Great things happen when women on a mission get together. Lancaster County Women for Good formed last year with the goal of raising money for local nonprofits. So far, the group has donated more than $23,000, with 284 women contributing to the effort.

Most recently, the organization presented a check for $7,000 to Arch Street Center at Lancaster County Women for Good's quarterly Gather & Grant meeting. Located in Lancaster, Arch Street Center provides support and services for adults living with mental illness.

Lancaster County Women for Good began as an outreach of Grapevine, a social giving platform that brings people together for philanthropic work. "Grapevine initiated a bunch of groups in different areas of the country and from that point handed it over to local leadership," said founding member Anna Horst. She's joined by the local leadership team of group host Joelle Terranova and event coordinators Susan Klapkin and Kirstin Knopp.

Each local group sets its own fundraising parameters. For the Lancaster group, women are asked to commit to giving a minimum of $50 per quarter. In the weeks leading up to the group's Gather & Grant meetings - which are held in February, May, August and November - members may nominate a nonprofit they'd like to support.

"The nonprofit can have a national or global reach, but it must serve our local community," Horst explained. "It also must be a 501(c)(3) in good standing."

From the list of nominees, members vote for their favorites, and representatives from the top three choices are invited to come to a Gather & Grant meeting to give a presentation about their organization and answer any questions. The group then votes on the recipient of that quarter's donation.

As of now, the organization raises all of its funds through member donations, but Horst said organizers are looking into sponsorships and fundraisers in the future.

Along with Gather & Grant meetings, which are usually held at Southern Market in downtown Lancaster, the group members also meet once a month for Girl's Night Out.

"We'll get together to support a local business, and it's an extra bonus if the business is woman-owned," Horst said. "It's an opportunity to have fun, socialize, ask questions about our organization and meet other women."

While most Gather & Grants and Girl's Night Out events are held on the second Wednesday of the month, October's Girl's Night Out will be held on the third Wednesday of the month due to the Manheim Farm Show. It will happen at Horst Arts, 17 N. Main St., Manheim, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

For Horst, Lancaster County Women for Good has offered an easy way to give back to local organizations while also making friends.

"I love the idea of making philanthropy accessible to everyone," Horst said. "I also like that it gives everyone an opportunity to meet like-minded women who have similar outlooks on philanthropy."

She said women who are involved with local nonprofits are especially encouraged to join. "It's a great way to network and to meet potential volunteers or donors and get to know people who can support your organization," she stated.

To learn more about the group, visit http://www.grapevine.org and search for "Lancaster County Women for Good."