Girls Who Grant (GWG) raised $500 to grant The Sanford Backpack Program during their most recent monthly meeting. The Sanford Backpack Program provides food to Sanford students to take home weekly and they distribute food at various locations throughout the month to community members. This grant will help the program continue to provide awareness and food to those in need within the Sanford community.

Pictured L-R: Colleen Levesque (Co-Founder of GWG), Danielle Moody (Co-Founder of GWG), Anne Garnsey (one of the creators BackPack Program), Deb Malcolm (Advisory Board member), Lori Williams (Administrative Assistant), Ellen Coleman (SHS Sophomore Advisory board member), Heidi Barker (Volunteer and Advisory Board Member)

Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by the Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library in Sanford for their annual visit on December 2nd. Girls Who Grant (GWG) organized the event, took pictures for a suggested donation of $10, and e-mailed families their photos. A total of $700 was raised and then donated to the

Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library.

Pictured L-R: Mary Dabrieo, Coleen Paradis, Stacie Gillespie, Jean Collins (Asst. Director), Carl Johnson (Board Secretary), Jackie McDougal (Director), Savina Hutchinson (Board Member), Ron Vincent (Board Treasurer), Laurie Cohen (Board Member), Jamie Landry, Danielle Moody (Co-Founder of GWG) Al Pollard (Board President), Valerie Sullivan (Board Vice-President) and Colleen Levesque (Co-Founder of GWG).

Challenge Day is a two day-long interactive workshop where teens, teachers, and community members experience for themselves that compassion and connection are indeed possible in our schools. These amazing women have taken time out of their busy schedules to fundraise and bring the Challenge Day to Sanford Maine. We are incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful network of support in Sanford that cares about our next generation of leaders! Girls Who Grant was excited to contribute the first $500 and hope that other businesses and residents can reach into their pocket as well. It takes a village!

June 17, 2018

Girls Who Grant is a nonprofit group of women in Sanford who get together monthly to give back in various ways in the Sanford area. They recently granted their 16 purses to the Sanford emergency room at Southern Maine Health Care to give to women in need coming into the emergency room.

People in the picture are Christa Trudo Moulton, from Project Purse Maine, Jennifer Johnston, Jennifer Schmitz and Betsy Sheehan nurses from SMHC, and Colleen Levesque from Girls Who Grant.

While Christa was there, a very sweet woman in the ER donated the purse off her shoulder. 💝 #ProjectPurseMaine

Hailey Nolette received the annual Girls Who Grant scholarship. Sanford High School applicants were asked to write a one-page essay on the following: What have you done and what WOULD you do to build a stronger community in Sanford? Hailey joined the monthly GWG event where she read her winning essay to members.

Growing up, Hailey’s parents opened their home to those with disabilities from Waban as an alternative to group housing. She had the opportunity to bond with people who have schizophrenia, mental retardation, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, manic depression and dyslexia. “I know I have helped them build stronger social skills as I have been a candidate for them to talk to and a teacher for them on basic house rules.  These small contributions that I have made to Sanford have positively benefited the people in the community” states Nolette.

It is because of her childhood experiences that she has chosen to pursue a degree in neuroscience with the focus on becoming a Physician’s assistant. “In the long run, my goal would be to find the main issues in the brain and treat those instead of continuing to mask the issues with medication, this will make a stronger community in Sanford because these patients can become more independent and happy individuals”.

GWG wishes Hailey a bright future and will be looking forward to her contributing to our community when she returns. Congratulations Hailey!!

“This couldn’t come at a better time” Owner Jeff Webb says who has been serving his customers for over 15 years in Southern Maine. ” This year’s winter was long and cold forcing us to continue to keep those oil tanks full which can be hard for many Mainers”. The grant will be used to give 2 of Webb’s customers 100gallons of oil each that Webb knows could use the assistance.

Pictured (Left-right): Cathy Couture, Office Manager; Jeff Webb, Owner and Bryce Lambert, Driver

On January 27th Girls Who Grant (GWG) set out on their first Bus Tour of Sanford! Members voted that a portion of the proceeds raised would go to the Corner Cupboard, a non-perishable pantry in Sanford. Tickets were open to the public and $50 each for folks to take a ride on the Bowl-A-Rama Bus through our City with Owen Martin at the wheel giving us some history about Sanford/Springvale. Tickets included a beverage and appetizers at 3 local restaurants; Backstreet Grill, Springvale Public House, and Third Alarm Diner. The tour didn’t stop there, when the bus returned to the Bowl-A-Rama a round of drinks, bowling, and a fully catered meal by Above and Beyond Catering was also included. On February 17^th GWG met members of the Corner Cupboard to give their grant of $1,500.

Thank you to all that joined us on the tour and a BIG thank you to the local businesses that donated and/or contributed to make the event a success! For anyone looking for more information on how to donate to the Corner Cupboard please contact Judi Reis at jcreis8@gmail.com.

Thank you Wanda Parent for coming to one of our monthly meetings and educating us about this wonderful program that gives back to children in the Sanford community. For more information on how you can help Stuff the Buss, visit https://www.facebook.com/Stuffthebusme/?hc_ref=ARScUoRz69vSgto59Okf2VIAKiK5z7-tS9tKojAjc1YV_NkH6Jyrc0iUl6skIrg7ik4&fref=nf

” Thank you so much , I was able to purchase 43 really nice back packs as well as easel pads and jumbo post its , for the teachers tables!” -Wanda Parent

Our most recent grant was to the Gosnell Memorial hospice House.   Jessica’s name was chosen and she nominated the Gosnell Hospice House because her boyfriend, Jason Mongue’s father recently passed there.  During this time, he and his family found comfort in knowing their father was taken care of and passed peacefully. For that, they will ever be grateful to the Gosnell Hospice House and wanted to be able to give back so others could have that same experience.   Pictured L-R: Gosnell House Manager Keirsten Littlefield; Danielle Moody, Co-founder of GWG; Jessica Bedell; Jason Mongue; Colleen Levesque, Co-founder of GWG; and HSM CEO Daryl Cady.

“Hospice of Southern Maine is honored to receive a gift of $1,000 from Girls Who Grant​. Girls Who Grant (GWG) is an amazing group that brings women together to make a difference in their community by raising money for local organizations.make a difference in their community by raising money for local organizations. This grant will be used to benefit the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. It was awarded on behalf of Jason Mongue, whose father passed away at Gosnell earlier this year. Thank you, ladies!!make a difference in their community by raising money for local organizations. This grant will be used to benefit the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. It was awarded on behalf of Jason Mongue, whose father passed away at Gosnell earlier this year. Thank you, ladies!!”-Daryl Cady, HSM CEO

On October 19^th 2017 we met with Lisa Morin, Director of Philanthropy and Janice Zurlo, York County Coordinator from the Center for Grieving Childrenin Sanford, ME to give our latest grant! The Center of Grieving Children has many different programs to help all ages grieve a loved ones passing. One of their resources is books. Girls Who Grant was able to purchase $500 worth of needed books to contribute to their growing library. If you would like to also donate to their library please contact Janice at janice@cgcmaine.org for a full list of books needed.

Pictured: Colleen Levesque, Co-Founder of GWG; Danielle Moody, Co Founder of GWG; Jacklyn Plante; Janice Zurlo, York County Coordinator