By Julie Keller, Executive Director, Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Women’s Fund Fundraising Luncheon was an incredible success! Held in our new location, the Fox Cities Exhibition Center, we welcomed almost 1,100 attendees and raised an astounding $245,000 in support of women and girls in the Fox Valley. The overwhelming generosity of our community was felt throughout the event, making this year one of our most successful luncheons to date. 

Karen Iverson Riggers and Lynn McLaughlin with Ebb and Flow Connections Cooperative kicked off the Luncheon with Hayley Tenpas of WHBY Focus Fox Valley to discuss women’s mental wellness across age groups. The room was overflowing with over 120 people in attendance at this panel discussion.  

Luncheon guests were also able to see our theme, Grow With Us, throughout the program with speakers Chloe Anderson-Kemp of Us 2 Behavioral Health who received a $5,000 grant from the Girl-Powered Giving Program for their Girl-Powered Support Group, Tina Janichek, mother of previous Girl-Powered Giver, Maddy Janichek, who used her Girl-Powered Giving experience to start a business that supports kids in mental health facilities, and Kamala Mischler of Fox Valley Technical College who was a 2017 Starting Point 2.0 participant and shared how she has grown from the program. 

Dr. Morgan Cutlip, Keynote Speaker

Our keynote speaker, author Dr. Morgan Cutlip, shared her tips as to how women can take back their power by stepping up, speaking out, and stop “shoulding” on yourself. We were so thankful for the opportunity to have her at the Luncheon. 

Our heartfelt thanks goes to everyone who attended, bought raffle tickets, donated; moving the mission of the Women’s Fund forward. Your support is an investment in the future. It’s a belief in the power of women to create change, to lead, and to make the world a better place for all of us.  

To the volunteers, board of directors, and staff who worked tirelessly to bring this event to life, your dedication and hard work truly shone through every detail, and we couldn’t have achieved this success without you. 

We are already looking ahead to next year, which will be a milestone occasion for the Women’s Fund. Save the date for September 4, 2025, as we celebrate our 25th luncheon and mark our 30th anniversary. It’s sure to be a memorable event, and we can’t wait to see you there! 

More photos and the event recording will be shared soon, so stay tuned for updates. Thank you again for your unwavering support! Together, we are empowering women and girls to reach new heights in our community. 

If you’re interested in helping plan the Luncheon, join our Events Committee by reaching out to Stacie Hazlett-Rothe, [email protected]. 

Julie Keller is executive director of the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region.

The Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region is a supporting organization of the Community Foundation and a separate 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Women’s Fund invests in the needs of women and girls through grants, advocacy and education. Since 1994, the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $1.8 million in grants to innovative programs that improve women’s and girls’ physical and mental health, ensure their economic security, promote their safety and enhance their lives.