In the spirit of Women's History Month, I want to honor and acknowledge our female change-maker's contributions to making Southeast Louisiana a better place to live and work. It’s time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and accomplishments of our female staff, volunteers, and partners who embody these qualities. Whether it's leading volunteer initiatives, spearheading fundraising campaigns, or advocating for policies that uplift women and families, their impact is undeniable.
Uniting for Good
Michelle Delery, UWSELA Women United Chair, leads a network of women focused on supporting the unique health and human service needs of women and children in Southeast Louisiana. Cathy McRae serves as Chair of the Women United Global Leadership Council, a growing force of 55,000+ women dedicated to creating a world of opportunity – for everyone.
Since its existence, our local WU has raised millions of dollars locally for our expert community partners, all thanks to the extraordinary generosity of its members. In 2024, Women United set its focus on inclusion. They envision a gender-equal world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive and where difference is valued and celebrated. This month they joined together for a Day of Service in honor of International Women’s Day and Women's History Month to ensure the students at a local middle school have equitable access to the things they need to be successful in school and life.
Partnering Equals Power
We recognize these women-led nonprofit leaders who partnered with United Way and Resilia, a “tech-for-good” social enterprise platform. Participation in this program strengthens capacity and maximizes impact for their BIPOC-led and serving nonprofits through 1:1 coaching, online training, fundraising tools, peer-to-peer learning, and more. They include College Beyond, Community Center of St. Bernard, East St. Tammany Rainbow Child Care Center, Generation Success, Hope Community Resource Center, Love Your Neighbor Nola, Northshore STEM, Puentes New Orleans, Safe Harbor, Sankofa Community Development Corporation, Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment, The Beautiful Foundation, The Center for Restorative Approaches, Upfromherenola, and Whole Village Art Therapy. We applaud your continued investment and commitment to creating a lasting impact in our community.
Impacting a Generation
March also marks the celebration of National Social Worker Month, our United Way female social workers deserve recognition for their positive contributions, inspirational efforts, and leadership. Thank you to these women change-makers for the instrumental impact your work has on our friends and neighbors in Southeast Louisiana: Mary Ambrose, LMSW, Chief Equity and Impact Officer; Melisse Meza, LMSW, Vice President of Community Impact - Health & Fund Distribution; and Ebonee Adams, MSW, RSW, Project Director of SAMHSA ReCAST Grant.
Leading the Charge
A constant at our United Way, Charmaine Caccioppi, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating, was an inspiring keynote speaker at the Shell WAVE (Women Adding Value Everywhere) International Women's Day engagement. She celebrated local women’s achievements, raised awareness on gender disparity, and moved others to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world. She encouraged this group of women to openly embrace their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and identity so they can lean into their sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
The Next 100 Years
As we reflect on the last century at United Way and look forward to the next one, I invite each member of the community to commit to advancing gender equality, supporting women-led initiatives, and amplifying the voices of women everywhere. Unite with me in paving the way for a brighter future for generations to come.
Live United,
Michelle Clarke Payne
Chief Strategy Officer