As a young girl, I played softball down on the Flats in Narrowsburg. I have a core memory of my father (who was also my coach), telling me that I throw like a girl. He meant it as a way of telling me I wasn’t throwing hard enough or with the correct mechanics, but it was a confusing statement, then and now, as I have always identified as female.

It was a comment that left me curious as to why throwing like “a girl” was used as a way of doing it “wrong.” Unpacking that interaction would take up far more space than this article has room for, but it was that interaction, among many others layered on over the last 30 years, that inspired the establishment of the Women in Philanthropy Fund at the Wayne County Community Foundation.

There are multiple scholarly articles and research studies that show that one of the reasons women generally live longer is due to the strength of their social relationships and sense of purpose. The way that they live in community is doing something “right” for their health and longevity.  Women in Philanthropy aims to foster that connection and community for philanthropically inclined women for the benefit of organizations that provide essential services and programs for women and girls in Wayne County. 

Women have not always had a publicly obvious role or voice in philanthropy, but there have been some real trailblazers, like my personal favorites, Madam C.J. Walker and Dolly Parton. Locally, there have been and continue to be many women who have made significant contributions to our community through their philanthropy and leadership. 

Women tend to give a bit differently than men. Their focus is often on the connection to the organization and the people that they’re donating to. Women in Philanthropy develops relationships among the donors and the organizations receiving their charitable gifts.

Wayne County Women in Philanthropy was started in 2024 and has grown significantly. Already, this group of women has collectively given out over $40,000 to support programs for women and girls in Wayne County!

According to Forbes, women will inherit 70 percent of the $41 trillion in intergenerational wealth that is expected to change hands over the next 40 years. This is a pivotal moment in history, and I believe that women’s general focus on connection and relationships regarding their philanthropy has a chance to positively impact communities across the country. 

If you’d like to learn more about the Wayne County Community Foundation’s Women in Philanthropy Fund, visit waynefoundation.org/funds/women-philanthropy.

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.