By Scottsdale Pinetop
After learning that new mothers within her community were placing their sleeping infants in boxes and dressers because they could not afford a proper crib, former mayor of Jackson, Michigan Karen Dunigan decided to take action. With all of her involvement in the community, she began making phone calls and requesting donations. Karen’s simple request brought a group of women together that made it possible to provide new mothers with the simplest need: a crib.
The movement grew to become one of the largest female philanthropic organizations in the country, expanding into a chapter here in Scottsdale, which still gives back locally to this day.
Scottsdalians like to celebrate the diversity and talent of its community including its women organizations that impact the city. In a time when women empowerment and equality is a hot topic in the news, it’s important now more than ever to encourage and promote women-only and women-centric organizations, for which Scottsdale is fortunate to have many.
Its organizations like the Women of Scottsdale, the 100+ Women Who Care and PANDA that help make our city better. For example, PANDA supports research to help improve treatments and cures for devastating children illnesses. Women from all walks of life attend Women of Scottsdale to share ideas and experiences that help enhance their own businesses, social and community efforts. Each organization fulfills a unique need that embodies the true spirit of Scottsdale.
In 2006, Dunigan realized when a large group of people come together, they can become a powerful force to that helps lift up their community, especially when many women are involved. In times like these we need to support and encourage these important women organizations as they continue to transform our community for the better. With the momentum of the #MeToo movement, which is one of the great civil and gender rights issues of our time, the best may be to come.
Some could take issue with some of these organization being women-only. Nonsense. Whether a group is all-male, all-female or a combination, the measure is the good works they are doing, or not.