BRAINERD — The Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund recently honored Becky Twamley as the 2020 Women Making Waves award recipient and Kaytlin Hart as the first ever 2022 Ripple Maker award recipient.
The Woman Making Waves and Ripple Maker awards recognize women who have significantly contributed to the field of philanthropy with their personal and professional contributions. Nearly 125 attendees gathered April 13 at Grand View Lodge to recognize these two dedicated women as well as award $30,000 in grants to nonprofits committed to supporting the educational, health and wellness, and financial empowerment of women and children in the Lakes Area.
Grant recipients include My Neighbor to Love Coalition for a supportive housing community helping low income and/or homeless; TheShop for their after school Girls Who Code program; Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity to assist with providing safety and self-reliance to a home build recipient; The Outreach Program of the Brainerd Lakes to help combat food insecurities; Advocates Against Domestic Abuse to provide housing and comprehensive services to those overcoming domestic violence; the Rotary Club of Central Lakes for the REHT concert event raising awareness around human trafficking; WeARE the Clinic to assist with reproductive health education; Smiles for Jake Movement to assist with raising mental health awareness; Women Who Lead to support entrepreneurial women; Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation for general support and grants; and the Northland Arboretum to empower women to lead and lean into nature project.
The Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund was established in 2009 in part by the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation to enhance the lives of women and children in the Brainerd lakes area. The Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund “supports innovative solutions to the challenges facing women and children that improve our community and positively impact the future,” the release stated.
To date, the Brainerd Lakes Area Women’s Fund has provided over $125,000 in grants, supporting nonprofits supporting women and children including: Bridges of Hope, New Pathways Inc., Habitat for Humanity, the Rising Hope Foundation with support for women who are victims of sex trafficking, Central Lakes College, WeAre, HOPE, and Presenting Yourself.