The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County (WGN), a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation, celebrated its 19th Annual IMPACT Luncheon by awarding $120,000 to three nonprofits serving women and children.  

With these awards, WGN reached a milestone, awarding over $2 million in grants since it was founded nearly two decades ago. 

The 2025 WGN grantees each received $40,000: 

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County: to support Out-of-School Time Programs that help youth ages 6 to18 build academic success, leadership skills, and healthy lifestyles. 

• Carroll’s Kitchen: to double the number of women served through its social enterprise restaurant that provides job training and employment for women overcoming crises, including addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and domestic violence. 

• Wake Smiles: to help launch a new Urgent Care Community Clinic to expand access to its current program that provides quality dental care for thousands of uninsured adults in Wake County. 

During the luncheon, Shirnetta Harrell, executive director of No Woman, No Girl and a 2024 grantee, delivered keynote remarks highlighting how WGN’s support helped the organization rapidly scale its crisis referral program to aid vulnerable women and children within 48 to72 hours. Attendees also donated toiletries and essential supplies to support NWNG’s mission, 

The event, held at the NC State University Club and attended by over 80 women, was sponsored by TowneBank with media partnership from WALTER Magazine. 

WGN leadership committee members, from left: Grants Chair Laura Brooks, Immediate Past President Cynthia Rowe, Finance Chair Willa Allen, President Carolyn Fendelman, Immediate Past Grants Chair Sarah Senter Décarpentrie, Recording Secretary Jenny Eury, Marketing and Communications Chair Rebecca Anderson.

Representatives from each of the nonprofit organizations were recognized. From left: Matt Taliaferro and Madison Reed of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County, WGN President Carolyn Fendelman, Vicky Ismail and Makenzie Hedrick of Carroll’s Kitchen, Sommer Wisher and Amado “Alex” Gonzalez of Wake Smiles.

“We’re proud to invest in organizations that create meaningful change for women and children in our community,” said Carolyn Fendelman, WGN president. “Reaching $2 million in grants is a testament to the collective generosity of our members.” 

Since 2006, WGN has leveraged the power of collective giving to provide its members with insight and inspiration that ultimately drives greater impact for the community. After a selective and comprehensive grants process, the membership selects  finalists ensuring that all members have a vote in how their money is used. 

Learn more about WGN and its work or become a member at nccommunityfoundation.org/WGN.   

About the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County 
WGN is designed to help its members gain insight into community needs through educational, social and networking events and make an impact by maximizing charitable donations through a thorough grants process. WGN’s goal is to expand its grantmaking impact by growing membership. 
 
In addition to Fendelman, leadership committee members include Laura Brooks (grants chair), Willa Allen (finance chair), Jenny Eury (recording secretary), Cynthia Rowe (immediate past president), Rebecca Anderson (marketing and communications chair), Sarah Senter Décarpentrie (immediate past grants chair), and Kristen Kiernan (immediate past marketing and communications chair).  
 
About the North Carolina Community Foundation 
The North Carolina Community Foundation transforms the collective generosity of our donors into a permanent source of community support, with a focus on the state’s rural areas.     

NCCF partners with donors and a network of affiliates to sustain over 1,300 endowments totaling nearly $570 million in assets. More than $338 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.     

To learn more about how we turn generosity into impact, visit nccommunityfoundation.org.