STARability Foundation is honored to have been selected as the charity of choice for the Southwest Florida chapter of 100+ Women Who Care. In addition to receiving a generous donation of $11,000, STARability was awarded an additional $5,000 matching gift from the Richard M. Shulze Family Foundation. The funds will support STARability’s mission of providing innovative, life-changing programs and opportunities to transform the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“We are incredibly grateful to Barb Fike for recommending STARability, the charitable women of 100+ Women Who Care and the Richard M. Shulze Family Foundation for supporting our efforts and reinforcing the importance of creating a welcoming, inclusive community for people of all abilities to thrive,” said Karen Govern, CEO of STARability Foundation. “This significant gift will allow us to continue to provide life-transforming opportunities for individuals throughout Southwest Florida.”

100+ Women Who Care conducts meetings three times per year to learn about and support a charity selected by its members, with 100% of donations going directly to the organization. The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation matches 50% of donations to qualifying charities, up to $5,000 each month. In 2025, the Southwest Florida chapter raised over $32,000 for local charities, plus another $15,000 from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. To date, the organization has raised over $450,000 for local Southwest Florida charities.

STARability Foundation was selected to be the first 2025 beneficiary of donations raised and was presented a check at a special luncheon held in March.

STARability is a regional leader in providing innovative, results-driven programs designed to accommodate the unique needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Southwest Florida. Their life-transforming work ensures families have access to programs, resources and an inclusive community that provide opportunities to lead a meaningful and productive life.

To learn more about STARability Foundation, visit STARability.org.

About STARability Foundation

For four decades, STARability Foundation has been shining a light on abilities. Formed by a small community of caring parents, STARability has become one of Southwest Florida’s leading nonprofits. Today, the organization is opening a world of possibilities for hundreds of individuals ages 14 and older by offering a variety of inclusive programs focused on vocational training, continuing education, teamwork, social engagement and community involvement. Their compassionate team supports people with disabilities by providing life-transforming opportunities that emphasize teamwork and a connection to the community while strengthening awareness and respect for individual abilities. To learn more about the services and program offerings available, please visit STARability.org.

About 100+ Women Who Care

100+ Women Who Care was started in 2006 in Jackson, Michigan by Karen Dunigan. It began as a simple way to quickly raise money for a local charity in need of baby cribs.  She rallied her network of friends and assembled a group of 100 women. Each woman wrote a check for $100 directly to the charity. In one hour, they raised over $10,000 that would buy 300 new cribs. When Karen realized how easy it was to raise money for this cause, the idea of 100+ Women Who Care was born. The original 100+ WWC chapter has since grown to more than 200 members and there are now chapters all across the country. Every chapter meets once per quarter, at which time each member has the chance to nominate a charity for donation. Three charities are randomly selected and presented to the group which then determines the recipient by majority vote. The Southwest Florida chapter was founded by four co-chairs in 2013. For more information, visit 100womensouthwestflorida.com.