The Women's Fund “Mid-Summer Soirée" was a good time for a good cause!

On July 21th , The Women’s Fund hosted their "Mid-Summer Soirée at the beautiful Greystone Manor Show House in Oakland Township thanks to the generosity of Frank Moceri and Moceri Homes.

The celebration was for a good cause, the proceeds will support The Women’s Fund endowment, providing grants and scholarships for women in need throughout Oakland County. The Women’s Fund assists women in dire need and work with local non-profits to empower women to strengthen their lives through focused programs and academic scholarships.

The event, chaired by Women’s Fund Board members Lori Roscoe, Cindy Nicholaou and Maria Trahan, had a record turnout of supporting and caring community members in attendance. The festivities took place in the unique setting, 8,800 square foot home from master builder Frank Moceri and architect Dominick Tringali. The home had previously been highlighted as part of the 2015 Ultimate Homearama.

With soft music being played in the background by pianist Shawn Gary and delectable appetizers provided by Ryan Kosch of The Lafayette Grande in Pontiac and Traveling Chef Catering, guests mingled and socialized before coming together to hear from Women’s Fund President Judy deSteiger.

deSteiger took a few moments to share the successes of the fund over the past year, providing $25,000 in grants and $3,000 scholarship funding as well as an additional $10,000 commitment to Rochester Area Neighborhood Houses’ Capital Campaign. In closing, she shared announcement of the Women’s Fund 2020 Vision Endowment Campaign. This campaign is being started to raise the endowment fund to $1,000,000 by the year 2020. This will be done in two ways, encouraging more people to become Partners of the fund, with a $1000 donation or becoming members of the Legacy Circle. The Legacy Circle will start with donations of $5000 on up to $20,000. The donation can be made over a four-year period, so that by 2020 we will have reached our “vision”.

deSteiger invited a special guest speaker, a recipient of a 2015 grant to Haven to share her story. All were moved, as she courageously shared her journey. Truly bringing home the reason for the evening, she shared her very personal story of a lifetime of abuse and the help she received through Haven and her positive attitude as she moves into the future.

“Our fund is making an impact helping women with continuing education, domestic violence prevention, assault survivor kits and homelessness programs to name a few. What a powerful organization the Women’s Fund has become,” said deSteiger.

There is still a tremendous need for assistance and the Women’s Fund is committed to increasing their capacity for giving through increasing their endowment. The Women’s Fund is a permanently endowed fund owned and administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester. Through grant-making, the Fund provides ongoing and future support for programs that aid women while preserving and managing its donations in perpetuity by spending only the fund’s income and annual earnings.

Over the past 16 years, the Women's Fund has donated more than $300,000 to organizations helping women. The fund is a permanently endowed fund owned and administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester. Through grant-making, the Fund provides ongoing and future support for programs that aid women while preserving and managing its donations in perpetuity by spending only the fund's income and annual earnings.

For more information on the Women’s Fund, please visit their website at www.womensfundrochester.org or for questions please call (248) 812-0763 or emailwomensfundrochester@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Facebook at “The Women’s Fund.”