How we turned $50 into $50,000

We are GiVe. We are a group of women, invested in our community, who enjoy each other and enjoy helping out local causes.

As a group, we are not political or religious. Although, individually, some of us might be. We have those who tithe, those who donate to politics and those who sponsor charities abroad. We support museums, schools, churches, individual people, disaster relief, and more, on our own.

Together, as GiVe, we focus on our local community.

Las Vegas may be a come-and-go place, transient in so many ways. In some cases, people keep to themselves – drive into their garages, shut the door, and live at home without so much as a hello to their neighbors. But not us! We have made it a habit to be involved, to be friendly, to care for our communities.

What started out as birthday lunches morphed into a giving group where we honor each others’ choice. Now we donate to a monthly cause in lieu of “lunching with the ladies.” Some months we have a hands-on activity or we meet a recipient. Other times we just gather together (sometimes even for lunch) and discuss our gift. All are worthy, many are touching and some are downright tear jerkers.

We bring in our husbands annually for a “mancakes” brunch. They each offer a charity for consideration and one is drawn from the men’s options.

While it is but a small gesture each month, our GiVe group reminds us to be aware of the needs of our communities. We feel that by looking for causes to support, learning about them and making our group donation, we are more connected to the Las Vegas Valley.

So, how did we do it? By faithfully meeting and giving since April 2007! Our first recipient was an injured landscaper and most recently we have given to Trauma Intervention of Southern Nevada. We began with 10 women, and currently we have 12 who contribute $50 per month to a chosen charity. We have given between $4,000 and $7,800 per year since 2007 and we will hit $50,000 this fall!

Start your own Giving Circle, engage in your community!