Rendezvous with Outgoing Chair of the Women’s Leadership Council

By Patrice Maloney-Knauff, Board Member

I am proud to have served as the chair of the United Way of Lake County’s (UWLC) Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) and to be a part of the most successful philanthropic network of its kind. In the last four years we have united leadership and resources to improve children’s lives in Lake County through volunteerism and philanthropy.

Collaborating with UWLC’s call to action to address the most critical needs facing Lake County’s most vulnerable children, we have raised an impressive amount of funds in the past four years: Toast of Broadway (raised $15K), 2012 WLC Breakfast (raised 100K over 5 years), and our signature ‘Power of the Purse’ event, which raised $15K in 2014 to be directed toward our philanthropy fund, Little Kids, Big Futures. Directed by our WLC members, these funds were invested in changing the lives of Lake County’s children through early childhood education and literacy programs.

The last 18 months have been particularly exciting as we introduced our “100 Women United” initiative and have grown to over 70 women strong. These women include a delightful mix of corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, legislative leaders, government officials, community volunteers, retirees, stay-at-home moms, empty nesters and non profit executives.

We also formed four committees- the Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Committee, the Power of the Purse Committee, the Social Committee, and the Membership Committee – to give, advocate and volunteer. Through our Little Kids, Big Futures fund we gave away $26,000 last year, and will give away over $47,000 this year. We offered service opportunities with an Early Learning Trail, Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, Adopt-a-Family and Hands-on Activities for our at-risk children in Lake County.

In March 2015, we hosted our 2nd Annual WLC Cocktail Party, which kicked off our new year by welcoming our new chair Carla Zuniga, and strategized the use of our members’ power of their time, talent and resources to ensure children living in Lake County’s most vulnerable communities are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed. We are aspiring to be the leading philanthropic Lake County Women’s Affinity Group. Please join us in this propriety platform that mobilizes women through leadership, service and giving, to a network that focuses on early childhood literacy and makes real change in the children’s life today and in the future in Lake County.

To learn more about UWLC’s Women’s Leadership Council, please contact Diana Nielander at Diana.nielander@uwlakeco.org.
To view photos from this year’s WLC Cocktail Party, click here.

About Patrice Maloney-Knauff

Women’s Leadership Council Outgoing Chair

Allstate Insurance Company