Leaving a Bequest is all about “Our History, Our Future”

Host: WILPF US Legacy Circle Initiative

Open to: WILPF members and invited guests, partners and allies

Theme: Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation

Panel Members: Convener, Mary Hanson Harrison, past president WILPFUS; Dr. Blanche Weisen Cook, scholar and biographer; Robin Lloyd, filmmaker and benefactor; Peggy Dobbins, lifelong member of WILPF US and peace advocate

About: There is no better time than now to highlight the necessity of a strategic and often overlooked financial opportunity to ensure the continuation of WILPF’s vision and mission. In the past, bequests enabled WILPF US and other Sections to not only survive but thrive! The bequest financial support ensured the continuation of our practice to “create a new sort of moral force” (as Jane Addams demanded of us), a democracy for and of “We, the People.” A few months ago, WILPF US formed a new initiative, “Our History, Our Future,” to bring together 10 to 16 representative members to form a ‘think tank’ for a better way to reach out to members and engage with them while reminding them to LEAVE A LEGACY. Panel members have been engaged in this effort. After all, fundraising is all about building relationships. At this time, it is critical to acknowledge that our organization must be financially sustained by more participation from our members, and our Legacy Circle will expand our outreach.

Today, when all looks dark and disastrous, asking for BEQUESTS through leaning into our history of WILPF women activists whose enduring examples of a pragmatic and forceful advocacy for peace succeeded in making a difference. Peer-by-peer, we encourage each other to bring forward to all our members, branch by branch, individual by individual, an understanding of the necessity of supporting the future WILPF’s mission and vision through understanding the relevancy of our historic past to our present-day severe challenges to women around the world. We are the ‘becoming’ of ambassadors.

How do we do this? Honoring our WILPF US and INTL women. A recent example is WILPF US member, Florence Chessin, 100 yrs old and builder of the local peace movement in Missoula, Montana (home of Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, who voted twice against going to war). More examples will be added when the panel shares our strategies for the future, which includes cross-generational dialogue.

Language: English

How to participate: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/a9X25YsKR3K2qSIrkHb1Fw 

Questions? Contact Mary Hanson Harrison harrison0607@msn.com