The Berrien Community Foundation Women’s Giving Circle has launched a new resource website for women and families in Berrien County. Help4Her.org helps Berrien County women and families find the programs and services they need. The website is help4her.org.
“As the Women’s Giving Circle worked to identify how we could impact women in our community, we recognized that one of the things we relied on most in our own lives was the ability to network throughout a system,” said Women’s Giving Circle member Sarah Jollay. “Help4Her creates that opportunity for another set of women while also supporting the resource providers.”
The resource website helps people quickly and easily search for programs and services that are available in Berrien County. Searches can be done by both location and topic. In addition, there are quick links for services a family may need if they are in crisis – food, housing and mental health.
As part of the Women’s Giving Circle research, the group found that women tend to feel more comfortable with resources that are identified specifically for them. Help4Her.org recognizes that women are often the people seeking outside resources for their families, whether it is emergency assistance or long-term childcare.
The site is meant for anyone seeking services or to help people who mentor others and need to refer someone for additional help. Before becoming public, the site was reviewed by agencies that often refer women and families to other services – Department of Health and Human Services, libraries and other community service agencies.
“It is impressively comprehensive,” said Niles District Library Director Nancy Studebaker. “The categories make sense, enough to be able to narrow in on the topic you’re looking for but not so many that it is confusing.”
The Berrien Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Circle is a group of dynamic female leaders from all over Berrien County who pooled their resources and began identifying and tackling issues facing women and girls in Berrien County.
The Berrien Community Foundation was established in 1952 to help concerned individuals put charitable dollars to work for the benefit of Berrien County and beyond. For information about BCF call 983-3304 or visit www.berriencommunity.org.
