Women's Endowment Fund to host annual celebration April 18
Body image experts and authors of 'More Than a Body' to deliver keynote address
The Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation invites local residents and community leaders to save the date for its annual "For Women, Forever" celebration on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at House Three Thirty. This year's event will be hosted by emcee Sara Shookman, a career journalist and founder of Storyglow Studio.
The keynote address will be delivered by international speakers and best-selling authors Dr. Lindsay Kite and Dr. Lexie Kite. Lindsay and Lexie are identical twins, co-directors of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined, and co-authors of the book "More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament." Both received PhDs from the University of Utah in the study of female body image and have become leading experts in body image resilience and media literacy. Since 2009, Lindsay and Lexie have helped girls and women recognize and reject the harmful effects of objectification in their lives through their social media activism, online education, and speaking engagements for people of all ages. Authors of numerous studies and books have cited Lindsay and Lexie's original research, and they have been featured in a variety of national media outlets, including The New York Times, CNBC, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and many more.
"We're thrilled to bring Dr. Lindsay Kite and Dr. Lexie Kite to our area for this special evening. Their commitment and collection of work in body image resilience is right in line with the Women's Endowment Fund's mission of empowering and uplifting women and girls," said "For Women, Forever" Chair Judge Joy Malek Oldfield.
During the event, the Women's Endowment Fund will also honor Barb Greene, founder of CommonGood Consulting Inc., with the 2024 Judith A. Read Tribute Award for Service & Advocacy for Women. As the founder and former principal consultant of CommonGood Consulting, Barb provided management consulting, fund development and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations. Prior to starting her own business in 2002, Barb served as the first president and executive director of Summit Education Initiative in Summit County. Barb has received a Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA and a Women of Power Award from the Akron Urban League. Barb is a past board member of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Countryside, Victory Gallop, and the Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation. She currently serves on the board of the Akron Urban League.
Named for one of Greater Akron's most influential philanthropic leaders, the Judith A. Read Tribute Award for Service & Advocacy for Women was created in 2016 to honor Judy Read's lifetime of service and extraordinary commitment to empowering women and girls. It is presented annually to the individual or couple who best exemplifies Judy's service, advocacy, leadership and passion in the community. Greene was unanimously selected as the ninth recipient of the award by a committee of current and former Women's Endowment Fund Advisory Board members and past award honorees. She will join an esteemed group of past recipients, including Judith A. Read (2016), Marie Covington (2017), Laurie Zuckerman (2018), Norma Rist (2019), Sylvia D. Trundle (2020), Jacqueline A. Silas-Butler, Esq. (2021), Dr. Sandy Auburn (2022) and Tracy L. Carter (2023).
"Everyone on the fund's advisory board is excited to honor our friend and former board member, Barb Greene, for her many years of dedication to the Women's Endowment Fund and the greater nonprofit community in Summit County," said "For Women, Forever" Co-Chair Antha Poleondakis, senior vice president at Merrill Lynch.
Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities for the Women's Endowment Fund's "For Women, Forever" event range from $2,500 to $25,000. For more information about becoming a sponsor, visit akroncf.org/ForWomenForever-Sponsorship or contact Affiliate Fund Events & Volunteer Coordinator Malia Rivera at 330-436-5649 or mrivera@akroncf.org.
"For Women, Forever" celebrates women as philanthropists and benefits the Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation. Tickets to the event will go on sale in March 2024. To receive an invitation, register for the Women's Endowment Fund's e-newsletter at akroncf.org/WEFnews.
About the Women's Endowment Fund
The Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation was established in 1993 as a permanent endowment committed to encouraging the advancement of women and girls in Summit County. To date, it has grown to more than $4.5 million and awarded nearly $2.1 million in grants. Contributions of any amount are welcome and can be made online at akroncf.org/give/WEF or mailed to Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307. For more information, call 330-376-8522 or visit womensendowmentfund.org.
About Akron Community Foundation
Celebrating 68 years of building community philanthropy, Akron Community Foundation embraces and enhances the work of charitable people who make a permanent commitment to the good of the community. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of nearly $278 million with a growing family of more than 830 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation and its funds welcome gifts of all kinds, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, life insurance and retirement assets, just to name a few. To date, the community foundation's funds have awarded nearly $227 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. For more information about Akron Community Foundation or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call 330-376-8522 or visit akroncf.org.