GaGLE Description

Gather and Give is a giving circle composed of young adults in the Washington D.C. area with a common interest in improving their community through collective philanthropy. Following a model developed by other giving circles, members pool their charitable contributions and participate in a collaborative and educational process of selecting a non-profit organization to support with their group donation. By pooling their donations, group members enhance the impact of their individual charitable gifts. The selection process involves learning more about pertinent social issues, narrowing the issue focus of the group and researching local non-profit organizations working to address the selected issues. In addition to researching issues and organizations, Gather and Give members conduct site visits, volunteer and host guest speakers at their meetings. All members commit in advance to making a minimum contribution of $75, attending at least three the meetings, and actively participating in the group’s collaborative selection process. Formed in Fall 2006, Gather and Give’s 14 members are all in their mid-20s and work in fields as diverse as business consulting, non-profit management, policy research, and construction management. For the first giving cycle, which will be completed by the end of May 2007, the group chose to base their donation and selection process around the theme of food, with particular interest in the issues of food security, nutrition and health, and sustainable food production. Gather and Give welcomes matching donations or non-voting contributions from individuals that are unable to actively participate in the group.

Gaggle! Not your mtng minutes

Since I really want to record this process of what we are doing and how we are working, there's no better time to start then the present. Maybe we can have some reflections on lessons learned later, but I'll start with tonight.

It all started with a totally frazzled hostess who claimed she'd lost her touch to hosting (aka me, but I am over it and back on top of my game....up next, three more dinner parties hosted by yours truly this wknd!). People showed up, most of them on time (save Jared, who has developed a reputation for TARDIness). We gathered around the table, well, the two tables because we couldnt all fit at one. We ate our baked ziti and salad and pita/hummus moved on to an amazing array of desserts--fresh fruit, baked pie with fresh berries made by our lovely guest, carmel brownies, and perfect pumpkin bread. Yum!!!

We decided to start a group recipe book of our dinners, since food is a central element of what we do.

We listened for the next hour to Shana, from DC Hunger Solutions, who enlightened us about everything from DC ward situations to the reality of food insecurity in DC. Not to mention, she suggested a number of nonprofits for us to both look at both to consider for funding as well as volunteer opportunities. Notes were taken by Dianna and will be shared at some point.

We discussed volunteer opportunities, which Evan (and Jenny) is coordinating, around Mary's Place and other local places. The movie people are organizing something. The speaker people will be up to something. And the next speaker is the illustrious Robert Egger.

So ... since this is "not your mtng min's" I feel obligated to reflect on tonight. It felt good. REAL good. To spend the night with my Gagglers and being educated. It feels so good to be surrounded by passionated and motivated people, where we can make things happen because we want to and have the energy to. I was wholly nurished by the meal and conversation.

I am looking forward to continuing to be educated about Food issues in DC, and so excited to volunteer, and so excited to make an impact!

I hope this blog can be a place to post to reflect on our direction, our strategies, reflection after films/speakers/volunteering and a real shared place.