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Greeley Tribune: Weld Women2Women asking for help to be able to give a hand-up

Please reflect on your blessings and those who may not be so blessed. Assess your expenses and decide what you can share to help others. We know every dollar donated has a positive impact on another life plus blesses the giver. Did you know that people who share their gratitude lower their blood pressure, sleep more restfully, decrease levels of depression, and improve their relationships with others? This study is by University of Zurich psychology professor William Ruch.

As board members of Weld Women2Women (W2W), we are tasked with fundraising year-round. To help others we must raise money. Our founding members started W2W by each asking 10 of their friends to donate $100, and those friends also asked their circles to give.

So our “tradition” is to use the final 100 days of each year to seek out community members to donate to W2W. Our goal is to raise $25,000 so we can continue to help as many women as possible. We are only half way there at $11,775, so we need your help.

We live in a generous community; many people have donated $100 without great hardship. We have witnessed community support that has allowed us to award over $375,800 to help 939 women since our inception in 2009.

W2W offers one-time financial assistance to women who have nowhere else to turn and who have been screened and referred to us by partnering agencies. Requests are awarded directly to local vendors providing the needed service within 48 hours, thus contributing to a healthy economy. Please add your donation — 100 percent provides a hand-up to women and their families during a crisis.

We’ve paid for expensive textbooks for a required class, so a nursing student didn’t drop out of college; assisted a grandmother who suddenly is raising her grandchildren and needed beds for them to sleep in; and a woman already struggling with bills to feed her children and pay rent when her radiator blew and she needed her car repaired to get her children to daycare and herself to work. A hand-up at a crucial time can avoid a major catastrophe. We could be assisting your friend, co-worker, mom, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter, or neighbor, so wouldn’t you like to help?

You can learn more on Facebook or visit https://weldw2w.org where you can donate online. Or send a contribution to: Weld Women2Women, P.O. Box 336962, Greeley, CO 80633.

Kristi Helzer is a W2W Board Member who is coordinating their 100 x 100 campaign. She believes in giving back and volunteers, promotes and fundraises for area nonprofit organizations that help people in this community. She is the founder and facilitator of Northern Colorado Women in Business.