Hello
Feeling the enormity of needs across the world, the countless organizations working to raise funds, and the growing demands for support, I wondered what I, as one person, could do to help meet these needs. Of course, I couldn’t do it alone. But I realized that through the collective generosity of women, we can make a powerful impact!
The founding story
My vision was to host small gatherings of 5-6 women for deep conversations around this idea. Each woman could then choose to host her own gathering(s), creating a movement that would swell across the country.
To get started, I invited five incredible women — longtime Girl Scouts known for their can-do spirit — to join me in brainstorming and planning. Together, we brought SWELL to life.
Our initial test gatherings were so exciting. Women, from novice to seasoned givers, expressed a desire to deepen their understanding of giving and enjoyed the chance to engage in meaningful conversations about a serious topic. And... they wanted to meet again.
Did you know that women are the most generous givers? When we believe in a cause, we give our time, energy, and money wholeheartedly.
Everyone’s story of giving is totally different. Over the years, mine has evolved from a fairly routine annual review to progressively deeper thinking on what really matters to me. Wanting to make my gifts significant.
What a beautiful thing: the money my husband and I have earned through our work is now supporting the causes that I care about most—my choices, my hopes. Fantastic!
What’s even more Fantastic?
Through these gatherings, personal generosity will SWELL, and together,
we’ll make millions of differences—benefiting the whole world.
And... our SWELL will become a TSUNAMI.
— Julie Dawson
Below are all the materials you'll need to host a gathering:
The invite to send out, reflections to inspire thoughtful preparation, your host guide to help you facilitate, the Workbook for meaningful discussion, and a Follow-Up to send afterward as a guide for each participant’s personal journey.