It was a truly special afternoon in Melbourne on March 18th when She Gives gathered forty women engaged in giving and community leadership for a Growing Women’s Giving Roundtable, generously hosted by Kerry Gardner AM—advocate for the arts and gender equity—at Cranlana, the former home of one of Australia’s great champions of women’s philanthropy, Dame Merlyn Myer.
Merlyn established the Sidney Myer Charitable Trust after her husband’s death, playing a pivotal role in funding numerous arts and cultural projects, including the construction of the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl. She also raised vital funds for the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Red Cross, often leveraging Cranlana for fundraising events.
How fitting it was to see the home once again filled with the collective energy of women dedicated to making a lasting impact through philanthropy, building on the success of the inaugural She Gives roundtable hosted by the Governor-General, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC, at Government House last November.
Ms Gardner said the roundtable was an opportunity to celebrate women’s role in driving philanthropy and inspire other women to bring their giving into the spotlight. "Merlyn Myer’s legacy reminds us of the profound impact women can have when they are empowered to give,” she said. “Today, we are building on that legacy, working together to develop innovative approaches to increase giving and ensure that women are visible at the forefront of this movement."
The roundtables were preceded by a moving panel discussion with Christine Christian AO, President, Library Board of Victoria, Nayomi Kannangara, CEO, International Women’s Development Agency and Chair of Australian’s Investing in Women Cathy Scalzo. Topics ranged from the deep influence family and early childhood experiences have on individual giving to the rapidly changing global aid situation and the deep rooted role women play in giving in all its forms.
As She Gives Founder Mellisa Smith put it:
"It was incredibly inspiring to have so many powerful women come together in this historic space to discuss how we can collectively drive change and unlock the catalytic potential of women’s giving."
