WOW, this group of women has raised $2 million — and counting — for Wichitans in need

When Urban Nails owner Na Atkinson recently learned of the Women of Wichita Charitable Foundation that has given away more than $2 million — and counting — to local nonprofits, she had only two words:

“Oh, wow.”

Wow is especially appropriate since it’s the group’s acronym.

It’s not affiliated with the Women of Wichita business group that serves as a sounding board for women in business. Atkinson said she’s a member of that group but one day would like to be part of WOW, too, when she has an extra $1,000 to spare.

WOW reads like a who’s who of Wichita women, but founding member and group vice president Bonnie Bing said she wants to be clear about who can join.

“I hate the word exclusive because it is an open membership,” she said.

First Place owner Helen Galloway had the idea of bringing together a one-time group of 62 women to each give $1,000 to CityArts for a project in 1998.

Bing said Galloway decided “if that worked so well, why don’t we do it on a bigger scale?”

Galloway had the idea for 100 members who could give a total of $100,000 annually.

That’s what they’ve done, give or take, each year since.

“I thought ‘why don’t I see if they want to go in on it?’ ” Galloway said. “And darlin’, I don’t think I’ve ever been turned down.”

Members like being able to make a big impact by committing to giving annually and joining their money to support several nonprofits each year.

“Oh, my gosh, that’s a great idea because everybody gets hundred-dollared to death,” Bing said of nonstop requests for money.

She said she receives three to five requests daily.

Galloway agreed and said, “I, to this day, get asked every day.”

She said she’s thrilled she has a place to funnel requests to — especially big ones.

To qualify for a donation, nonprofits have to have a 501(c)(3) status and not have received money from WOW for three years from the last time they received anything from the group. Also, they have to have a specific purpose for the donation instead of simply asking for it or using it for daily expenses, such as salaries.

Through the years, the process has become more streamlined compared to some years when nonprofits submitted reams of information in large folders.

There are three ways to apply.

Anyone interested can request a link to apply at info@womenofwichita.org or e-mail the request without using the link. Applications also can be submitted by mail at P.O. Box 782844, Wichita, KS 67278.

Submissions, which are due by Oct. 15 this year, should include the amount a nonprofit is requesting and how it will be used.

“The application helps us just get down to the nitty gritty,” Bing said. “We have to consider just how urgent and how important it is to the community and how many people it’s going to help.”

For instance, last year, ICT SOS founder Jennifer White submitted a request for help with therapy and advocacy programs for adult survivors of trafficking and exploitation, many of whom don’t have insurance.

“If you don’t have insurance, it’s really hard to access therapy,” she said.

A lot of ICT SOS programs are funded by grants, but often the group has to pay first and then get reimbursed through a sometimes lengthy grant process.

By receiving $20,000 from WOW up front, a grateful White said that “it just makes things so much simpler because we have more flexibility with what we can do.”

Each year, WOW members have an annual dinner meeting.

“That’s kind of a promise,” Bing said of not having too many meetings, though there’s sometimes a spring social gathering to attract new members before the annual meeting.

“And there’s plenty of social going on at the meeting,” Bing said of the annual meeting.

Galloway pays for a buffet dinner at the meeting, which is usually at the Wichita Country Club, and members are invited to talk about a nonprofit for a minute or two if they have personal connections.

Even if members can’t make the meeting, as long as they’ve paid $1,000 — or $500 for junior members 40 and under — they can vote for the top five nonprofits they’d like to see get donations.

The votes are weighted by order.

“Closest to your heart would be first, of course,” Bing said.

Through the years, a variety of nonprofits have been helped.

Or, as Bing put it, following that first year, it’s “been going nuts ever since.”

Galloway said she’s proud of what she started.

“It’s been exciting,” she said of seeing how many people WOW has helped.

Bing said through the years, Galloway has nabbed “just about anybody who walked in her store” whom she thinks could afford the $1,000.

Membership hovers around 100 people.

“I’ve been vice president since the founding, and I kept saying, ‘Hey, don’t I roll off?’ ” Bing said, perhaps only half joking.

Truthfully, she said, when she has gotten to call the lucky recipients, she feels like she’s the lucky one.

It’s “one of the best things I do in my life,” Bing said. “First of all, they don’t believe it. Secondly, they start to cry.”

She’s still a tad irritated with Galloway’s nephew, CPA and huge League 42 supporter David Jabara, for stealing her joy by telling League 42 founder Bob Lutz that the group would be getting $50,000 over three years starting in 2021.

WOW receives about 25 to 30 requests for money each year.

“We are intent on helping people locally,” Bing said. “I really like this organization partly because it’s a good indication of people who really care about the great city we live in. They’re helping an awful lot of people.”

Galloway said she can’t wait to give out the money each year.

“It has been the most gratifying thing I’ve done in life.”

She said Wichita has some especially marvelous women.

“We all help other people, and I don’t want to stop ever. Ever.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 4:04 AM.