I just subscribed to Sojourners, and in my first issue I was thrilled to read the article “Kitchen-Table Giving” (by Julie Polter, April 2008). I am the chapter leader of Dining for Women (DFW) in Massillon, Ohio. DFW is a giving circle dedicated to supporting international grassroots programs in education, health care, vocational training, micro-credit loans, and economic development, and through our members’ combined donations we encourage women to believe they can improve their living situations. We “dine in” together once a month, each bringing a dish to share, and our “dining out” dollars are sent to international programs that empower wo­men.

DFW’s Massillon chapter held its first dinner in February 2006, after I had read an article about parties with a purpose. In the two years since, we have had a dinner almost every month, and we have raised more than $5,000. We are always excited to hear about what the different grassroots organizations are accomplishing and to be a small part of those accomplishments. All of us feel that participating in DFW gives us an opportunity to really experience community and to make a difference in a concrete way.

Dawn Hansard
Massillon, Ohio