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FAQ's

Is WomenHelpingWomen a Non-Profit?
We had planned to set up WHW as a nonprofit. Then we found that many non-profits spend a huge amount of their time and energy raising money when that time could be better spent growing the mission.  In the last ten years, there are a growing number of organizations following the model of the social entrepreneur.  We decided that this structure will allow WomenHelpingWomen to flourish.  We researched organizations operating this way and believe it’ll allow us to maximize the good work we can do.

Wiki-pedia;:A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurship principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change. Whereas a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur assesses success in terms of the impact s/he has on society.
"Social entrepreneurs identify resources where people only see problems. They view the villagers as the solution, not the passive beneficiary. They begin with the assumption of competence and unleash resources in the communities they're serving."David Bornstein, author of How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas

  • How did WHW get started?
    • We’re two moms from the Pacific Northwest.  We noticed that whenever a group of women got together, information was shared and problems solved.  We knew that what works in a group of four or five would be so much more powerful with big numbers of women connecting with each other
  • Why is it just for women?
    • There’s nothing anti-male about WHW.  We know that the benefits we get from networking with other women will enhance the lives of our children, our partners and our communities.  But women do tend to communicate and work together with a different dynamic than the way men do, so we’ve set up this organization to make use of our specific strengths and natural ways of communicating.
  • Why should I pay to join WHW?
    • We want to bring you something different and we want to do it without the influence of advertisers or sponsors. We also want to bring added benefits as our membership grows and it’s important to make those decisions based on the integrity of what’s being offered, not because someone had advertised with us. We want this site to feel like home and we can’t imagine walking around your house seeing ads flashing on your walls. 
  • What kind of women are part of WHW?
    • Anyone with a question and anyone with the experience to answer someone else’s question.  A 21 year old can help a 68 year old with a computer question, a 47 year old can help a 25 year old with a career question, a woman with grown children can help a new mom etc.
  • Is WHW a feminist organization?  Are you taking political stance on things?
    • Our approach to life, politics and everything can be summed up by this example: Mother Theresa once said, "If you invite me to an anti-war rally I won’t show up.  If you invite me to a peace rally, I’ll be the first one there".  WomenHelpingWomen would like to be the platform for all things positive, helpful and supportive.
  • I’m not really an expert in anything, How can I fit in here?
    • Think again!  It’s not just about knowing a lot of stuff or being an expert.  Let’s say you just dealt with a small house fire. What did you learn from that experience that you wish you’d known beforehand?  Think about all the things in your life that could make someone else’s life easier by sharing what you’ve been through. Like the things you love to do and are easy for you and maybe an uphill climb for someone else.
  • How is this different from a chat room?
    • The Answer Center is just one of four components to WomenHelpingWomen as an organization.  And, the web site is just the first step in building these connections among women.  There are lots of wonderful resources on the Internet but not one place dedicated to connecting women this way. Your first stop in solving your problems and answering your questions. Getting things done and making positive change in your life, not just talking about it!
  • Why different types of memberships?
    • We wanted to be sure to find a way to be inclusive for every female for her desire to be a part of WomenHelpingWomen.  It was important to have a (base membership) that was a small enough amount that makes it easy to participate. In addition, some of you have asked for a way to be more supportive of the growth and mission of WomenHelpingWomen, so we wanted to have a way to thank you for that support (founders membership). Many of you also wanted to give gifts of membership to your friends, employees, relatives, etc, so you can currently choose from two different types of gift memberships.