Dining For Women
by Luisa Anderson

Nikki Maxwell is the leader of the downtown Eugene chapter of Dining for Women. Once a month, she hosts an horderves gathering in her home with over 20 other members. Each member brings a plate of food, along with the amount of money they would have spent at a restaurant for dinner.

Dining for Women uses the money each month to fund programs that aim to empower women and girls in third world countries, but without the leadership and organization of chapters like Maxwells’, funding for programs would not be possible.

Maxwell says she first learned about dining for women from an article in the newspaper and connected with the mission of the organization. SHe went to her first Eugene chapter over three years ago, and has since then, never looked back.

“I didn’t want to join that chapter, I wanted my own chapter,” Maxwell said. “But the experience of going to the website was really key. Everything was there to get started.”

The money collected this month will be donated to The Unforgotten program in Pune, India. The program aims to help mothers living in trash dumps to support themselves and their families through means other than trash picking. They first provide mothers with essentials like food, water, and shelter. Mothers then learn basic literacy, and their children are enrolled in school with additional free tutoring. Dining for Women’s grant of $41,000 will be spread over two years and will support 50 mothers and daughters in the program.

The Unforgotten program is just one of many programs funded in the last 10 years. Since then, the non-profit has donated nearly $3 million to programs that empower women and girls in third world countries.

Like the founder of DIning for Women, chapter leader Maxwell wanted to make a difference in women’s lives.

Marsha Wallace founded the organization back in 2003. Wallace is in the middle of a 13-month campaign to meet chapters across the country. She visited Lane Community College last week to speak with the two chapters in Eugene.

“It’s truly my dream,” Wallace said, “for whomever participated in Dining for Women at whatever level to experience a spark of passion. By participating in Dining for Women, every person feels empowered in a way that they hadn’t before.”

Dining for Women has grown substantially in the last decade. For years, Wallace ran the organization from home, but now, there are over 400 chapters and over 9,000 members. Last April, they began funding for the Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology for the Environment, also known as CREATE.

The mission of the program is to help people living in rural populations in developing countries meet the challenges of global climate change in issues such as drought, decreased food production, and water scarcity.

“Dining for Women recognizes the importance of very basic interventions… a community garden, and improved cookstove…” said Louise Ruhr, the Chief Operations Officer of CREATE. “That’s what women need.”

Wallace just finished the Eugene leg of the 13-month campaign, but while she’s only half-way through her trip, she says that it is one of the best parts of her job.

“…When you get around other people who are also passionate [and] excited, it’s nurturing,” Wallace said.