Our Story
The first holiday gift baskets in 2019
How It Began
San Luis Obispo County Womenade was started in 2003 by retired teacher, Sandy Richardson. It wasn’t incorporated or registered as a nonprofit. Rosemary Cleaves retired to Arroyo Grande in 2007 after a career in investment management. Throughout her career she witnessed the divide between the have and have-nots. During her early years in retirement she worked at a soup kitchen and started a nonprofit in Connecticut, helping individuals move from homelessness to independent living. In 2008 after arriving in SLO she connected with Sandy and Womenade, and convinced her to incorporate and become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Rosemary became the South SLO County representative hosting potluck fundraisers for Womenade.
A New Chapter
In 2018 due to health issues, Sandy started the process of closing down Womenade.With 10 years of “womenading” in south county it was evident that there was huge growing need for urgent and emergency assistance in south San Luis Obispo county. In 2019, building on our large existing network of “Womenaders” and agencies in South SLO County, Rosemary founded the d/b/a or "doing business as" South SLO County Womenade under the original nonprofit registration (San Luis Obispo Womenade).
The original board of directors 2019
Kindness
South SLO County Womenade accepts everyone and leads with KINDNESS. It has connected many people within the community, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars (and hopefully millions of dollars into the future), helped countless individuals in need and created many friendships.
The Vision
A Community Within a Community
Streamline the giving process, hyperfocusing on needs in South SLO County, and creating community opportunities for collaborative interactions – “a community within a community”. We expanded our activities to create more opportunities for Womenaders to actively interact while serving people in need.
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A Different Model
We developed a different model of funding urgent and emergency needs by partnering with nonprofit and social service agencies in South SLO County, having the agencies vet clients’ needs and meeting those needs through partnership funds from South SLO County Womenade.
Supporting Families in Need
Our region is destined to always have a financial divide in our population, and therefore there will always be a need to help those less fortunate. The vision for South SLO County Womenade was always twofold – to help both those needing urgent and emergency assistance and those wanting a way to provide both hands on service and financial support to those in need.​
Moments That Matter
Rewards range from seeing a child clutching a package of toilet paper or oreos; a teen showing off the donated jeans and shoes they “shopped” for at the Wolf Den; a family returning with tamales to thank us for helping them with their laundry; a person tearfully sharing that they are grateful for the distributed food as it’s the first time they’ve ever had to ask for help; a person volunteering to help at one of our project drives recounting that they were once on the other side being helped by SSLOC Womenade; friends sharing that they met volunteering at a South SLO County Womenade event!
Why We Gather
At South SLO County Womenade, we believe that kindness grows in community. Every potluck, volunteer project, and fundraiser is an opportunity to build relationships while helping neighbors through difficult times.
Together, we create something bigger than any one of us could accomplish alone. When we gather, we share our time, our talents, and our resources—and in return, we find connection, purpose, and hope.
Whether you're looking to volunteer, make new friends, or support local families, there's a place for you here.