When Women Unite to Give Back, Communities Thrive
Pictured: In Huron County, 100 Women Who Care unites women who each donate $100 quarterly, pooling their gifts to support local nonprofits and create a lasting impact across the community.
By , Staff Writer, Huron Daily Tribune
Huron County, MI – Nov 16, 2025 – One person alone can make a difference — but when many people unite behind a shared goal, that impact multiplies. In Huron County, a growing group of women is doing just that.
Members of 100 Women Who Care Huron County meet quarterly to hear from local nonprofits and organizations about their causes. After listening to presentations, members vote on which group will receive that meeting’s collective donation. Each member contributes $100, and the organization receiving the most votes gets the full amount — often thousands of dollars in combined support.
Even members whose chosen organization isn’t selected still give, because the goal is simple: help the community, together.
“When I’m choosing what group to vote for, it’s strictly my gut — my heart,” said member Melanie McCoy. “There are so many times you want to give to all of the groups who present. But as Joanne mentioned, you become aware of different organizations by having them present. Now I can go to the food pantry and drop off canned food and those kinds of things.”
McCoy, who has been part of the group for about a year and a half, first read about it in the newspaper but didn’t join right away. Later, after learning a friend was involved, she attended a meeting and quickly became an active member.
“It makes me feel better every time I leave the meetings because you’re like, wow, we’re making a difference,” she said. “It’s people working together to make a difference.”
How the group works
The group was established in 2023 by co-founders Joanne Schulte and Rosemary Stuehmer. There are no membership dues or fees — members simply pledge to donate $400 annually or $100 per meeting across four gatherings each year.
At each meeting, local organizations or individuals are invited to present their cause; however, only three causes are presented each meeting. Each has five minutes to speak, followed by a brief Q&A. Causes can only be selected once per year, but presenters may return in future meetings until their cause is chosen.
To support local businesses, 100 Women Who Care holds its meetings at area restaurants, where members often stay after the presentations to share a meal together.
When members arrive, Schulte greets them and collects their names before calling the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. She opens with an introduction about the group’s mission and commitment before inviting organizations to draw names “from a hat” to determine which causes may present.
At the most recent meeting, six organizations came to potentially present their cause.
Causes presented
- Michigan Forensic Examiners — represented by Kirsten Harris, focused on providing trauma-informed care for victims of sexual assault in Huron County.
“Years ago, if there was a patient who was assaulted, they might have had to travel four to six hours away to get the appropriate care,” Harris said. “Now, we go to the patient. We partner with every local hospital and the Thumb Area Sexual Assault Crisis Center so that an advocate is always with us. We provide care at no cost to patients — they’ve already endured enough.”
- Cleaning for a Reason — represented by a 100 women member Connie Kramer, this national organization offers free professional home cleaning services for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Kramer shared the story of a woman identified by the organization’s national headquarters as eligible for free cleaning services during cancer treatment. At first, the woman declined help, saying she didn’t need it, but weeks later Kramer stopped by to check in and found her overwhelmed by exhaustion and household tasks. Within three days, a volunteer cleaning crew arrived to scrub and organize her home. “She told me it was the first time in months she felt like she could breathe,” Kramer said, noting that the experience reminded her how something as simple as a clean home can bring peace and dignity to someone fighting cancer.”I have been a member of 100 Women Who Care for several years. I applaud the generosity of the women who participate and how much helping others in need means to them,” Kramer said.
- First United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Bad Axe — represented by Dawn Cubitt, the pantry provides accessible food assistance to residents in need.
“In 2021, after COVID, we started the food pantry because of the overwhelming number of calls for help,” Cubitt said. “The first year we may have served 300 units, but so far this year we’ve served nearly 900. Since Nov. 1, with the SNAP shutdown, we’ve seen more than 130 families.”
After each presentation, the room filled with applause as members asked thoughtful questions before voting anonymously. When the ballots were counted, Michigan Forensic Examiners was announced as the recipient of the group’s donation.
A growing network of generosity
After the vote, some women stayed to dine together while others headed home, reflecting on the evening’s impact. Among the attendees were mother-daughter duo Gloria Day and Patrice Sinclair, who recently moved to Caseville from Florida and Rochester, Michigan.
Both had been involved in similar giving groups in their previous communities.
“The more information someone can give about the charity in the five minutes, the better,” Sinclair said. “But a lot of times, it comes down to what you’re passionate about. It’s such a great initiative because you can take your own money and give to one group alone, but this creates such a bigger impact by giving together.”
Co-founder Joanne Schulte encourages members to represent the group publicly — whether by appearing in photos at check presentations or inviting friends to attend meetings. She said seeing familiar faces helps other women feel comfortable joining.
Membership fluctuates, but even those who can’t don’t meetings send in their contributions. The total amount donated from the most recent meeting will be announced soon on the group’s Facebook page once all contributions are received.
The next meeting will be Feb. 12 at the Bad Axe Steakhouse.
For more information or to get involved, visit 100 Women Who Care Huron County on Facebook or contact Joanne Schulte at 989-551-7787.
Original Source: https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/100-women-who-care-huron-county-21181999.php
