UPDATE October 2020

We wanted to share an update about this group since we had such great feedback on this article. The first meeting was held just days before most everything shut down, approximately 60 members joined together that night to hear presentations from Community Volunteers in Medicine, T&E Care, and Peter’s Place. Membership voted and the donations from our inaugural meeting were given to Community Volunteers in Medicine! While all members are committed to giving to the winning organization, they are also encourage to make a donation to the other two presenters if they feel so inclined. The second meeting for 2020 went to Zoom, as most everything has in the past 7 months! Same process- members nominated their favorite local charities, the board selected three from a hat, and the members dialed into Zoom to hear from Berwyn Fire Company, Chester County Food Bank, and Tredyffrin Township Library Foundation. Using a Zoom poll, members selected Berwyn Fire Company as our second charity recipient!

Berwyn Fire Company will use donations from Give T/E members to support fire and EMS operations at the main station and the new sub-station, and to assist with purchase of new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) lifesaving devices. Chief Eamon Brazunas, along with Tom Torreson, BFC President, and Michael Baskin, EMS Captain, attended the virtual meeting. Berwyn Fire Company’s presentation, which included a video in which Seth and Jenn Sirover recounted how the EMS team saved Seth’s life this past June, was informative and very moving. (It can be seen on the Give T/E website.) Chief Brazunas said, “The donation from Give T/E will enable us to purchase updated AEDs that will help save lives. Our personnel have met many challenges this year and this support goes a long way in ensuring we can accomplish our mission.”

Original article, March 2020

At the risk of giving you an ear worm, I’m reflecting on how small the world is. With the advent of the world wide web (which I remember being introduced to as the Information Super Highway when I was in elementary school) and the inter-connectedness of us all through social media, it is no surprise that many people “know” or make connections with people outside of their normal social sphere. Most of us have friends that we know only via social media or internet forums, people we refer to as friends even if we’ve never met in person. However, even though our networks might now stretch internationally there is still that craving for many for that nuclear unit, those people you actually can call on for a coffee meetup, play date with kids, or double date. We long for the bygone era of “the village” where neighbors help each other out with errands, childcare, or borrowing a cup of sugar.

Inspired by this desire for connection six local women have joined the 100 Who Care Alliance to form a new local group called GIVE T/E. The goal is to Gather 100 women, to Invest in, Vitalize, and Empower the T/E Community (see what we did there? GIVE!). Upon launching on February 8 membership forms began rolling in, and in less than a month 110 women had committed to join. Members commit to attending two meetings per year, at which each member donates $100 to charity. In advance of the meetings each member can nominate a charity to be the recipient of one large group donation. The charity must be located in or serve residents of T/E and be a registered 501(c)3 organization, among other requirements. The leadership board places all vetted nominated charities into a hat, selects three, and invites those chosen to give a presentation at the meeting. At the meeting members vote for their selection, and the top choice receives everyone’s donation. Members may opt to donate to the other presenters, but all must give to the one that was voted for.

The Leadership Board is made up of six women, all moms with various backgrounds in occupation, volunteer experience, and other talents they bring to GIVE T/E. We invite everyone to join our group, and attend our first meeting taking place on March 10 at 30 Main in Berwyn. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of GIVE T/E to help the group make an even bigger impact please use the Contact page. You can visit GIVE T/E on Facebook to keep up with updates and announcements, as well.

Now THAT’s impact!