Host Peter McCully welcomes Debbe Patterson, one of the founding members of the 100 Women Who Care ‘Oceanside’.

Dedicated to making a positive impact in their community, the group was founded in 2016 with the simple idea that 100 women could each donate $100 to a local charity, resulting in a $10,000 donation that could make a significant difference.

The process of selecting a charity to donate to is simple but effective. At each quarterly meeting, members nominate a local charity that they believe deserves the donation. Three charities are randomly selected from the nominations and the members vote on which charity to donate to.

‘I know that there's so many small organizations locally and they just don't have the people power or the fundraising abilities to raise a lot of money,’ says Patterson. ‘So, having this, having funds go to local groups is just huge for them. They don't have the ability to do what the larger organizations do.

100 Women Who Care has donated to a wide range of charities over the years, including organizations that support health care, education, the environment, and more. Some of the charities that have received donations include the Oceanside Hospice Society, the Society of Organized Services, and the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Community Foundation.

‘A hundred percent of my donation goes directly to that organization. We have a few, administrative costs, but they're all covered by our members who generously donate, to cover those costs for us,’ says Patterson.

The group has shown that by working together, even small donations can make a big difference in the lives of those in need.