Women United luncheon highlights support for local youth

Women United, part of United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County, hosted its annual Celebrating Women Who Inspire Us Luncheon Wednesday at the Fogolar Furlan Club in Windsor.

The event brought together nearly 300 people and highlighted Women United, a giving circle of philanthropic women supporting local youth.

Leslie Frattaroli, United Way’s vice president of development says Women United is about collective giving with a direct local impact.

“They’re very generous, philanthropic women that donate at a leadership level, and they collectively take those dollars and they invest it back in the community, specifically through our On Track to Success program,” Frattaroli said.

She said the On Track to Success program helps students from low-income families graduate high school and pursue post-secondary education or skilled trades.

“We know that a lot of families that struggle and live in low income, there’s a lot of barriers, especially for students with their success,” she said.

“So we ensure that we remove whatever those barriers are so that them and the family are supported, and that they graduate on time and go on to post secondary or skilled-trades, and have a very prosperous career from there.”

Frattaroli added that over the past decade, Women United has accomplished raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Over those 10 years, they as a collective group of females, have raised over $850,000, which is amazing,” she said.

“That $850,000 has specifically supported over 35 On Track to Success students.”

The luncheon featured keynote speaker Lynn McLaughlin, an award-winning educator, author, and brain tumour survivor with more than 35 years of experience in education, from classroom teacher to superintendent.

McLaughlin said her experience in education made saying yes to give the keynote address an easy one.

“I’ve been an educator for 35 plus years, parent, and back in the day when I was a school principal and Superintendent this program had started and was making a huge impact on kids,” she said.

“Kids who were facing challenges that we can only imagine that they carry with them every single day.”

She said the program’s strong graduation results come from consistent, hands-on support for students facing significant challenges.

“This program gives them support before, during, and after school in a text or a phone call to a coach. It is so powerful,” said McLaughlin.

Final fundraising tallies are expected next week, according to organizers.