2019 T H E M A T C HC H A L L E N G E

www.womenofthedream.org

Match Challenge Committee Leslie Morris, Founder & CEO, Women of the Dream Faye Coleman, Board Chair, Women of the Dream 

Carol Waller Pope, Simmons University AlumnaNancy Larkey, Webmaster, Women of the Dream

Collage of activities throughout the year

Our Mission & Vision

Our mission is to strengthen the leadership, power, and voices of girls from marginalized and underserved communities.

We envision a world in which all girls and young women, regardless of race, ethnicity, income level or social status, are nurtured and empowered to reach their fullest potential.

32 Black women graduates of Simmons convened at Campbell Soup Company, June 12, 2012

The Birth of Women of the DreamWomen of the Dream was born when two women, Denise Morrison, then-President and CEO at Campbell Soup Company, and Leslie Morris, a graduate of Simmons University (formerly Simmons College) Class of 1975 were attending a gathering of classmates from their high school graduating class. Denise spoke of the phenomenal Black women graduates of Simmons that she has met and worked with throughout her career.  Leslie had been tracking the success of her fellow Black women graduates of Simmons for the last 20 years and shared with Denise her vision to use their success stories to inspire a new generation of girls and young women. Denise, with her passion for preparing girls and young women for leadership, offered to assist Leslie in bringing her vision to fruition.

In June 2012, Leslie convened a cohort of 32 highly successful Black women graduates of Simmons, representing the classes of 1965-79, at the Campbell Soup Company headquartered in Camden, NJ, for a focus group that involved facilitated discussions on where they began in life, their experiences at a predominantly White women’s college during the Civil Rights movement, their personal and career challenges and successes, and how their stories can be used to guide a new generation of girls of color.

The intent was to document their profiles and stories in a book project designed to inspire a new generation of girls and young women. However, as the project evolved, the overwhelming consensus from Denise, Leslie's Simmons cohort, and others, was that an organization serving girls and young women in underserved areas would have a greater and lasting impact than a one-time book project. By 2014, and with financial support from Campbell Soup Company, Leslie transformed Women of the Dream to a full-fledged organization that has served more than 300 girls in the city of Camden, NJ.  Today, Women of the Dream is a vital part of the Camden school district and the Camden community. Partnerships include the Campbell Soup Company, American Water Company, Rutgers University-Camden, Drexel University, Simmons University, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, PNC Bank-Camden, and other entities.

2019 Match ChallengeOverview

Women of the Dream (WOD) was faced with an exciting opportunity – raise $10,000 in 30 days in order to receive a matching donation from an anonymous Simmons University alumna! We accepted the challenge and sought donations from sister alums and supportive friends. In less than 30 days, WOD exceeded the goal with a total of $12,906 in donations!

Women of the Dream 2019 Scholarship Recipients

Teseanna HarrisCeleste RodriguezShania Maldonado Chynah Morrison

With a generous wave of momentum building, our anonymous donor posed an additional challenge. She would increase her donation to $15,000, if WOD could match it by July 1, 2019. Once again, you responded generously and we raised $17,434 to exceed our stretch goal by the deadline. The Match Challenge total of $32,434 represents the highest amount ever contributed by individual donors within a 30-day period in our history!

Because of your contribution, we were able to increase the $2500 scholarship award given in previous years to $3000 this year. We also were able to give each 2019 award recipient a "college bag" containing a year's worth of college supplies. Additionally, as our support extends beyond the initial year of collegiate life, we were able to give back-to-school supplies to scholarship recipients from previous years as well.

Over the past three years, Women of the Dream has awarded scholarships to 13 financially-challenged-young women in the city of Camden, New Jersey, totaling $34,500. Please visit our website for information on the scholarship recipients who are thriving on college campuses in New Jersey and across the nation. Below are pictures of our recipients from this year's Scholarship and Awards Program.

2019 WOD Scholarship Recipients (Left to Right)Chynah Morrison, Shania Maldonado, Celeste Rodriguez, Teseanna Harris

About the Match Challenge

$17,434

July 1, 2019 Amount Raised

Challenge accepted to matchAnonymous Simmons University Alumna $10,000 donation

$10,000

30-Day ChallengeJune 1, 2019Amount Donated $12,906

June 26, 2019 Amount Raised

Sister Alumnae, WOD BoardMembers, colleagues and friendsexceed the initial $10,000donation goal in less than 30 days

$15,000

5-Day ChallengeAmount Donated

Anonymous Simmons University Alumna added $5,000 toincrease her original $10,000donation to $15,000

$32,434The Match Challenge Total

WE DID IT!

+$5

,000

+$4

,528

Sister Alumnae, WOD Board Members, colleagues and friends increased total of$12,906 by raising an additional $4,528

The Match Challenge total represents the highest amount ever contributed by individual donors within a 30-day period in our history!

Women of the Dream's 2019 Scholarship & Awards Program

Donor Level: $1000-$2500

$8,000Donor Level: $250-$500

$6,050

Donor Level: Up to $200

$3,384

Women of The Dream | Match Challenge Snapshot

Simmons Alumnae Match Donations

Friends and Colleagues Match Donations

Total Number of Participants

# of Participants

DonationTotal

$14,080.00

$3,354.00

$17,434.00Total Match Donations

64

11

53

46%35%

19%

Donor Giving

Your Impact: Match Donor Giving Level Totals

Simmons University Alumnae Giving by Class Year

32%

36%

6%

15%

11%

1963-1973

1974-1976

1977-1983

2000-2019

Graduate School Alumnae

Thank YouOn behalf of the girls enrolled in Women of the Dream, our scholarship recipients, the Board of Directors, and our Anonymous donor who challenged us to dream bigger, thank you fellow dreamers for your donations.

YOUR GIFTSJuly 1, 2019

65 donorscontributed

$32,434Our Supporters

$1,000 - $2500Donor Level:

Deborah Brittain # Valerie Durant * Ann Brown Fudge * Fred Grigsby, Jr.

$250-$500Donor Level:

Donor Level: Up To $200

Board of Directors

FAYE E. COLEMAN, PHD - CHAIR GARY BAILEY, ACSW, MSW - VICE CHAIR

BONNIE BAKER, M.A. - SECRETARY HON. PAMELA M. DASHIELL

STORME GRAY, B.A.KAREN THOMAS, Ed.D.

MICHAEL BROWN, PMP, B.S.

*▲

Women of the Dream

Leslie Morris, MPH, LCSW, MSWFounder and CEO

Simmons University Undergraduate Alumna # Simmons University Graduate School Alumna WOD Board Member

Adunni Anderson * Anonymous * Desiree Baynes * Faye Coleman * ▲Milton Coleman Catherine Eagan * Rehema Ellis * Denise Evans Merilyn Francis *

Magdalen Gaynor * Millicent Gorham * Alexia Gunn *Maureen Taylor Hicks * Dawn Hobson *Pamela Hayling Hoffman * Gail Holliday *Phyllis D. Holliday Reginald Jackson Kenyora Johnson Parham*Christine Key *

Jacqueline Kidd * Monica Kilgore Cynthia Knowles * Nancy LarkeySam LarkeyGloria Alston Leonard * Cathie Waller Mayers * Anika Munroe # Carol Waller Pope * Audrey Ratchford * Elizabeth Rawlins #

Pam Rice *Gwendolyn Potier Richard * Carol Joyce Farrar Rosemon * Barbara Semedo *Sarita Stirrup *Nasyria Taylor *Karen Thomas * ▲ Sandra M. Thompson * Loraine Trotter *Joanne Wright *

Alicia Canady Adamson * Gary Bailey ▲Theresa Brewer * Kelley Chunn #Sharon Combs * Waltrine Cooke * Nadine Cruz *Pamela Dashiell * ▲Leslie Dykeman *Abra Francois *Anna Gavitt *

Jessica GibsonDonna Ramos Johnson * Ngina Lythcott *Paula Sneed *Harriet Elam Thomas * Katherine White * Patricia Whitley Williams * Laurel Yancey *

Donor Level: $15,000

Anonymous Match Challenge Donor *

www.womenofthedream.org