June Program

“The Meadow Families Project:

Truth Telling and Healing on a Virginia Plantation” 

Ann Morris is a retired journalist who worked for daily newspapers in North Carolina and Georgia for three decades, most recently as managing editor of the News & Record. She serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, chairing the Equity Committee and serving on the Executive Committee. She also chairs the board of Lillian’s List and is active in her church, Westminster Presbyterian. A native of Roanoke, Va. Ann is married to Mark Sutter, a journalism professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. They have two adult daughters. In the past two years, she has been on a journey to learn about her family’s history as enslavers on a plantation near Richmond —a journey that led her to connect with the descendants of the families who were enslaved there and embark together on a project of repair and healing.

WPF Foundation News

A Note From Chandra Hackenbruch, WPF Foundation President

As I look back on the May Meeting, my heart is full of gratitude for the generosity of our Sisters and all members who have contributed over the years. Your support isn’t just a donation; it’s a powerful affirmation. It shows you recognize the empowering impact our grants have on organizations that uplift women and girls in our community. Your giving also demonstrates a deep belief in the WPF Foundation’s mission, established 40 years ago, and a desire to see that mission thrive for many decades to come. Thank you for your incredible commitment!

I trust you found the panel discussion as amazing, moving, and inspiring as I did! It was incredibly impactful to hear directly from the visionary women at the helm of these grant-awarded organizations. These inspiring programs, which are actively transforming and empowering the lives of girls and women, are made possible thanks to your contributions. As the panelists so clearly articulated, these vital initiatives equip these ladies with the skills and abilities to create meaningful change that reaches beyond Guilford County.

ICYMI, here’s a recap of the 2025 Grantees:

Women’s Resource Center of Greensboro – $10,000

The Women to Work program at the Women’s Resource Center of Greensboro is a transformative initiative that aligns with WPFF’s mission of supporting women’s professional and personal development. By providing hands-on job readiness training, financial literacy education, and career coaching, this program removes barriers that many women—especially single mothers—face when striving for economic stability. With strong mentorship and wraparound support, Women to Work is not just about job placement—it’s about equipping women with confidence, leadership skills, and financial independence. WPFF’s funding will help sustain this critical program, ensuring that more women can build thriving careers and secure a better future for themselves and their families.

Congolese Community of the Triad – $6,500

The Culturally Sensitive Computer Literacy (CSCL) Program is a powerful example of how education and access create opportunities for women—a core value of WPFF. This program provides Congolese immigrant women in Guilford County with essential digital skills, helping them bridge the technology gap that often limits career and educational growth. By offering classes in English, French, and Swahili, and ensuring graduates receive a free laptop, this initiative directly contributes to economic empowerment, workforce readiness, and self-sufficiency. With last year’s program serving over 40 women, WPFF’s funding will extend this impact, ensuring that even more women can confidently engage in the digital world and pursue greater opportunities.

The Sister Circle International – $5,500

The G.L.O.W. Club – Girls Leading Our World embodies WPFF’s commitment to mentorship, leadership, and the empowerment of the next generation of women leaders. This six-month mentorship program provides underserved girls in Guilford County with the tools, role models, and experiences they need to develop confidence, leadership skills, and future career aspirations. With career exploration field trips, personal care education, and self-confidence workshops, G.L.O.W. Club fosters a sisterhood of support and ambition, helping young girls recognize their potential and dream big. WPFF’s funding will expand this impactful initiative, ensuring that more girls gain the guidance and encouragement they need to excel in school, career, and life.

Marva’s Outreach Mission – $5,000

Marva’s Outreach Mission (MOM) is taking a bold step in creating a stronger support network for women facing domestic violence, a cause that deeply aligns with WPFF’s focus on women’s safety, well-being, and long-term empowerment. By training Peer Support Specialists—women who have survived and overcome domestic violence themselves—MOM is building a community of trusted advocates who provide guidance, emotional support, and career training to help survivors rebuild their lives. With domestic violence rates on the rise, this program ensures that women have the resources, skills, and network needed to escape cycles of abuse and regain control of their futures. WPFF’s funding will directly support training scholarships, expanding this life-changing initiative and making a tangible difference in the lives of women in crisis.

AAUW North Carolina – $3,500

The Teen Near Peer Mentor Program by AAUW Greensboro reflects WPFF’s dedication to fostering leadership, confidence, and career exploration for women and girls. By connecting high school girls with younger students through hands-on STEM experiences, this program creates a mentorship pipeline that inspires girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math—fields where women remain underrepresented. From robotics workshops to interactive college-level science labs, the program provides practical exposure and peer encouragement, helping girls develop a passion for STEM. WPFF’s funding will modernize materials, enhance learning experiences, and ensure financial accessibility, making it possible for even more young women to break barriers and reach new heights in STEM education and careers.

Our theme this year is “Enrich Your Strengths!” and our grant recipients beautifully reflect that. This exceptional cohort champions incredibly diverse pathways to empowerment. They range from cultivating workforce development for Congolese immigrants and Guilford County residents to nurturing powerful leadership in underserved girls, offering refuge and strength to survivors of domestic violence, and igniting a passion for STEM in the next generation of female innovators. These are precisely the kind of transformative and empowering programs we are dedicated to supporting with our grants.

A special thank you to the 2025 Board, the Grant Committee, and all others who have helped for their tremendous dedication throughout the grant process, culminating in a successful May Meeting. I’m so honored to work alongside such an energetic, talented, and creative group!

Please enjoy a few captured moments from the May Meeting.

It’s Time for the

WPF Summer Social!

Change in Venue!

If you have already sent in your RSVP,

it is still good for the new location.

Join us on Tuesday, July 15 from 6–8pm

at the home of

Joy Shavitz

3207 Hobbs Landing Court.

We’ll enjoy tasty hors d’oeuvres and beverages

and a fun social time together.

RSVP to Sherry at admin@wpforum.org.

Due to space limitations, reservations will be capped at the first 60 members who reply.

Please contact At Large Directors Laura Burton (lburton@foxrothschild.com) or Jeanie Duncan (jduncan@jeanieduncan.com) if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to sharing a wonderful evening with you!