Women’s Fund Helps Locals Attend Women’s March on Washington

EASTHAMPTON — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, in partnership with the Massachusetts chapter of the Women’s March on Washington, a volunteer group, helped raise more than $20,000 to provide financial assistance for women, allies, and families to travel to the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday, Jan. 21.

The money has helped more than 100 residents secure a seat on one of the dozens of buses headed to the event from across the Commonwealth. The goal of the group was to mobilize more than 10,000 marchers. As a result, the Bay State will be the second-largest state group represented at the rally.

The march is expected to draw 250,000 participants and is part of a growing international grassroots movement designed to send a clear message about a demand for gender equity. To learn more and to register, visit tiny.cc/womawama.

In the early stages of organizing the state effort, volunteer organizers connected with the Women’s Fund to provide a formal structure for the group to be able to raise funds. Within days after approval from the Women’s Fund board of directors, the staff of the public foundation set up an online donation portal, handled gift acknowledgements, wrote checks to nonprofits handling the bus logistics, and handled other administrative activities.

“This is an ideal partnership for us,” said Elizabeth Barajas-Román, CEO of the Women’s Fund. “We are excited to support the leadership of local women, while providing a vehicle for the community to connect their generosity with action, and in our way, helping ensure that there will be diverse voices representing our state at this historic event.”