Dawn Chaney, an early leader of the annual Greensboro, N.C. “Green Party” HIV/AIDS prevention fundraiser and, later, the Guilford Green Foundation, was recently profiled in a Philanthropy Journal article written by GGF Executive Director Cecelia Thompson.

A local philanthropist, Chaney has raised money for and contributed to the Greensboro area LGBT community and GGF for over ten years:

In 1996, with her help and enthusiasm, the board of the Green Party decided they had outgrown the once-a-year dance party, and the Guilford Green Foundation was officially formed to assist with not only HIV and AIDS but the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

As such, it seemed only natural that I approach Dawn this year when the Guilford Green Foundation was looking to expand our donor base of women.

Once again, Dawn saw an opportunity to make a difference and enthusiastically agreed to host an all-women’s fundraising party.

Dawn’s generosity and spirit of giving continued as she offered to match all donations at the event up to a total of $5,000. With that in mind, we made a goal to raise $10,000 that evening.

On October 17, 2007, Dawn and foundation chair co-chair Ruth Heyd hosted the first ever GGF Women’s Party.

In a dynamic speech, Dawn described the current need for funding for the lesbian community and proclaimed, “Women can make a difference; powerful women make change.”

In a one-night, extraordinary display of generosity, women donated more than $20,000 to the Guilford Green Foundation.

Check out the full article at Philanthropy Journal.

Learn more about the Guilford Green Foundation at www.ggfnc.org.

Full disclosure: I’ve been on the GGF Board of Directors since March 2007. 

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