Caring for your own health is paramount. But caring also for that of the greater community is a passion held by a number of women who are members of Saint Mary’s Foundation’s Grand Girlfriends™, a group focused on combining their efforts to better health outcomes for women and community members alike. As the group celebrates 20 years of giving, Michelle Rabideau, CFRE, President, Saint Mary’s Foundation, shared more about the group’s origins and impact.
“Grand Girlfriends™ began as a simple but powerful idea: bring women together with a shared passion for making a difference in the health and well-being of our community,” Rabideau said. “Founded by a dedicated group of women from our family of supporters, the program launched with just 25 women making $1,000 ‘grand’ gifts … each one a meaningful step toward strengthening care at Trinity Health Grand Rapids.”
Each year, the group comes together to vote on how the endowment’s annual earnings are distributed within Trinity Health Grand Rapids, funding initiatives supporting women’s health. This shared decision-making, Rabideau said, ensures that every gift continues to make a tangible, mission-driven difference. The group has now grown into a vibrant engaged community including more than 250 women.
“Grand Girlfriends™ offers a simple and meaningful way to make a lasting difference through collective giving,” Rabideau explained. “Involvement begins with an initial $1,000 gift to the endowment, or through convenient monthly contributions over the course of a year, welcoming each donor into a community committed to long-term impact.”
Throughout the year, members stay connected and inspired through thoughtful communications that highlight emerging needs, innovative programs, and the real impact of their philanthropy. They’re also invited to exclusive events designed just for Grand Groups members, offering opportunities to see firsthand how their generosity is advancing care, meet those leading the work, and experience the difference they’re making across the health system.
Over the years, Grand Girlfriends™ have granted nearly $350,000 back to Trinity Health Grand Rapids, and when combined with the similar Grand Guys™ group, that impact grows to more than $500,000.
“Groups like Grand Girlfriends™ are powerful because they bring people together to give collectively, learn, and make a greater impact than any one gift could alone,” Rabideau added, explaining that members truly help guide where funding goes, support innovative care, and champion the health of women, families, and the entire community. “They also bring a deep understanding of and commitment to addressing the unique needs of women’s health, helping ensure those priorities are seen, valued, and supported. It is generosity, connection, and purpose all coming together. How grand is that?”
As Grand Girlfriends™ celebrates 20 years of giving, Rabideau said the group stands as a testament to what collective generosity can accomplish and encourages other women who are passionate about community health to get involved if they can.
“An ideal Grand Girlfriend™ starts with you—someone who cares about the health of our community and wants to make a meaningful difference alongside others who share that same passion,” she said. “Grand Girlfriends™ is about more than meaningful giving. It is about connection, laughter, and having a little fun along the way. If you believe in the power of collective giving, meaningful connection, and want to support innovative care for women and families, you already have everything it takes.”
To join Grand Girlfriends or to learn more, contact Kelly Obenauer, Donor Relations & Engagement Officer at Saint Mary’s Foundation, at [email protected] or 616.685.1427.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for West Michigan Woman.
This article originally appeared in the Fall ’26 issue of West Michigan Woman.