Four charities received much needed donations totaling $43,000 from Eastern Bay of Plenty Community Foundation’s Women’s Impact Fund this week.

Mums 4 Mums, which supports new mothers in our community, received $15,000; Whakatāne Financial Mentoring Services, which helps women and families manage their finances, received $18,000; Mona Lickfold Cancer Support, which provides grants to cancer patients throughout the Eastern Bay, received $5000 and English Language Partners, which facilitates English language classes for new migrants, received $5000.

The Women’s Impact Fund was launched in 2022 by the community foundation, which describes it as a giving circle of local women. It gathers women from around the Eastern Bay who are willing to donate $1000 to make tangible and impactful change for local women and children.

These donations are pooled and donors have an opportunity to vote on what charities receive the funding.

Past donations have included Whanau Awhina Plunket, Eastern Bay of Plenty Riding for the Disabled’s accessible bathroom facility and a Lymphoedema screening and prevention machine at Whakatane Hospital.

Donors were invited to a luncheon at Ohope Beach Golf Links on August 9 to hear from some of these past recipients and from new applicants before casting their votes.

Eastern Bay Community Foundation Trustee Robyn Woolsey presented the charities with their funding and certificates at an afternoon tea on Tuesday.

Foundation manager Angela Jackson said they wanted to thank all of this year’s donors.

“We are delighted to support such worthy causes. We can’t wait to see what impact can be made next year in our region.”