Contact: Crystel Anders, Executive Director, Community Shares of Wisconsin
608-256-1066 / canders@communityshares.com
Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) (http://www.communityshrares.com) has recently added 14 new member nonprofits; bringing the total number of member groups to 65. The new groups are:
* Center for Media and Democracy
* Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens
* Dane County TimeBank
* Freedom Inc.
* Grassroots Leadership College
* Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin
* NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Foundation
* Nuestro Mundo Inc.
* REAP Food Group
* Sustain Dane
* Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
* Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
* Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
* Working Capital for Community Needs
According to Crystel Anders, CSW Executive Director, the recruitment process gave special consideration to groups that work with ethnic/racial minorities, and groups that work with food security and sustainability. “Our board wanted to ensure that we are responding to current issues in our community,” she noted
“I’m pleased that the new member groups reflect a wide spectrum of the important work being done in our communities, while also addressing issues of special interest to CSW,” Anders said.
Community Shares raises money for its members primarily through workplace giving campaigns. It also offers an online giving option (http://www.communityshrares.com). CSW is committed to being a conduit between donors and the nonprofits they support. Donors who direct gifts to specific CSW member groups can be assured that those groups receive 100% of gifts.
Membership in CSW has benefits for nonprofits as well as donors, said Anders. “We of course benefit our member groups by helping to raise money for them. A wider selection of nonprofits benefits our donors, too, since they can direct gifts to the groups whose work is most important to them.
“Moreover, through membership, our groups learn about the work of others — which sometimes leads to collaboration.” As examples, Anders cited that Clean Wisconsin, Midwest Environment Advocates, and the Sierra Club (John Muir Chapter) worked for passage of the Great Lakes Compact. Legal Action of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault worked together for passage of the state’s Safe Housing Act, which helps protect victims of domestic violence.
“CSW remains committed to investing in our community’s future,” said Anders. “It’s the reason we’re broadening our reach to include more nonprofits. Each of our groups, in its own way, helps create positive change in our community.”
