Women Empowering Women launches annual holiday drive for elderly women, pursues community programs

DICKINSON — Women Empowering Women (WEW), a largely volunteer-run nonprofit organization, is hosting its annual holiday drive to support low-income elderly women in the Dickinson area while continuing to expand initiatives serving women and girls of all ages. The drive, which runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 20, aims to provide financial assistance to elderly women struggling to afford basic necessities, particularly during the winter months. According to the organization, the number of elderly women living in poverty in the Dickinson area continues to rise. Many of the women we support are living on less than $994 per month in Social Security benefits, well below the 2026 federal poverty guideline of $1,330 per month for a single person, the organization said in a statement. These women are the silent, forgotten poor in our community. WEW Executive Director Braxtyn Braun said recipients are identified through referrals from social service agencies, churches, Catho