This is a big month for The MoonCatcher Project. We are the featured grantee of Together Women Rise.

Together Women Rise is a powerful community of women and allies dedicated to achieving global gender equality. With hundreds of local chapters across the U.S. (including one in Albany) where members learn about and advocate for gender equality issues, give grants to organizations that empower women and girls in low-income countries, and build community to forge meaningful connections that increase our strength and collective impact.

Together Women Rise used to be called Dining for Women and was founded in Greenville, SC in 2003 by Marsha Wallace and Barb Collins.

In the fall of 2002, Marsha read an article about a group of friends who met for potluck dinners and collected donations for needy families using the money they would have otherwise spent in restaurants. Marsha was struck by the idea of using “dining out dollars” to help others. On her birthday in January 2003, she invited some friends to her home to celebrate, a hat was passed and $750 was raised to support women around the world. Since then, hundreds of chapters have held monthly potluck dinners where women come together monthly to raise money for worthy causes that support women and families.

To learn more about the local chapter of this amazing organization please contact Rosemary at rosemaryrevoir@gmail.com.

Birthday Bash 2023: I had the best birthday ever this year!  We could finally host our annual in-person birthday bash on March 29 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.  Thanks to Ginger who provided us with two delicious cakes (shaped like tampons, of course) and to our amazing team of volunteers.  I am so grateful to all of you who showed up with or sent supplies – all in all we collected  nearly 20,000 menstrual supplies and donated them to several organizations, including – Street Soldiers of Schenectady, Capital Region Menstrual Health, the Schenectady Community Action Program, The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and others.

Did you know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born in Johnstown, New York? To commemorate this the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women’s Consortium holds a biennial symposium. On March 27th, the seventh symposium was held and I was honored to be a speaker. Thanks to this wonderful organization for inviting me.

Ruchika, of the Shashi Kiran Charitable Trust, in New Delhi, India has been reporting on all of the partners there who are distributing MoonCatcher Kits to girls across the country. Some of the NGOs include: Evolve Lives Trust, the Blue Sky Foundation, the Gaash Welfare Trust, the Koru Foundation, and the Parhit Saris Welfare Trust.

I would like to thank Monica Tan for upgrading and redesigning our website.  Be sure to take a look!  Click HERE.

I am off again heading for Africa. This time our Board Member Charlotte Mack Barrett will accompany me to Malawi. Thanks again to everyone who helped out by providing scissors, reading glasses and other gifts for our tailors and friends. I will be writing a blog every day but may not be able to post daily due to spotty internet access.

Best wishes for a Happy Spring to you all!