WEN Heart to Heart Luncheon
Wednesday – April 22, 2009

Ten members of the KC CREW Community Services Committee were among the 1,155 attendees at the Heart to Heart luncheon on April 22, 2009.  The luncheon, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, is an annual fundraiser for KC CREW’s charitable partner, the Women’s Employment Network (WEN).  For the past several years, KC CREW has used a portion of the proceeds raised for WEN at KC CREW’s annual golf tournament to purchase a table at the luncheon.  WEN raised approximately $186,000 in connection with the event.  The luncheon was highlighted by the success stories shared by two WEN graduates.

On April 28, 2009, KC CREW staffed a booth at a job fair sponsored by Ferrillgas, the proceeds of which were given to WEN.  KC CREW made available to job fair attendees information about careers in commercial real estate.

Upcoming KC CREW events to support WEN include the golf tournament and post-tournament party on September 21, 2009, a tour of WEN’s offices in connection with a Happy Hour event and a clothing drive to be held in the fall.

WEN provides employment preparation and career transition support to women in the Kansas City metropolitan area.  WEN recently announced the formation of an alliance  between WEN, First Step Fund, the Kansas Women’s Business Center and the Women’s Capital Connection.  The “OneKC for Women” alliance has a collective mission of empowering women to become economically self-sufficient and prosperous through job training and business growth.  The alliance intends to produce some operational efficiencies and enhance collective fundraising efforts for long term sustainability.  WEN’s newly named President, Sherry Turner, will maintain her leadership role with the Kansas Women’s Business Center and the Women’s Capital Connection to support the new alliance.

Written By:
Marcia Charney
Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP