Title
Honoring Philadelphia’s Philanthropic Women Leaders in Recognition of Women’s History Month.
Body
WHEREAS, Philanthropy plays a vital role in the health and vigor of the City of Philadelphia and our nation. By working together with non-profits, businesses, government, and everyday citizens, philanthropy improves community conditions and contributes to civic life and leadership through the responsible use of networks, research, and advocacy; and
WHEREAS, According to Giving USA’s Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year of 2017, charitable giving, for the first time ever, exceeded $400 billion in 2017, spurred by growth from individuals, foundations, giving by bequest, and corporations. In fact, giving by individuals in Fiscal Year 2017 increased by $14.27 billion; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Foundation reported that Pennsylvania is home to 5,299 foundations with a giving amount of $1.1 billion in 2017. Accordingly, the Philadelphia Area is home to 1,916 foundations with assets of $14.6 billion and a giving amount of $1.3 billion in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Philanthropy plays an important role in the development of good business. A 2017 survey by Robert Half Management Resources found that social responsibility is important for firms as they serve communities, improve employee morale, networking, reputation-building, brand awareness, and recruiting and retention benefits; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that Philadelphia continues to lift up its philanthropic leaders that stand on the forefront of social change, while continuously developing creative and innovative solutions to positively transform lives every day. As Desmond Tutu once said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put all together that overwhelm the word”; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake is President of the Independence Blue Cross (“IBC”) Foundation and Vice President of Community Affairs at Independence Blue Cross. Reverend Marshall-Blake was instrumental in helping to define the IBC Foundation’s mission of leading solutions for healthier communities in 2011. Under Reverend Marshall-Blake’s leadership, the IBC Foundation has established itself as a philanthropic local force and received the 2014 Corporate Foundation of the Year Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Philadelphia Chapter. As an expert in Philanthropy, Reverend Marshall-Blake has coined the phrase, “We are meant to serve. We must reach back and give back.” In addition to her corporate responsibility, Reverend Marshall-Blake serves as an associate minister at the Vine Memorial Baptist Church. She exhibits a strong commitment to the community and is affiliated with over 30 professional and civic organizations. Reverend Marshall-Blake is also an Honorary Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and has been honored for her leadership and community service by numerous organizations such as the NAACP, Girl Scouts of Eastern PA, Philadelphia Tribune, League of Women Voters, Philadelphia Business Journal, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, Sharmain Matlock-Turner is the President and CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition. She began her tenure in 1999, as the first woman to lead the Coalition. Ms. Matlock-Turner and her team of more than 350 employees create partnerships and build consensus to help families reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in the region. Under Ms. Matlock-Turner’s leadership, the Urban Affairs Coalition has successfully managed more than $1 billion in social capital invested in initiatives that include, but not limited to, programs to end homelessness, HIV/AIDS education, quality pre-K program, and a key consultant in improving contracting and employment opportunities for women and people of color in commercial construction. Ms. Matlock-Turner also serves on several boards, including Peirce College Board of Trustees, Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia, and Mayor Kenney’s Workforce Development Steering Committee. In addition, Ms. Matlock-Turner has received numerous awards recognizing her hard work and commitment to families and communities. Over the years, she has been the recipient of the Citizen Volunteer of the Year Award from the United Way of Southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the Civic Investment Award from Community College of Philadelphia, the American Red Cross Clara Barton Award, and the Women in the NAACP Award. Sharmain Matlock-Turner has dedicated her career and life in improving the quality of life for all Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, Evelyn Marcha-Hidalgo, CEO of Intercultural Family Services, Inc. (“Intercultural”) began her work with the agency in 1981. For over 35 years, her leadership has provided the steadfast foundation for its continued success. Intercultural has evolved into a family-focused, multicultural and multi-purpose organization that provides a variety of public health and human services to first generation Americans and life-long residents. Mrs. Hidalgo is an influential motivator, mentor and champion for others. She is a community bridge builder, while also very able at leading the day to day operations of the agency, rolling up her sleeves alongside the team. She brings expertise in organizational development, agency operation, non-profit fund raising, financial management, program development & design, and cultural competency training. Prior to joining Intercultural, Mrs. Hidalgo was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) practitioner in the Philippines where she had a successful career prior to migrating to Philadelphia, USA. She considers her greatest accomplishment to be building an organization that embodies it’s motto of Diversity in Action®. Intercultural has a diverse multi-cultural staff of over 200 employees that can speak and translate over 15 languages and dialects. Mrs. Hidalgo earned a Master’s Degree from University of Pennsylvania and completed the Executive Management Training Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; and
WHEREAS, Dalila Wilson-Scott serves as the Senior Vice President of Community Impact for the Comcast Corporation and as President of the Comcast Foundation. In this role, Ms. Wilson-Scott works collaboratively across Comcast NBCUniversal to provide strategic leadership throughout all aspects of the company’s community impact and corporate social responsibility initiatives. In addition, Ms. Wilson-Scott oversees efforts to leverage various assets, resources and platforms throughout the company to extend the reach and impact of philanthropic partnerships. In 2015, Comcast NBCUniversal and its foundations provided over $500 million in cash and in-kind support to nonprofit partners sharing Comcast’s commitment to improving communities. Prior to 2016, Ms. Wilson-Scott served as the Head of Global Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. JPMorgan doubled its grant-making portfolio under her leadership and launched groundbreaking private sector commitments to close the skills gap across the globe, spark FinTech innovation, promote economic equality, as well as significantly improve the lives of young men of color. Dalila has been named one of the “Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America” by Savoy Magazine and an “Innovative Rising Star: Building Communities” by Forbes magazine. She has also been a featured speaker at several forums highlighting impact and innovation in philanthropy, including, but not limited to USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute’s Annual Symposium; and
WHEREAS, Danielle Wolfe serves as the Executive Director of the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation. The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation supports grassroots efforts of emerging leaders as they work to eliminate the barriers created by poverty and social injustice in their communities. Ms. Wolfe manages the Foundation’s portfolio of grants, building partnerships with emerging community leaders and like-minded organizations around the world. She consistently emphasizes the belief through the Foundation’s engagement that impactful change is driven by community leaders who have the fortitude, the character, and the cultural expertise to empower their communities to reach toward a bold vision for the future. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Wolfe served High Impact Philanthropy where she provided guidance to funders engaged in domestic education and public health projects. She also worked as a Program Manager for City Year New York, designing academic and behavioral interventions for at-risk youth. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Barnard College and holds a joint M.P.A. and M.S.Ed with honors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government and Graduate School of Education; and
WHEREAS, Tiffany Tavarez serves as Vice President of Community Relations at Wells Fargo where she implements the company’s corporate responsibility objectives and priorities through strategic philanthropy, stakeholder engagement and team member volunteerism across the northeastern United States. Wells Fargo has donated $286.5 million to 14,500 nonprofits in 2017 to support critical social, economic, and environmental challenges. Ms. Tavarez’s experience includes working in community relations, philanthropy and development for PECO, Comcast, Temple University, and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. She has been recognized by numerous organizations for her civic leadership including, but not limited to, the Philadelphia Business Journal, LEADERSHIP Philadelphia, AL DIA Newsmedia, Influencing Action Movement, 2018 Emerging Leader Award by the Forum of Executive Women, and the National Youth Foundation. Ms. Tavarez also serves on Governor Tom Wolf’s Pennsylvania Commission for Women, Temple Contemporary Advisor Council, Philadelphia Global Identity Advisory Board, and the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. She is frequently featured as a guest speaker and panelist for event and conferences throughout the Northeast Region including Young Involved Philadelphia, The People Power Summit, Professional Women’s Roundtable, and the Fearless Conference. Ms. Tavarez also serves as a mentor to several young women, who she considers to be young future leaders of our region; and
WHEREAS, Dominique Goss is an astute and progressive philanthropic leader in the Philadelphia metro area; who became TD Bank’s Charitable Relationship Manager in 2016. She is responsible for aligning TD's corporate giving to its broader strategic priorities in partnership with local Community Managers. The TD Charitable Foundation's goal is to drive broader philanthropic impact that aligns with the bank's global corporate citizenship strategy "The Ready Commitment". Her passion and commitment to equity and underserved communities of human diversity is demonstrated in her portfolio of work. She has pioneered efforts and championed financial giving to organizations that promote sound fiscal responsibility and innovation in the non-profit sector. Ms. Goss is a native Philadelphian that spent her freshman year at Howard University before transferring to Temple University where she received her Bachelor's Degree. In 2017, Ms. Goss was featured in Generosity’s, "12 people of color leading the social impact charge in Philadelphia.” Most recently, she was honored as a Minority Business Leader by the Philadelphia Business Journal and was elected to attend the Greater Philadelphia Economy League's 2018 Leadership Exchange in Seattle. She also currently serves as a think-tank contributor for the Brandywine Health Foundation, Philadelphia YMCA's Y-Achievers Committee, and Clarifi's Junior Board. She is also a member with Emerging Practitioner's in Philanthropy and Association for Black Foundation Executives; and
WHEREAS, Edurne Irizarry is a Program Officer with the Philadelphia Foundation. Raised in Philadelphia, Ms. Irizarry has 20 years of experience working in the Philadelphia nonprofit sector, including positions at the Kimmel Center for The Performing Arts, Youth United for Change, Congreso de Latino Unidos and the Mazzoni Center for LGBTQ Health and Well Being. Her experiences include organizational, community and youth development; program management, community outreach and advocacy; strategic planning, coalition building, communications and health education. As a Program Officer in the Philadelphia Foundation’s Philanthropic Services Department, Ms. Irizarry manages the Fund for Children, a fund established in partnership with the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles sports teams to support young Philadelphians in reaching their full potential. Ms. Irizarry also oversees the development and management of YOUTHadelphia, TPF’s youth grantmaking Board. She also reviews proposals through other TPF grantmaking streams, including discretionary grantmaking programs awarded through competitive applications and the GSK Impact Grant for Philadelphia. Edurne holds an MSW through the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies and Education through Global LIU, Long Island University; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor Philadelphia’s Philanthropic Women Leaders in Recognition of Women’s History Month.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the honorees of Philadelphia’s Philanthropic Women Leaders in Recognition of Women’s History Month, as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End