 children from low-income families have been given coats, hats, gloves, socks and backpacks. Additionally, over 7,000 babies and young children of first-time mothers with a high risk of child abuse have been given a safe haven; and over 14,000 mothers-to-be received pre-natal vitamins free of charge. The WHO Foundation has provided formula and diapers for homeless infants; school clothes and supplies for poor children of low-income families; shelter for children in crisis due to abuse, neglect or the effects of HIV; academic support at free after-school programs; sanitary supplies for homeless and/or needy women; and reconstructive surgery for children who suffer physical deformities caused by birth defect, accidents, abuse or disease.

“Our board tends to be very passionate about children's needs—especially where there are things happening that are totally overlooked,” says Turek who adds, “Last year we helped an organization that takes classic books and puts them in Braille. The classics, believe it or not, are not in Braille. Those are the kinds of the things that tend to touch the hearts of our board. Our board is also attentive when the grant details exactly how the funds are going to be used. If someone requested enough formula for 100 babies for the next six months, that would come to the top of the list verses a grant that requested general funding.”

The foundation is committed to encouraging women everywhere to help others through local community service. With the support of their corporate partner, Beauti-Control, and its independent consultants, The WHO Foundation not only leads by the example that they set (in 2005, they were able to donate $635,000 to local charities, including Hurricane Rita and Katrina relief), they put their time and money into the hands of the people who need it most and inspire others to do the same.

How can you help?
“Our hope is that we can give away a million dollars. But, of course, we have to raise those funds. It is our goal to contribute 84 cents of every dollar. In the very near future, the board is taking a look at children's organizations as they relate to literacy. We will never stop the cycle of poverty or welfare until we get our children educated. The children are our future, so we have to change the cycle of education, literacy and also reduce domestic violence,” Turek adds.

We at THE FAMILY GROOVE are inspired by The WHO Foundation's commitment to the not only to its mission, but to the actual people that mission serves. Tackling real life problems, one solution at a time, while simultaneously seeking to stop these problems at their source is a smart and noble idea. Helping in the local communities by giving the people what they need will lead to grand scale change.
We support you every step of the way.

THE FAMILY GROOVE donates a percentage of its revenue to the featured Charity of the Month.

For more information or to make a donation, go to www.whofoundation.org.

The WHO Foundation granted $10,000 to Cheerful Givers to support their efforts in providing birthday gift bags to 26,000 children living in poverty so they could celebrate their birthdays and have happy memories.	WHO gives children with deformities a fresh start. The WHO Foundation has provided assistance for organizations that help children like Jasmine, who was born with a cleft palette.	ICAN! Community Education Coalition, Inc. received a $15,000 grant from WHO to purchase standardized testing software and hardware to automate the testing of students through the Coalition. The Coalition serves Tampa, FL., where one out of every four adults age 16 and older read below the fourth grade level.
WHO gives disadvantaged children a chance to buy and wrap gifts for their family and friends by earning WHO Bucks for academic standing, citizenship and class attendance.		The Dallas Community Lighthouse received a $15,000 grant from WHO for their project called Kids Campus, an after-school program that provides an alternative to the at-risk child staying home alone after school each day.