The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County (WGN), a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation, celebrated its 20th anniversary by awarding $137,000 in grants to nonprofits serving local women and children, the largest single-year distribution in the organization’s history.

WGN announced the record-breaking awards and celebrated two decades of community transformation at its Power of Women 20th Annual Luncheon. Held at the NC State University Club and attended by more than 140 women, the anniversary event featured keynote remarks from Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell on the power of public-private partnerships. Special guests included First Lady of North Carolina Anna Stein and NCCF’s first President and CEO, Elizabeth Fentress, who is also a WGN founding member. Marking another milestone, the giving circle welcomed 20 new members into its collective giving community this year.

“We celebrated 20 years of giving by honoring 49 past grantees and funding five worthy organizations for 2026,” said WGN President Carolyn Fendelman. “Thank you to our committed members, whose extra contributions drove us to our historic milestone of $137,000.”

The giving circle awarded grants to the following five organizations focused on vital local causes, a record number of annual grantees:

• $20,000 to East Wake Education Foundation to support Family & Child Enrichment Services (FACES). The program provides young children and their families in eastern Wake County with access to quality preschool and a network of educational and developmental resources.
• $25,000 to Families Together for general operating support to assist families and children as they transition from homelessness to sustainable housing and stable homes.
• $30,000 to Hope Renovations for general operating support for a dual mission preparing underemployed women and gender expansive people for construction careers and helping older adults safely age in place.
• $50,000 to JusticeMatters for general operating support for this trauma-informed nonprofit law firm providing free civil, immigration and family law services to survivors of human trafficking and those at risk.
• $12,000 to Northeast Wake Backpack Buddies for general operating support to distribute approximately 500 bags of kid-friendly food each month to children experiencing food insecurity.

To further its impact, WGN hosted a pre-luncheon forum allowing past grant recipients to share challenges, explore collaborations and network with members and guests. The anniversary luncheon was sponsored by TowneBank, with media partnership from WALTER Magazine.

Since 2006, WGN has leveraged the power of collective giving to maximize charitable impact. Through a comprehensive, thorough grant review process, members vote directly on finalists to shape the future of Wake County. Learn more or join the circle at nccommunityfoundation.org/WGN.

About the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County
WGN connects community-focused women with local causes through educational, social and networking events. By pooling resources WGN empowers members to maximize their charitable investments and positively change the trajectory of lives across Wake County.

In addition to Fendelman, WGN’s leadership committee members include Laura Brooks (Grants Chair), Willa Allen (Finance Chair), Jenny Eury (Recording Secretary), Rebecca Anderson (Marketing and Communications Chair), Cynthia Rowe (Immediate Past President), Sarah Senter Décarpentrie (Immediate Past Grants 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 over $600 million in assets. Nearly $360 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.