March 12, 2008

Nearly 100 women from throughout Greater Los Angeles gathered in downtown to discuss the county’s pressing socio-economic challenges and the increasing importance that women’s philanthropy can play in addressing them.  The room was abuzz for this Wells Fargo sponsored breakfast at Ciudad Restaurant (a female-owned business) as women networked, and shared strategies about how they could improve the quality of life for all in our community.

As breakfast was served, Elise Buik led a discussion with Laura Schulte, Wells Fargo’s Western Region President and Torie Osborn, former Senior Strategist to Mayor Villaraigosa, where they addressed the critical issues facing Los Angeles today and the trends of women addressing these issues. Guests then broke into table discussions on issues they personally see as important and the role that United Way should play in the solutions. Almost every table reported back with two similar themes: first, the essential role that United Way must continue to play in bringing business, public sector and nonprofit communities together to tackle these issues on a countywide scale, and second, the desire to ensure that the message of United Way’s work on poverty and homelessness is spread into the community so that the impact can be fully realized.