We EmpowHER was created after mentors were found to be struggling

Theresa Menting founded the Fond du Lac nonprofit We EmpowHER after identifying limits in a county mentorship program. The organization runs the Women's Empowerment Series and year-round offerings to support women and children.

Theresa Menting started We EmpowHER in Fond du Lac to create a supportive community for women and children. While working for the county, she reviewed volunteer records and found that many mentors faced training and boundary challenges and that only a few volunteers stayed active. She replaced a one-to-one mentor model with group-based sessions to encourage equal relationships and safer conversations. The program evolved, adopted the We EmpowHER name in 2022, and obtained nonprofit status the following year. Key developments: - Menting found a gap while reviewing county volunteer records and interviewing past volunteers, noting training and boundary issues among mentors. - The Women's Empowerment Series began in 2018 as a group program addressing topics such as domestic violence, trauma, and grief. - Year-two programming added mirrored childcare activities so children learned alongside their mothers. - The third in-person series was paused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a Facebook Live speaker series broadened the audience nationally. - The organization changed its name to We EmpowHER in 2022 and secured its own nonprofit status by the next year. - Leaders emphasize a diverse board of directors and year-round classes and events, including an annual gala and a women's conference in partnership with a local team. Summary: We EmpowHER shifted from a county mentorship model to group-focused, year-round programming designed to foster connection and address difficult topics. The nonprofit continues to run its cornerstone Women's Empowerment Series, offer classes and host annual events, and its leadership cites a representative board as central to long-term stability.