Founders Message – November 2021
by Pauline Field
Halloween – Thanksgiving – Diwali - Chanukah – Christmas – Kwanzaa – New Year’s Eve. Quite a string of holidays. Let’s put them all together under the banner of gratitude. Gratitude for our health, for our loved ones, for our friends, for the work we get to do, for living in these glorious United States of America – and the other countries that are represented in our subscribers.
This is a time of joy, for some. Heartache or loneliness for others.
At 50/50 Leadership, we have a lot to be thankful for. We have been going strong since 2004. We have impacted many women in many different ways through our various programs. Since 2018 we have been providing financial literacy programs for women who have overcome trauma, hardships and victimization.
At a recent workshop one participant really appreciated learning about fixed and variable expenses; another about the debt snowball strategy. One participant loved that we opened a space to have conversations about money which has always been taboo for her and plans to gather and talk about budgets with her friends, and another said that she now plans to pay her credit cards off in full every month. She didn't realize how much she was paying in interest until we reviewed the $3,000 credit card balance example.
That’s just at one workshop, in a series of three. We offer at least one workshop series every month and we get similar comments.
Women who complete the workshops are then offered a yearlong one-on-one mentor. Here’s a few highlights of the impact for these women:
One woman said she feels so happy with all the good things happening: new home, college, and work. At first, she was afraid that she would lose all this happiness, but instead is celebrating those moments and soaking up the achievement.
Another was reunited with her other 3 sisters recently and plans to visit her brother who she hasn’t seen in 13 years.
Another is celebrating a very large milestone: being debt free!
A woman who had been living with her children at her mother’s home, is now settled into her new apartment.
As you gather around your Thanksgiving table, I invite you to look with different eyes, acknowledging the abundance of your life. I will be thinking of the 200+ people who volunteer with 50/50 Leadership who give much of their non-working time to make it all work. I will also be thinking of you, our readers and donors and the difference you make in keeping our vision and mission alive.
Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.