Charity Seeks Out Women as Potential Donors

CARE, an international aid organization, has achieved fund-raising success by reaching out to affluent women, reports The New York Times.

The charity’s work to improve conditions of poor women in the world struck a chord with wealthy women age 35 and older, the charity found. It started an advertising campaign called, “I Am Powerful,” about women receiving help from CARE’s programs, and received $10-million in new revenue, the Times reports.

The effort has garnered support from high-profile women such as Sheila C. Johnson, a founder of Black Entertainment Television, who has hosted events to raise money for the charity, as well as from women in not-so-high-profile positions.

One woman who canceled her wedding upon learning her fiance was cheating on her went on with her reception anyway and asked guests to donate to two charities — CARE being one. The woman had recently seen one of the “I Am Powerful” advertisements, and her reception netted $10,000 for the charity.

“It was the most powerful commercial I’ve ever seen,” Kyle Paxman told the paper.

Read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s article on charity efforts to reach out to female donors and its profile of Sheila C. Johnson.

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