In September, Philanthropy Manager, Ally Korony, arranged for a brainstorming meeting at a local brewery for the members of 1902 Society (YWCA’s young donors group). Out of that meeting came the idea to host a book club focused on aspects of YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. They did not, however, want this to be exclusive to young professionals: “Our hope is to bring a diverse group of people together to talk about these issues in one room,” Ally said.
Last month, the group had their first meeting and discussed Charlotte author, Kathy Izard’s, novel The Hundred Story Home which centers on the creation of Moore Place, the first Housing First program for chronically homeless individuals in Charlotte. For Ally, that meeting reinforced how important it was to discuss these issues. People came into the room to discuss their own experiences with homelessness. “My hope is we’re raising awareness around YWCA’s mission,” Ally said, “and how these issues affect everyone.”
Cassandra D’Alessio
