By Dale Madison
At a time when LGBT Rights and empowerment are at the forefront of the national debate, one local organization has taken the reins to make empowerment more than a watchword. Since 1987, Women In Network (WIN) has been dedicated to building skills in personal and business development, leadership, and empowerment for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women (the “L-B-T” in LGBT).
The non-profit group organizes business and professional networking events, advocacy efforts, health and educational programs, philanthropic and scholarship support, along with social and recreational events. All of these are devised with a goal that involves helping others and empowering themselves.
“We started watching the show, ‘Extreme Couponing,’ and a group of us got the idea to work for a local non-profit,” recalls Julia Landis. “So we did our research.” That research led them to a strategy for benefitting those less fortunate, and having a great time in the process. “It’s pretty amazing if you get a local grocery store to have a buy-one-get-one special, and then you find a manufacturer’s coupon and match them up—all of a sudden, you are actually walking out with money in your hand,” Landis adds. “One of my favorites is CouponMom.com, but there are many out there that really can double or triple your buying power.”
How does this great enthusiasm translate into helping others? Landis explains: “A few months ago, we started a food drive for Poverello. We didn’t know that there are certain items that Poverello cannot, due to laws, provide for their clients. Things like barbeque sauce are considered a luxury, and therefore government money can’t purchase these. We found that we could purchase the barbeque sauce with our couponing, and got the price down to less than fifty cents per bottle. The first delivery, we took over 3,500 pounds of groceries to Poverello. Terry Sommerville, the food bank manager at Poverello, was nearly in tears, because he was able to give clients things that they would never be able to have.”
As well as the homeless, WIN has a soft spot for kids. “Many people don’t realize that over 125,000 Broward County children can’t afford the basic supplies for school,” says Landis.
In cooperation with the Pride Center, McDonalds, Auto Nation, Power 96 FM, Waste Management, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Broward County schools, the Creative Summer Art Academy, and the Museum of Art, the “Tools for Schools Broward” program collects school supplies for disadvantaged children.
“Some of the things that we need most are glue sticks, crayons, pens and pencils, pink erasers, paper—just the simple things for kids to have for learning,” Landis says. “We have several drop off locations, including right here at the Pride Center at Equality Park [2040 North Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors], or people can go online and make a donation at browardedfoundation. net. Thanks to ‘Tools for Schools,’ Broward teachers from low income schools now have a chance to help their students to not just learn, but to excel.”
or more information about Women In Network, visit womeninnetwork.com, or contact Julia at julia@lgbtcenters.org
If your non-profit organization is not listed in the Agenda Non-Profit Services Directory, please send your information to
Dale Madison at dalemadison@ guymag.net.
