Hospice Women’s Giving Circle Helps with Grants to Program Needs

Pictured, back row, left to right Ted Bauer, Executive Director, State of the Heart Hospice, Millie Stammen, Mary Ann Koesters, Ryan Gathard, Fund Development Director, State of the Heart, Linda Newbauer, Joy Marchal, and Toni Heggie. Front row, left to right, Kay Girbert, Eunice Steinbrecher.

The State of the Heart Hospice Women’s Giving Circle, a group of women who are ongoing financial supporters of the local nonprofit agency, recently met and granted two program needs for State of the Heart. The Women’s Giving Circle was established earlier this year with goal of granting program needs which cannot be met otherwise.

The Giving Circle granted $1,100 for grief support books to be given to those attending State of the Heart’s Growing Through Grief sessions, and granted $1,900 to purchase new software for publication design work for the agency. The software currently being used by State of the Heart is seven years old and is no longer completely compatible with various printing vendors and publication companies.

Each year, State of the Heart conducts Growing Through Grief sessions at the agency’s offices in Greenville, Portland and Coldwater. In each case, participants in the past have been expected to purchase grief support books when they leave the class. The grant will provide 100 books which will be given free to those attending the group sessions. Bereavement support is an important service provided by State of the Heart.

State of the Heart has a communications specialist who creates all of the brochures and educational materials needed by the agency for the public. The new software will bring the agency in line with current design software needs, enabling quicker turnaround time and better quality products.

“This was the first meeting of the Women’s Giving Circle,” stated Ryan Gathard, Fund Development Director for State of the Heart. “It was gratifying to have several applications from our various departments submitted. The members of the Giving Circle carefully weighed the needs of each request and other possible funding options in making their decision,” he added.

An incentive to becoming a member of the Women’s Giving Circle, he explained, is that the members of the Giving Circle make the decisions about how they want the funds used in meeting program needs. The group will meet annually to decide on grant distribution.

“We are seeking new members of for the Giving Circle,” Gathard said. “The Giving Circle offers a unique opportunity to make a contribution to our agency, then the members can say how they want those funds used to carry out the mission of State of the Heart.” For information about the Giving Circle contact him at 1-800-713-7535 or email him at rgathard@stateoftheheartcare.org