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Founder of Inspired Women Paying-It-Forward
By Paula Green
Have you ever experienced the joy of having a stranger pay it forward for you? It’s a heartwarming moment, not just for you, but also for the person who extended that kindness. This is the essence of Inspired Women Paying-It-Forward, philanthropic networking that is dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of women, both locally and globally.
Debra Dion Krischke, the visionary behind Inspired Women Paying-It-Forward established the organization in 2015. “For the past four decades, I have been involved in fundraising for women’s initiatives. After college, I lived in Iran, so I’ve seen first-hand the plight of women under veil and that became a lifelong passion. I wanted to find an easier way to help women connect and give back. I came up with Inspired Women Paying-It-Forward when I read about the success of giving circles, a group of people with shared values pooling together and donating to a cause,” said Krischke.
Quarterly chapter meetings offer collective giving with collective impact. The mission statement is, Creating space for women who have MORE in their lives to take action on behalf of women who have LESS. It’s philanthropic networking at one-hour quarterly meetings raising vital awareness and critical funding for local and global nonprofits. For only a $100 quarterly commitment, members are able to nominate and vote for their favorite women’s nonprofit who can win up to $10,000.
Funding recipients over the years include: Crisis Center North, Treasure House Fashions, Computer Reach, CEED, The Asservo Project, Living in Liberty, Ceresav, and numerous other local and global organizations. To date, over $625,000 has been collectively donated.
There are seven chapters in the Greater Pittsburgh area, with Krischke overseeing the North Chapter, which has approximately 75 members. The other chapters include the South, Westmoreland, Sewickley, Beaver, Pittsburgh Downtown, and Pittsburgh East End, which was recently launched on April 30. “All of them have chapter leaders who are top-notch professionals with big giving hearts!” said Krischke.
Krischke and her husband, Ryan, have owned a production company for the past forty years and always have a charity component to their events (TeamEffortEvents.com). Their daughter Alex is also on board running the family businesses of Three Rivers Paintball, Zombies of the Corn each fall and last winter, adding a new production, Enchanted Lights – A Magical Holiday Stroll. Parking Funds from the various events have supported The Boy Scouts Troop 444, Cranberry Rotary, The Lighthouse Foundation and Cross Your Paws Dog Rescue.
For more information on Inspired Women Paying-It-Forward, visit their website at inspiredwomen.com/.