For immediate release
August 2007

Innovating to Make A Difference in the World

Making a difference in the world is a priority for Janice Maffei, a founding partner of VisionFirst. Recently she mobilized her book group in support of women survivors of war after reading Zainab Salbi’s poignant memoir, Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam

Ms. Salbi is the founder of Women for Women International, an organization which supports women in war-torn regions with financial and emotional aid, job skills training, rights education and small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives.

Ms. Maffei’s book group set a goal to raise $10,000 for Women for Women by recruiting a Circle of 100 Women to donate $100 each. This innovative idea struck such a strong chord that the group exceeded its goal three-fold, bringing in nearly $30,000 and spreading the Circle of 100 Women to other US markets.  

The project so impressed Zainab Salbi that in June she came to  Montclair NJ to speak to a packed hall of hundreds of supporters generated by the book group's efforts. Women For Women profiled Ms. Salbi's visit and the in the organization's newsletter.

Read the write up in the Star Ledger and the Caldwell Progress.

Contact Janice Maffei 973 228 1991