By Audrey Posten
Since it launched over a decade ago, Clayton County Womenade has distributed over $128,500 to neighbors in need.
Wendy Shea, one of the founders and a current board member, said the idea came from a Northeast Iowa Community Action meeting, where a woman from Bremer County shared about their Womenade.
“It always sounded like something that would be good to do,” Shea said. “Another friend and I attended her meeting to find out the workings of the program and whether or not we thought it would be feasible to do here. We came back, sat down and identified a bunch of people in the community who we thought would be good resources and interested in promoting it.”
Clayton County Womenade began distributing money in 2013. Funds came from the group’s “gatherings.”
“We have gatherings three times a year and we just invite the community and whoever we can get. We suggest $35 per gathering for individuals to donate, but any donation is greatly appreciated,” she explained.
Womenade applied for nonprofit status in 2016. While gatherings are still a source of income, the organization now benefits from grants—including annual support from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation. Clayton County Foundation for the Future and Theisen’s have given too.
Private donations are also key. Churches, fellow community organizations and “Jeans Day” collections from local businesses have aided Womenade. This year, for the second time, RAGBRAI donations were awarded.
Individuals are equally generous.
“We have an individual who we get a payroll deduction check every month from him. We have no idea what his connection to Womenade is. It just comes to us,” Shea said.
The organization has received roughly $135,000 in donations since its inception. In all, “it’s just a collection of money from the community,” she noted. “We rely on those donations and the grants and the other things to support us financially.”
Clayton County Womenade awards a maximum $300 to individuals in need, often assisting with rent or utilities. The group has helped women and children in domestic violence situations, and supported those who are injured and can’t work or have lost their jobs. They have supplied gas cards to the Family Resource Center in Guttenberg to help people attend medical appointments.
In one unique instance, Womenade provided hearing assistance equipment to a child.
“We had a child that was in Early Head Start, and he was basically deaf. The school provided hearing assistance for him while he was in school, but he didn’t have anything at home. So we provided the same equipment that he could wear at home,” Shea recalled.
Most requests come from the Family Resource Center, Northeast Iowa Community Action or other county agencies.
“We rely on the different agencies to say this is the situation and this is what we need. So we’re not making a judgment on what things come in,” Shea shared.
A database tracks the one-time payments to determine if an individual has been helped previously.
“$300 isn’t a lot,” said Shea, “but at least it can pay some of the bills or some of the immediate concerns.”
According to Shea, Womenade can help with requests immediately—usually within a day.
Checks are not sent to individuals, but directly to providers—such as a repair shop for a car repair or a landlord or utility company for rent or utilities.
Unlike some agencies, Womenade doesn’t “have any strings attached,” said Shea.
“There are certain things [Family Resource Center and Northeast Iowa Community Action] aren’t allowed to give money for, which we can do. Like to put a deposit down on an apartment,” she added. “Our people who refer from the Family Resource Center and Northeast Iowa Community Action, they’re very appreciative of having a resource. We have enough safeguards on it that the money’s going where we want it.”
When giving money, Womenade often asks organizations to assure there are other measures in place to help the individual succeed.
“So that it’s going to be something they can sustain and get out of a situation now in order to get on more solid ground,” Shea said.
Clayton County Womenade is purely volunteer-run. All funds raised go directly to people in need.
While largely Guttenberg-based now, Shea said the group would like to expand more into Clayton County. They’d also like to work more with area schools and churches to reach people.
“It would be nice to be more widespread,” she acknowledged.
For those who would like to contribute, donations can be made at or mailed to Peoples State Bank, 15 Goethe St., P.O. Box 430, in Guttenberg. Donations are also accepted through PayPal. To do so, sign in to your account, choose to send money to friends or family and enter womenade@alpinecom.net as the recipient. No fees will be charged to either you or Womenade if using money in your PayPal account or bank account. There is a fee for using a credit card.
Shea said being part of Clayton County Womenade and helping others has been a “real blessing.”
“I’ve been very blessed to be able to do this and work with the other ladies and the agencies. They are good people to work with,” she reflected. “The money goes out there and you don’t often get any feedback, except the people from the different agencies that say it’s helpful. But that’s not what we’re in it for. We’re in it to help people who need it, you know?”
