Mesa County’s newest philanthropic organizations – The Giving Club and Guys’ Giving Club – continue to seek new members who are interested in making a big impact through modest donations, helping to address the various challenges faced by local children and adults, families and seniors, dogs and cats, and the environment.
The Giving Club has an all-female membership of 150, which initiated its quarterly meetings in August 2014 and since has awarded nearly $60,000 to Mesa County-based nonprofits. The men’s group held its first meeting in August 2015 and is hoping to attract 50 or more members when it meets for the second time next week. “Between the two of us, we’re nearly 200 members strong, and looking for both men and women who would like to be part of this fun and very popular opportunity to learn about the community, meet some wonderful folks and engage in meaningful yet hassle-free philanthropy,” says Clubs’ Initiator Illene Roggensack. “By the end of this year, the two clubs will have awarded something approaching $85,000 in just six total meetings. Club members are finding it both exhilarating and rewarding, and of course it’s like manna from heaven for the organizations we choose to support!”
Local nonprofits that have received funding through the Clubs include Kids Aid, Grand Junction Imagination Library, Riverside Educational Center, Roice Hurst Humane Society, Western Slope Center for Children and Grand Mesa Nordic Council. A simple nominating process considers three nonprofit organizations at each gathering of the Giving Club and Guys’ Giving Club, with the full membership of each group voting to determine one agency to receive all contributions for the evening. Club members pledge to make four-$100 tax-deductible contributions each year, and also kick in $25 per meeting for hospitality. “Because each member has committed and is held accountable to making a $100 contribution each quarter, the collective dollar amount becomes substantial – enough to truly make a difference for even the largest nonprofits in Mesa County,” says Roggensack.
The next gathering of The Giving Club is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on Monday, November 2 at Springhill Suites on Main Street, downtown Grand Junction; Guys’ Giving Club will meet the following evening (Tuesday, November 3) at the same location. 2016 meetings will be held on the first Mondays (women) and Tuesdays (men) of February, May, August and November.
Additional information and The Giving Club membership application are available at www.gjgivingclub.org or by contacting Judy Vanderleest at 260-6140 or gjgivingclub@gmail.com. Guys’ Giving Club membership information is available by contacting Kevin Van Gundy at 243-8829 or guysgivingclub@gmail.com.
