By James Windell
In 2015, four South Haven women decided to come together to make a greater impact on the community.
Having heard about an organization called Women Who Care in Jackson, Michigan, the quartet of women adopted the model of the Jackson group to create their own organization to make a difference in the South Haven community.
According to President Laura Hayward, one of the four founding members of South Haven’s Women Who Care, the model they use has been a boon to area nonprofits. To date they have contributed more than $300,000 to worthy organizations in the South Haven area.
At the most recent meeting of Women Who Care at Sophie’s Steakhouse & Bar in South Haven, more than 50 members of the group listened to the pitches for funding by three local nonprofits.
South Haven’s Women Who Care traces its origin to a broader movement that began in Jackson, Michigan in 2006, when Karen Dunigan founded the first Women Who Care group as a simple, high‑impact way for women to pool donations for local nonprofits.
“Since that time, there are many Women Who Care groups,” says Hayward. “There may be hundreds or thousands across the country. We just used Karen’s ideas to make it work in our area.”
The original model was intentionally easy to replicate. Groups would meet quarterly for one hour; each member would donate a set amount (usually $100) to a nonprofit; and the group would collectively select a local nonprofit to receive the pooled funds.
“Pam Utke, Wendy Dubuisson, Jane Strebeck and myself started Women Who Care,” says Hayward. “At our first meeting on December 2, 2015, we raised $5,000 at that meeting for a nonprofit organization.”
She notes that their main purpose – then and now – was “to support and learn about the non-profit organizations/groups in the greater South Haven area.”
Hayward adds that South Haven’s Women Who Care is a group of caring women who want to help. “We have all ages of women involved,” she says. “Our group is unique because we are just a funnel for those women. We have no bank accounts or funds as a group, but we collect the monies that go to the recipient organizations.”
At the March 4th meeting, three local organizations made their 5-minute pitches after which the members of Women Who Care asked questions. Then, the members voted by secret ballot as to which of the three groups they would support. On this night it would be Crowded Tables, an organization affiliated with Hope Church in South Haven, that provides meals for people facing food insecurity. After Crowded Table was selected, each member wrote a check for $100 for the organization.
“A presenter may speak about any group they choose as long as money going to the organization is tax deductible,” notes Hayward. “By doing it this way, each woman that gives, receives the tax benefit. Many women have also discovered that this is a wonderful way to learn about organizations in the area.”
Although the group has no specific goal for membership, Hayward’s philosophy is the more the merrier. “The more members we have,” she says, “the more we give to the non-profit organizations. And 100 percent of the checks collected go to the chosen organization.”
For more information about joining Women Who Care, Hayward suggests attending the next meeting, which will be held in May, 2026, or email womenwhocare.sh@gmail.com. Interested women can follow Women Who Care – South Haven MI on Facebook.
