A Year in Review: Many Voices, One Vision

The November 13, 2025 celebration at the Omni was one of the final events to close out a momentous milestone year. Christine Kim, fund chair and the event’s emcee, took the podium to reflect on that momentum, and the many other events that took place earlier this year under the guiding theme of “Many Voices, One Vision.” 

“Today’s event is the culmination of bold and beautiful hopes, generous and full hearts, and the work of many, many hands,” said Kim. “In fact, this whole year, we have been bearing witness to the power of the Fund, and its increasingly important purpose."

It began in April with the launch of the 30th anniversary campaign. Similarly to November’s event, many of the Fund’s earliest founders met with current advisors and changemakers from across Greater New Haven. That same month, the Fund joined the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation and other partners for the release of Toward Equity, a report chronicling the status of Connecticut’s women and girls over the past 25 years. The report’s findings stressed the importance of deeper investment in equity-driven solutions and challenged philanthropy and policymakers to center racial  and gender equity, creating a stronger, more inclusive Connecticut where everyone can thrive. 

In May, more than 50 mentees and mentors with the Girls of Color Mentoring Network gathered at Albertus Magnus College for the inaugural Girls  R.I.S.E. Symposium. The event featured engaging workshops, meaningful connections and deep-diving conversations centered on self-esteem. Attendees heard directly from participants like Dream, who said, “It helped me a little with talking and learning how to speak up.” Isabelle said, “I liked how safe and comfortable they made the space.” Jordyn shared, “This experience is an amazing opportunity to focus on ourselves and is great preparation for the future.” 

 Later in May, the Fund’s annual Pathways to Economic Security grants program awarded  $130,000 in funding to 12 organizations serving women and girls across Greater New Haven. You can read stories of impact from this year’s grantees including Anchor Health, the Spanish Community of Wallingford and Christian Community Action, Inc. at ManyVoicesOneVision.org.

In June, the Fund hosted an inspiring conversation on philanthropy by women for women, exploring practical strategies and impactful gender-focused initiatives. In another workshop in October, the Fund traced the history of women’s philanthropy, from the first laws allowing women to own property through the growing power of women philanthropists today. Panelists and attendees explored how estate planning is, in its own way, a modern expression of this hard-won independence. Each event helped illuminate how the Fund, and women’s philanthropy generally, have grown together. 

The year has been one of celebration, reflection, and now — with Karen DuBois-Walton at the helm of The Community Foundation — renewal around our shared purpose. As DuBois-Walton said at the start of November’s luncheon, “The spirit of shared purpose, of collective generosity, and the belief that when women come together, transformation follows, has defined the Fund” from the very start.