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 2008 scholarship was awarded to Emily Newman, a graduate student at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Emily exemplifies WIT-NC’s mission through her stellar academic performance, passion for international trade and development, and active involvement in the community. Information on WIT-NC’s 2009 scholarship will be announced in July 2009.

Kiva

WIT-NC participates in the Kiva 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 January 2009 we have made 22 loans to projects throughout the world. As of January 2009 our total loans have totaled $4,700 with $2,909 repaid. 7 are repaid and 15 are still active. We had an initial donation of $2500 and will continue to re-loan this money. We have donated to people in the following countries: Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ukraine, Tajikistan

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. Those who are interested in donating should bring a new or nearly new suit to our event on March 11, 2009.

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 Dec meeting to be donated to Toys for Tots program. In 2007 we received 60 toys, and in 2008 we received 74 toys.

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