With your support, Womenade of Greater Squamscott was able to donate almost $25,000 in goods and services to families in need in our community last year.

• In 2006 , Lynn Russ, Judy Sewall, Margaret O'Day, Susan Drinker, Andrea Gunst, Lena Natola and Kim Gardiner all generously opened their homes, invited their friends and together raised nearly $7,600 for local families in need. They also helped spread the word about our group and how we help.
• Once again, Caroline Robinson donated the use of her barn for our annual soup-tasting event, which raised more than $6,600 in two years.

• Linsey-Jean Moretti Tufts, a UNH Voice
  student,gave a concert with proceeds to
  benefit Womenade.
• Kathy Gunst shared the proceeds from
  her cookbook sales.
• Mamapella, Julie Higgins’ singing group,
  passed the hat for Womenade.
• Staff, parents and students at Main Street
  School and the Cooperative Middle School
  also raised funds for Womenade.

Womenade of the Greater Squamscott joined the other three groups in New Hampshire to sponsor our first joint fundraising event. Nearly 300 women — and a few brave men — came out to laugh and support those in need. With comedian Cindy Pierce donating her services, the Frank Jones Center donating the space, and  Trade-Winds serving as a corporate sponsor, the event raised nearly $10,000 for Womenade in New Hampshire. Nearly $2,200 of that came back to the Greater Squamscott community

Assistance doubles

Requests for assistance more than doubled this year with The Interfaith Hospitality Network, Seacoast Hospice, school employees, Seacare Health Services, Exeter Pediatrics and The Teen Outlook Center calling on Womenade to help.

Most families faced a crisis: an accident, an illness, death or divorce that threw a curve ball into a tenuous financial situation.

• Arrangements were made to get a working refrigerator in an apartment, mattresses were bought, and several cars were repaired.
• Birthday party kits were donated to 2 local food pantries and given to Families First parenting class participants last January.
• Numerous boxes of food were donated to St. Vincent De Paul's food pantry in October.

Some of the help was reassurance: if you need something more, come back to us. For many people, just hearing that was enough to get them through a trying period. Others were connected with government services or programs that would help them with more long-term needs.

We have been overwhelmed by the response from the community. Offers of help to set up a web site, write grants and hold events in 2007 have been coming in.

• A student at Phillips Exeter wants to start a Womenade group.
• There are women in Dover, Newmarket and Rochester beginning to set up Womenade groups in their communities.
• We are bringing on some new board members and continue to spread the word in our communities.

With your continued assistance, Womenade will reach out to even more families in 2007. Thank you for being an important part of building a better, more caring community.