If you're still making your New Year's resolutions, two groups in Fort Worth have a suggestion. Instead of self-improvement, how about improving your community?
The grassroots organizations 100 Women Who Care and 100 Men Who Give a Damn are joining forces to raise money for local charities, taking their combined cash even further in 2018.
Inside Kent & Co. Wines on West Magnolia Avenue, some old friends and new sat down Thursday night to sip a glass and resolve to make a difference.
"I encourage people, give local," said Leslie Ford, founder of the Fort Worth chapter of 100 Women Who Care.
Ford and her friends sat with a group from 100 Men Who Give a Damn Fort Worth. They're all grass-roots Fort Worthians who pool their resources to give to local nonprofits.
"Even though you've only been able to give your small portion, you've come together with your peers and you've done something amazing," Ford said.
Taken individually, the men and women in the two groups each have $100 to donate to a nonprofit. But their powers combined, they jump up to $10,000 or more that they can give to one charity four times a year.
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The Center for Transforming Lives in downtown Fort Worth received one of 100 Women's $10,000 gifts last year.
"Ten-thousand dollars has really significant impact," said Trish Rodriguez, chief communications officer for the Center for Transforming Lives. "So, for us, for example, it will fund an entire classroom of homeless and low-income children for one year."
The center serves up to 240 children a day in three Tarrant County locations. Plus, they house homeless women and help families climb out of poverty. They need all the partners they can get.
"When you bring everyone together, it really shows the power of community," Rodriguez said.
Now for the first time, the dual communities of giving are doubling down. The men and women have always fundraised separately.
"There's definitely a little bit of rivalry there," said Anthony Harris, who founded the Fort Worth chapter of 100 Men Who Give a Damn.
Next month the two groups are holding a joint event to back one charity together.
"If we can join both of our groups and one night, 60 minutes, maybe 90 minutes raise over $20,000, I think that's really powerful for our community," Harris said.
It's the multiplying power of giving what you can and giving a damn.
The joint fundraising event will be Feb. 20 at Rahr and Sons Brewery in Fort Worth. Anyone with $100 to donate is welcome to attend.
HOW TO HELP: For more information, visit the 100 Women - Fort Worth or the 100 Men -Fort Worth websites.
