BEECH: Building Empowerment, Education & Change
Giving back to the Community
by Raising Funds & Awareness for Underserved Charities
by Raising Funds & Awareness for Underserved Charities
BEECH Foundation supports charities through fundraising events.
All net proceeds from the events benefit the selected charity.
BEECH Foundation is a 100% volunteer run organization.
All net proceeds from the events benefit the selected charity.
BEECH Foundation is a 100% volunteer run organization.
History
In the spring of 2010, seven women came together with the desire to promote each other’s businesses while giving back to the community. This group was the inspiration behind BEECH Foundation (then named Women Supporting Women) and our first fundraising event, WSW Family Fun Fest. This initial event benefited Northern Virginia Coalition (NOVACO), a local charity that offers support services to victims of domestic violence. Twenty-six local businesses that supported our fundraiser included Bazin’s on Church, Paper Source, JW Tumbles, Cafesano, Our Kids and Spa Noa. This event, while on a smaller scale, showed us that we could make a difference in our community and created a common vision to continue our efforts.
Women Supporting Women established itself as a formal non-profit 501(3)(c) organization in the fall of 2010 in order to realize our long-term vision and mission of raising awareness and funds for underserved charities. The non-profit status helped springboard sponsorship funding, which enabled us to raise over $5,000 for Artemis House, Fairfax County’s domestic abuse shelter. The 2nd annual event, WSW Family Fun Fest 2011, took place at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church where festivities included a petting zoo, live entertainment, raffles, a silent auction, and local vendors from women-owned businesses. The number of sponsors more than doubled the 2nd year and included the support of businesses such as JetBlue, Dev Technology Group, Sunset Hills Montessori, Wintergreen Resort and Whole Foods.
As the organization continued to evolve, the need to change the name was considered necessary to accurately reflect the mission and population served to include a wider range of charities. The organization is now known as BEECH Foundation: Building Empowerment, Education and Change.
Now in our 3rd year, BEECH Foundation will hold our annual fundraising event at Reston Town Center in Reston, Virginia on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Activities at the Family Fall Fest will include crafts for kids, exciting raffles and live entertainment including a headlining performance by Robbie Schaefer, from the folk rock band, Eddie From Ohio. Market Street will be blocked to traffic for a horse drawn hayride and over 40 vendors will participate.
Due to our growing success, BEECH Family Fall Fest will take place at Reston Town Center each third weekend of September and thereafter. We are pleased to bring a new level of awareness not only to BEECH Foundation, but also to the benefiting charity and the sponsors of the event.
Women Supporting Women established itself as a formal non-profit 501(3)(c) organization in the fall of 2010 in order to realize our long-term vision and mission of raising awareness and funds for underserved charities. The non-profit status helped springboard sponsorship funding, which enabled us to raise over $5,000 for Artemis House, Fairfax County’s domestic abuse shelter. The 2nd annual event, WSW Family Fun Fest 2011, took place at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church where festivities included a petting zoo, live entertainment, raffles, a silent auction, and local vendors from women-owned businesses. The number of sponsors more than doubled the 2nd year and included the support of businesses such as JetBlue, Dev Technology Group, Sunset Hills Montessori, Wintergreen Resort and Whole Foods.
As the organization continued to evolve, the need to change the name was considered necessary to accurately reflect the mission and population served to include a wider range of charities. The organization is now known as BEECH Foundation: Building Empowerment, Education and Change.
Now in our 3rd year, BEECH Foundation will hold our annual fundraising event at Reston Town Center in Reston, Virginia on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Activities at the Family Fall Fest will include crafts for kids, exciting raffles and live entertainment including a headlining performance by Robbie Schaefer, from the folk rock band, Eddie From Ohio. Market Street will be blocked to traffic for a horse drawn hayride and over 40 vendors will participate.
Due to our growing success, BEECH Family Fall Fest will take place at Reston Town Center each third weekend of September and thereafter. We are pleased to bring a new level of awareness not only to BEECH Foundation, but also to the benefiting charity and the sponsors of the event.
Leadership
The first Family Fun Fest held in Sara's home and was organized by a group of women. The businesses they owned included Amy Celeste Photography, Beloved Yoga, art.smart.kids, Posh Parties, Stella & Dot and Originally Yours. Together they organized WSW Family Fun Fest 2010.
Sara and Viki Mutarelli, owner of art.smart.kids, partnered together in the fall of 2010 to establish the organization as a 501(3)(c) organization. They organized the 2nd annual WSW Family Fun Fest 2011, which raised over $5,000 for Artemis House.
Sara took over all aspects of running the organization in the summer of 2011. The significant alterations include changing the name to BEECH Foundation: Building Empowerment, Education and Change and changing the event venue to Reston Town Center. The 3rd annual BEECH Family Fall Fest *Shop*Play*Support* will be held on September 22, 2012.
Sara and Viki Mutarelli, owner of art.smart.kids, partnered together in the fall of 2010 to establish the organization as a 501(3)(c) organization. They organized the 2nd annual WSW Family Fun Fest 2011, which raised over $5,000 for Artemis House.
Sara took over all aspects of running the organization in the summer of 2011. The significant alterations include changing the name to BEECH Foundation: Building Empowerment, Education and Change and changing the event venue to Reston Town Center. The 3rd annual BEECH Family Fall Fest *Shop*Play*Support* will be held on September 22, 2012.
Experience
Sara Brandland, BEECH Foundation Founder and President, attained her Master's of Social Work in 2001. Sara's gained experience as an individual, family and group therapist, mental health seminar presenter, mental health consultant and foster parent trainer.
Sara plans and organizes all aspects of the BEECH Family Fall Fest including event planning, organizing, managing and fundraising.
Sara plans and organizes all aspects of the BEECH Family Fall Fest including event planning, organizing, managing and fundraising.
The Beech tree symbolizes tolerance,
past knowledge and softening criticism.
BEECH Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible.