Anne Irwin was aware of women’s giving groups for years before she experienced what she truly believes was a calling. In spite of feeling too busy and having no experience with launching a nonprofit, she eventually reached out to two close friends in 2007 to get their opinions. With their enthusiasm and support, an all-volunteer board of ten women was formed within two short months. Within three months, One Hundred Shares quickly became a reality with an amazing one hundred women in their group who came from all corners of the metro Atlanta area.
One reason Anne believes the giving group has a sustainable purpose is that at least two members of the original board continue to serve as Trustees which allows for governing consistency and to preserve the simplicity of the giving group’s approach. “We have many interesting and common fundraising ideas shared. But since we have an all-volunteer board, OHS has to resist the temptation to expand the way we raise funds to award grants which would require more time from our dedicated volunteers,” Anne shared. She added, “The OHS philosophy is to remain grounded in simplicity to minimize any operational expenses including board stipends because of additional fundraising or event planning duties.”
The biggest change over the last 11 years Anne has seen is the number of women involved. At the end of 2017, the number had more than doubled from the original 100. This growth has been organic since Partners invite others to join who are Christian women from the Atlanta area. Anne said, “Partners are given the opportunity to see and experience our home city of Atlanta in a different way. When Trustees and Partners participate in site visits as a part of the grant process, they become aware of the amazing good that can happen in the absolute worst situations.”
“We are a God honoring group of women who have been able to learn about many ministries within the Atlanta Christian community. As we share our collective giving with the annual grant recipients, we no longer look the other way or bury our heads in the sand when it comes to poverty, abuse, human trafficking or any other personal suffering. That’s truly powerful and life changing for everyone,” affirmed Anne.
When asked about advice for future OHS Trustees and Partners, Anne clearly stated, “Remember, this is not about us.”