(from Philanthropy Journal, by Cecelia Thompson)
In the early 90s, the Guilford Green Foundation didn't exist as it does today. However, the roots of the organization were being planted through "The Green Party," an annual dance hosted by area gay men to raise money for HIV and AIDS.
At the time, Dawn was one of the few women who served on the board of the Green Party.
During one of those early winters, Dawn heard through a friend that two lesbian women in Greensboro lacked the money needed to keep their heat running during Christmas.
At that moment, Dawn realized the impact sexual orientation could have on individuals in her own town.
That's when Dawn stepped in with a vision and a desire to do something larger than herself. She gathered a group of women, and together they paid to heat the home for the winter.
Dawn never met the women, and to this day she doesn't know their names, but in that moment, she understood the power of collective giving.
Together, women can make a bigger impact than by merely standing alone...
