If you have lived in Celina for any time at all, you know that one of the greatest things about Celina is the giving spirit of its people. The covid pandemic took a toll on many of the local non-profits as requests for services increased while fundraising slowed. All non-profits rely on donations and fundraising to cover their costs of operating. In 2021, nationally nonprofits experienced a 35% increase in demand for services while 75% of them reported it negatively impacting their revenues and funding.
Ladies who Bingo, created in the summer of 2021 by Brandi Guerrero, Laura Pierce, Danielle Poche, Lori Puckett, and Wendie Wigginton, is a group of Celina/Prosper mothers who saw local philanthropies struggling and knew there must be a way to help. The goal was to create a local event where “it didn’t matter what community you lived in as everyone came with the common goal of enriching our communities through these local philanthropies,” notes founding member Brandi Guerrero. For three hours once a month we are just women, coming together, “helping the families and the children of our community” adds Lori Puckett, founding member and the Prosper mom in the group. Ladies who Bingo events are held the third Tuesday of the month at Two 29 On The Square and all money raised at the events goes directly into the hands of philanthropies located in the Celina, Prosper and Gunter areas.
The first event, held in August of 2021, brought 125 women from all different social groups together to support Helping Hands of Celina (a charity dedicated to supporting teachers and students in Celina ISD) handing over a check for over $3,000. These events are held in partnership with local businesses/groups/organizations who provide prize donations and desserts. As a result, they have been able to grow this to an event that brings together 200 women, sells out in under an hour, and continues to allow the team of ladies to find more charities in need to support.
When you start to put that into perspective what does that mean for our community of Celina? Carter Morris, Executive Director of Grace Bridge, shared that a check for more than $6,700 meant that they could serve over 14,900 meals to local families. The idea that two hundred women in a room for 3 hours could change the lives of so many families is incredibly powerful and a sign that with little work comes great promise. Organizing committee member, Laura Pierce, said it best when she noted that “it’s allowed us to meet so many incredible women from our community…and it’s amazing to hear what our donations mean to them and how many people it will help.”
In the short seven months that that Ladies Who Bingo has held events, $40,000 has gone to support local charities. Ask the Ladies who Bingo members and they will tell you that the look on the faces of the philanthropies is worth every minute spent putting these events on.
Ladies who Bingo events are held the third Tuesday of the month at Two 29 On The Square. Tickets for each month’s event go on sale at 2:00PM the Sunday following an event. If you would like to sponsor a prize or dessert table for one of their events, please drop a message on their Facebook page. For more info, Facebook.com/LadiesWhoBingo
