THE CHAHARA FOUNDATION VISION:

Women and girls who have known poverty and may still be intimate with its ravages are the prime constituents of the Chahara Foundation. We see ourselves as an additional spoke in the wheel for true social change.

We see our role as assisting women and girls in their endeavors to reshape community to allow for a higher economic, creative and spiritual quality of life.

As a relatively small fish in the much larger pond called philanthropy,
the Chahara Foundation has a responsibility to insure that the voices
of those least often acknowledged are made clearer and persistent in their quest for equity and fairness.

We see ourselves as accountable to the work of women and girls on the ground, taking baby steps towards excellence. We are concerned with developing a significant enough noise to challenge the ongoing debate regarding wealth and poverty in the United States of America.
We are a small foundation who gets its strength from its roots.

THE CHAHARA FOUNDATION HISTORY:

The Chahara Foundation began its emergence in 1999. One lone
donor, Karen Pittleman made a conscious decision to give away a 3 million-dollar inheritance for the benefit of women and girls who have known poverty.

Having never been poor, Ms. Pittleman realized how removed she was from the issue. She, however, possessed the wisdom to realize that as a wealthy, young, white woman, who had inherited a large sum of money that she did not directly earn, she could not keep the money.

She searched for examples of other wealthy folk who had relinquished
their fortunes for a greater good and found few models. Ms Pittleman then began piecing together what she wanted to do and decided to check in early with women and organizations that served her target constituency. She was quickly led to Deahdra Butler-Henderson who at the time was working in the West Broadway Housing Development in the community of South Boston, Massachusetts.

From that initial meeting burgeoned a year of crafting a foundation
that would be controlled by and for women who had experienced economic hardship in their lives. Magalis Troncoso soon joined their efforts. The women engaged in a series of discussions that led ultimately to the true formation of the foundation. They agreed to outreach extensively. Interview stridently and select the strongest funding board that they could to fuel the mission of Chahara.

Five years later and many resources delivered, the Chahara
Foundation is coming into its own. In the winter of 2004, the foundation moved into permanent digs in the Uphams Corner neighborhood of Dorchester, Masachusetts. The women of the organization chose a storefront location in the heart of the community.

The goal was for women and girls in the community to feel like the
foundation was accessible and relevant to community life.

As we become more involved in the fabric of the community we hope to be an active resource for change, equality and family excellence.