How long has 100+ WWC been in the area?

The 100+ Women Who Care OSWEGO • MONTGOMERY • YORKVILLE chapter was founded in April 2015. This chapter was inspired by the founder first being a member of the Naperville chapter. The 100+ Women Who Care movement was originally started in Jackson, Michigan in 2006. More than 500 chapters have spread throughout communities in the United States and across the globe. To learn more go to 100 Who Care Alliance.

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Which organizations are allowed to be sponsored?

Nominations must have 501(c)(3) agency status and be willing to designate the funds for use locally. National organizations are only eligible if the funds will be used in the Oswego, Montgomery and Yorkville communities. (There may be a local cause that comes up where the group feels very strongly about donating to. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis only and will still be subject to the power of the vote at our meetings.) Please avoid organizations that are religiously or politically affiliated.

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What is a 501(c)(3)?

A 501(c)(3) is defined as “exemptions that apply to corporations, and any community chest, fund or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, educational purposes, to foster national or international amateur sports competition, promote the arts, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.”  However, for the purposes of 100+ Women Who Care, all groups up for consideration must be local.  

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What commitment am I making by becoming a member?

Membership in 100+ Women Who Care OMY includes making an annual tax deductible donation of $400 ($100 per quarter) to local charities serving the majority of people within those communities. Attendance at meetings is not mandatory but the donation is.

Membership is for a one (1) year period of time and will renew automatically unless notice is given. Should you wish to discontinue membership, please contact us indicating your withdrawal from 100+ Women Who Care OMY.

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How much of my donation goes to the administration costs of 100+ WWC OMY?

Absolutely zero! 100+ Women Who Care OMY is organized and operated entirely by women who volunteer their time. Each $100 check is written DIRECTLY to the non-profit and you will receive a letter for tax purposes directly from the non-profit as well.

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How are administrative cost covered?

We do collect an annual $20 contribution towards administration costs when you join and again each year in April. It that helps with things like printing, website hosting, promotional materials, marketing, etc.

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Are each of my $100 donations tax-deductible?

Yes, your contribution is tax deductible if made payable to a 501(c)(3) organization. Checks are written directly to the local organization, NOT to 100+ Women Who Care OMY. Please contact your tax adviser or visit the IRS website for further information.

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Do you ever give to something/someone that is not a 501(c)(3)?

The whole inspiration and beginnings of this movement was to be able to make a difference locally with the power of collective giving. While most of the time our monies are donated to 501(c)(3)s, there may be a LOCAL and IMMEDIATE need that a member/team in good-standing feels compelled to nominate. She/they may do so. (It still needs to be local and serve in our area, plus not be politically or religiously affiliated.)

If the nomination is one of the 3 randomly drawn, presented on and ultimately receives the most votes, then that is where/whom we will write our checks that quarter. All with the understanding that it will most-likely NOT be tax deductible for our members and if there is any gift-matching, this type of donation will most-likely be ineligible for a match. (And of course, if a member simply cannot write her check to the chosen cause, she can still fulfill her quarterly commitment by writing her donation to our current PB&J.)

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How do I nominate a charity?

Any current member (or team) who has signed a Commitment Form and who is a member in good standing may nominate an organization for consideration at a meeting. The organization must be a non-profit entity recognized as a 501(c)(3) and a Charity Nomination form must be filled out. The organizers of the meeting will collect the names of the organizations from the members as they arrive. At random, three organizations will be selected. The members who wrote down the chosen names will be asked to come up and give a short 5-minute presentation as to why her chosen organization should receive the donation. We encourage all members to participate by submitting the names of local, needy charitable organizations that serve a majority of residents in Oswego, Montgomery and Yorkville, Illinois. 

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What do I need to say in my presentation?

If you're considering nominating a charity, here are some suggested Presentation Tips to help you craft your presentation.

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Do I have to nominate a charity?

No. Many women like to just show up and make a donation. While all members have the opportunity to nominate a charity, it is not a requirement of membership.

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Can a charity nominate itself?

No, a charity must be nominated by a member.

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Once a charity receives an award, can it be considered again?

Any charity that receives an award must wait 2 years before it can be nominated again.

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Once a charity is presented, if it is not chosen, can it be considered again?

Yes. In fact, other chapters tell us that charities that are presented but not awarded the donation often win the donation the second or third time they are presented. Persistence pays.

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What is a "Member in Good Standing"?

• A "Member in Good Standing" is a group member who has met their donation commitment, and is current with their donations for all quarterly meetings

• In order to maintain the donation power of the group, members who are not "in good standing" will not be allowed to vote at the next quarterly meeting unless their donation for the previous meeting has been received

• Additionally, the charity nominated by a member who is not "in good standing" will not be eligible for consideration for a donation until that member is current on their donation commitment

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What if I don’t care for the charity that has been selected?

Each member commits to donating $100 per quarter ($400/ annually) even if she is unable to attend the meetings or does not care for the selected non-profit. We do have a PB&J option which you can read about here.

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How do I donate if I can't attend the meeting?

If you can’t attend, you are still expected to make your donation to the selected charity. There are three ways to do this:

• You can send a $100 signed check to the chapter founder in advance of the meeting, putting 100+ Women Who Care in the memo line, and we will fill in the chosen charity when it is selected. 

• You can send a $100 signed check to the meeting with another member and authorize her to write in the name of the charity that is chosen. 

• If you can’t do either of these, the last (and least preferred) option is to pay after the meeting is over. The name of the chosen charity will be emailed and shared on our members only facebook page, and you can mail your check, made payable to the chosen charity, to the chapter founder. (This is the least preferred option because waiting to collect all the checks will delay the award to the charity.)

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Can I just send the donation to the charity myself?

The goal of the 100+ Women Who Care organization is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group.  We want to be able to support this endeavor and give $10,000+ at a time to make a large impact in our community, with each member’s donation being part of the larger donation. And we wrap up that fat stack of checks like a gift! It's a charming, feel-good presentation to the recipient.

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Do I have to write a check? Can't I use a credit card or cash instead?

We can accept checks or money orders only. Since donations are made directly to the selected charity, there is no mechanism for taking credit card or cash donations at the meeting on behalf of the selected charity.

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What does 100+ Women OMY do with my personal information?  

Information collected will be used only for maintaining our membership lists. 100+ Women Who Care OMY will not sell, give or otherwise share your personal information without your express consent, unless required by law. We do provide your name and address to the awarded non-profits for tax letter purposes only. (In accepting the funds, recipients must agree not to solicit members or share names or other information about 100+ Women Who Care OMY members.) We do like to recognize our members via social media and other venues. If a member would like to remain anonymous they must let us know at the time of joining.

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Can I bring a friend to the meeting?

Of course you can!  However, in order to vote she will need to sign an Individual or Team Commitment Form and become a member first.

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