Hosted by WANDA Board Member Glowe Chang, our recent Founders Luncheon brought together WANDA’s original three co-founders Dianne Giancarlo, Susan Kokores and Luba Kipnis, and founding donors from our Leadership Circle to reflect on the organization’s founding, the experiences that inspired its creation, and the impact it continues to have nearly 20 years later.
From forming a community of single mothers to build relationships and find encouragement, to creating a space where single mothers could plan, build wealth, and gain agency, each one of our founding women had a vision of what WANDA could be.
Now, almost 20 years later, it serves those ideas and much more as we see our WANDA Moms excelling and pushing past the limits of their success.
Sandra Gomez, a single mother from WANDA’s first cohort, spoke during the luncheon on how the program shaped her financial decisions, her family’s future, and her ability to support others. As a first-generation Mexican American, Sandra used the tools she learned from our program to purchase a home and earn her master’s degree. She now works as a social worker in San Francisco, and earns more than she has at any previous point in her career.
“One thing WANDA made happen is helping my ability to be there for my family,” shared Gomez. “WANDA changed my life in so many ways.”
Sandra’s accomplishments offer a meaningful connection between the founders’ original vision and its long-term impact. The financial habits she developed as part of WANDA’s first cohort nearly 20 years ago remain a part of her life. The financial security and confidence she built has created opportunities for her children and strengthened her ability to care for others.
Thank you to our amazing founders for coming together to create an organization where single mothers can receive the support they deserve. We are excited to celebrate WANDA’s 20th anniversary next year with all of you!