WIT-NC is committed to giving back to our community. In 2007, we initiated our endowment program to do just this. Every year we support students of international trade, women entering the workforce, women entrepreneurs, girls in rural areas and underprivileged children. Here are the programs that we are currently supporting:

Scholarships

WIT-NC offers a $2000 scholarship in December of each year to a college/university/grad school student studying international business/trade/policy in the Bay Area, including Monterey. WIT-NC received 16 applications for its 2007 scholarship, and 26 applications for its 2008 scholarship. We received applications from students from Stanford, Berkeley, Presidio School of Management, San Francisco State University, University of San Francisco, California Maritime Academy, and Monterey Institute of International Studies. The 2009 recipient was Adam Hoffman, a graduate student at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Adam exemplifies WIT-NC’s mission through his stellar academic performance, passion for international trade and development, and active involvement in the community. Information on WIT-NC’s 2010 scholarship is currently available on our site and receiving applications.

Kiva

WIT-NC participates in Kiva, a micro-lending organization. Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals (such as WIT-NC) to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

From December 2007 to July 2010 we have made 95 loans to projects throughout the world. As of July 2010 our loans have totaled $11,375 with $9,078 repaid. We had an initial donation of $2,500 and will continue to re-loan this money. We have donated to people in more than 21 countries.

Dress for Success

Dress for Success is a nonprofit organization that helps women re-enter the workforce, retain their positions and advance their careers. WIT-NC participates in Dress for Success’ Send One Suit Week. Every March, Dress for Success issues an S.O.S. to all women nationwide: Donate one new or nearly new business suit to help another woman enter the workforce. This year 11 suits and an additional 32 professional dress and accessory items were donated during our Annual Dress for Success Drive!

Room to Read

Room to Read is an organization that approaches the problems of rural education in developing countries. They partner with communities to build schools, establish bi-lingual libraries, publish local language children's books and provide long-term scholarship to girls.

Each year, WIT-NC donates a full scholarship (ten years) for one girl to attend primary/secondary school.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is an organization whose primary goal is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

WIT-NC members are asked to bring a new toy to our December meeting to be donated to Toys for Tots program. In 2008 we received 74 toys and last year we collected 60 toys for donation.

Questions or comments? Contact us at info@wit-nc.com