Oct. 11: International Day of the Girl
From the UN: “The 2024 International Day of the Girl theme is ‘Girls’ vision for the future’. This year’s theme conveys both the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls’ voices and vision for the future. Today’s generation of girls is disproportionately affected by global crises of climate, conflict, poverty and pushback on hard won gains for human rights and gender equality. Too many girls are still denied their rights, restricting their choices and limiting their futures.
Yet, recent analysis shows that girls are not only courageous in the face of crisis, but hopeful for the future. Every day, they are taking action to realize a vision of a world in which all girls are protected, respected and empowered. But, girls cannot realize this vision alone. They need allies who listen to and respond to their needs. With the right support, resources and opportunities, the potential of the world’s more than 1.1 billion girls is limitless.”
WE funding can impact and change stats like “nearly 1 in 5 girls are still not completing lower-secondary and nearly 4 in 10 girls are not completing upper-secondary school.” Women participating in WE-funded programs are able to ensure their daughters can attend and stay in school, creating futures that can break generational cycles of poverty for their families.
Oct. 11: Give to Women and Girls Day
Give to Women and Girls Day is a national campaign to raise awareness and increase funding for organizations that support women and girls. The Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) launched Give to Women and Girls Day to address the disparity in funding for women’s and girls’ organizations. According to the WPI, less than 2% of all philanthropic support in the United States goes to these organizations. This underfunding can hinder the advancement of gender equality and the work of these organizations. The UN states, “Achieving gender equality and empowering women is not only the right thing to do but is a critical ingredient in the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and climate change.”
This is where WE comes in, contributing to gaps in funding, where our grants—and your donations—are most needed and can create the most impact, advancing gender equality to eliminate poverty for women and girls here in San Diego and around the world.
Diana Franco, Vice President of Women.NYC, highlighted the critical need for efforts like this, “Investing in women’s initiatives is fundamental to building a world that offers equal opportunities to all. It directly reflects the values of our society and organizations. The lack of investment in empowering women in every aspect of their lives is a duty we all have to assume from the top down, not with flattering words and commitments but with action and financial support.”
Oct. 10: DAF Day
DAF Day is hailed as a new kind of giving day that draws attention to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a way to make charitable contributions to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. It recognizes that many donors don’t know about DAFs as a way to give and increase their giving capacity. It also highlights that too many DAF accounts go unused each year.
DAFs are tax-advantaged charitable giving accounts, often compared to an account like a 401(k) or HSA. Any person, couple, family, or company can open a DAF account with providers around the country, including banks, investment and financial services companies, and local community foundations. With a DAF, you can: contribute cash, securities, or appreciated assets to a charitable fund; receive a tax deduction for the current year; and, make strategic giving decisions. DAFs have increased in popularity in recent years because of their effectiveness at increasing giving capacity and streamlining philanthropy.
Do you have a DAF? Please consider recommending a gift be made to WE now to ensure your donation can be received before the end of the year!
Are you considering opening one? We encourage you to explore and look into options for the current year!