While there is a seemingly endless supply of worthy causes to support in the world, one group of Will County women has been quietly spreading funds around to dozens of local charities for the past decade.

100+ Women Who Care Will County has been gathering to contribute to four different Will County charities annually since 2015. In November 2025, their cumulative giving surpassed $250,000, including a $10,725 donation to the New Lenox Food Pantry.

The group is just one chapter of a larger, national organization built on the premise that if 100 people got together and each donated $100 to a cause, you could easily raise $10,000 for charity.

“The idea was to give people a way to help if they don’t have a lot of time to commit to a charity,” Will County Chapter organizer Maribeth Carlson said. “It’s a flexible, easy way to donate to people in your community and learn about the needs of people in the area.”

While the Will County organization still is small, it has been slowly growing each year, and its impact has been significant for dozens of local organizations, thanks in part to its matching donation agreement with the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, which contributes a 50% match to each of the group’s charities up to $5,000.

The premise of the organization is simple. The group meets four times per year at Coom’s Corner in Lockport for about one hour each in September, November, February and April.

During the meetings, members nominate charities they want to support by placing their names in a hat.

Nominated groups must be registered 501(c)(3) organizations and must have a presence in Will County. Once a group receives a donation, it cannot be nominated again for two years.

Three charities are chosen at random, and the members who nominated them must provide a brief explanation of why each deserves the group’s support. Attending members then vote on which group should receive the donation, and all members write a check for at least $100 to the group.

All money pledged and donated through 100+ Women Who Care goes directly to the nonprofits chosen by the members.

“Last year marked our 10th anniversary, and the excitement of announcing our selected charity at the end of each meeting still brings me joy,” said Carlson. “I still remember our very first donation. It was just $600. We kept reminding ourselves that the amount didn’t matter. It was more than the charity had the day before, and every dollar makes a difference. This year has been fantastic. Every meeting, we have new members joining, and as the group grows, so does our donation amount.”

During its 2025-2026 donation year, the Will County organization made donations benefitting Team Nicholas, the New Lenox Food Pantry, the Joliet Noon Lions Club, and One Family Illinois, each with donations of at least $10,000."

Team Nicholas, a group that collects gift cards and toys for children in hospitals, received the second-largest donation in the organization’s history, with $15,000.

The largest was $15,800 received by Shady Oaks, a camp for people with disabilities located in Homer Glen, in November 2024. Shady Oaks was also the recipient of the group’s first $600 donation in spring 2015.

In total, Carlson reported the group has raised $270,800 for 46 organizations since its founding. These charities, which are listed on the group’s website, include CASA of Will County, the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Will County Habitat for Humanity, Big Run Wolf Ranch, Guardian Angel Community Services, Bags of Hope, Angelic Kindness, the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic.

“The moment a charity learns they’ve been chosen is always special. They’re genuinely surprised and deeply grateful, especially because the support comes without expectation or effort on their part,” Carlson said. “I find it amazing how many local charities and wonderful volunteers we have in our community. Being a member of 100+ Women Who Care gives me the opportunity, in a small way, to support and sustain the incredible work they do.”

The group will hold its next meeting on Sept. 8.