A Circle With a Deep Center

When Thorne and her "sisters" founded the circle two years ago, they were strangers. They were from poor, urban neighborhoods and rich suburbs, coming together with different passions: improving education, expanding access to health care, eliminating poverty.

"Through our regular meetings and the fellowship that we shared -- getting to know each other, eating together, making decisions together -- we came to trust each other," said co-chairwoman Paige Cottingham-Streater, 47, a lawyer who lives in the District.

The women have elected to focus most of their energies on health-care programs in Southeast Washington. Their biggest grant to date went to Satira S. Streeter, who at the time was the District's only licensed psychologist east of the Anacostia River.

In 2004, Streeter founded Ascensions Community Services, a nonprofit organization that provides therapy to needy residents, which she operated out of her home in Ward 7 . The giving circle's $50,000 grant helped her add two therapists and open a clinic near the Anacostia Metro Station. The grant also allowed her to start drawing a salary.

Ascensions offers programs for single mothers, and it also helps victims of gang violence, rape and drug abuse as well as people with low self-esteem, anger issues and broken relationships.

"These are the roots of all of the problems that bring Anacostia so much negative attention," Streeter said.

"The women's giving circle has helped us focus on this. Not only are these women giving us money, but they've said, 'Hey, how can we be helpful to you?' They said they'd be available to come and speak to the girls. One woman offered to teach yoga to the mothers I work with."

Variations of giving circles have spanned generations and geography, starting decades ago in African villages, said Christine Grumm, executive director of the Women's Funding Network. Their popularity has risen not only because of growing wealth in some households, but also because of a desire, particularly among women, to become more involved in their communities.

Giving circles help engage people who are not active in philanthropy, said Phyllis R. Caldwell, president of the Washington Area Women's Foundation.

"As their income and assets grow so that they can give more, they are more educated about the needs of the community in which they live, and they can become better givers," Caldwell said.

It would have been easy for the African American Women's Giving Circle to cut a check to Ascensions or its charity of choice. But the giving circle is about more than donating money. It's about creating a sorority.

Tracey McNeil is a new recruit. When she arrived at Thorne's house for her first meeting, the 39-year-old lawyer said she wanted to get more involved in philanthropy but did not know whether the giving circle was the right vehicle. Two hours later, she signed up.