The women of Palm Beach have long been the town’s backbone. Consider that in 1919, women were granted the right to vote, and less than ten years later Marjorie Merriweather Post stormed onto the scene with all the fanfare that came with being the wealthiest women in the United States and, with her vast fortune, all the muscle to support social welfare programs. A few years later, along came Consuelo Vanderbilt, whose support for the arts still resonates today. These women are two in a long line of fearlessly independent women in Palm Beach who devoted much of their life in service to others.
On Wednesday March 3, in honor of Women’s History Month, the Historical Society of Palm Beach hosted a lively panel honoring the contributions of women in the community across various sectors. “I want to remind everyone that women’s history is an essential part of the broader American story and of our community’s continued growth,” said Kalinthia Dillard, General Counsel and Deputy Inspector General for the Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General, ahead of the event, for which she delivered the opening remarks. “I will highlight the importance of preserving and sharing women’s stories, from Fannie James and Lillie Pierce Voss, as well as leaders in the legal profession, such as Justice Barbara Pariente.” In her own work, and those of her fellow panelists, she hoped to draw attention to the role women play “in creating opportunities and mentoring the next generation.”
Lisa LaFrance, CEO of the LaFrance Project, which aims to match funders with nonprofits for purpose-based giving, agrees. “Studies consistently indicate that women are more likely to give to charity than men,” says LaFrance, who sat on the panel alongside Audrey Gruss (Founder of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation), Charlene Farrington (Director of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum), and Vernique Williams (Lead Economic Development Project Manager for Florida Power & Light Company).
“At a time when technology and cultural shifts can lead to feelings of isolation, there is a growing desire for community and meaningful connections,” she says. “I am inspired by the belief that Palm Beach County is uniquely positioned, and that now is the ideal time, to establish a new model of philanthropy that amplifies collective success and fosters meaningful, lasting change.”
Charlene Farrington, Audrey Gruss, Lisa LaFrance, and Vernique Williams
Jeremy Johnson and Kalinthia Dillard