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  • Sondra Hardy, left, and Brenda Biederman, of Traverse City, founded mAIDens of Michigan two years ago by inviting friends to potluck dinners where contributions were made to benefit area women in crisis situations. Record-Eagle/Lisa Perkins

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July 26, 2010

Potluck raises $8K for giving circle

BY LISA PERKINS lperkins@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — A group of girlfriends, each with a dish to pass and a personal donation, can change the lives of women in their community.

mAIDens of Michigan, founded in 2008 by Traverse City residents Brenda Biederman and Sondra Hardy, is a women's giving circle that comes to the assistance of local women in dire situations.

"I heard about a woman in Washington D.C. that had her friends come over for a potluck dinner once a month and contribute what it would cost them to go out to a nice dinner to support local women in need. I thought we can do that here," said Hardy, who along with Biederman started the group that meets twice a year and has raised more than $27,000.

mAIDens of Michigan members contact local human service agencies and churches, asking them to communicate unique needs of women they serve who are in a crisis situation. While the mAIDens never know the names of their recipients, they feel a personal connection to the women they help.

"There have been all of these unbelievable stories of women who just really need a little help, help that will make a positive change in their lives," Biederman said.

Fifty women attended the most recent potluck, held in June, and heard stories of how their earlier contributions have helped clients of the Women's Resource Center, Child and Family Services, Goodwill, Traverse City Area Public Schools and Northwest Michigan Health Services.

"One particularly touching story was of two women, each who needed restorative dental work, who with a full set of teeth provided by funds from mAIDens gained the confidence to secure full time work," Biederman said.

mAIDens also helped a woman adopt her foster child and, through covering drivers training expenses, helped the oldest child of a large family provide assistance to her mother through running errands and shuttling siblings between activities.

"When you can literally see where the money is being spent, how it is helping real women in our community, it is very rewarding," said Biederman, noting that $8,000 from the most recent potluck will be distributed after the group meets next month to discuss the most appropriate uses.

"There are so many people in need right here in our community. We want to use the money where it will make the most difference," Biederman said.

For more information on mAIDens, contact Sondra Hardy at sondrash@sbcglobal.net.

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