United Way High Tea Fundraiser Returns to Support Single Mothers Pursuing Higher Education

Proceeds benefit WomenRise childcare scholarships

RICHMOND, Va. (May 20, 2026) – United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg will host its annual WomenRise High Tea fundraiser on June 4, 2026, from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at The Jepson Alumni Center at the University of Richmond.

CBS 6 community anchor and Richmond native GeNienne Samuels will be among the featured speakers at the event, joining Kelly Till, Regional President of Virginia for Lee Enterprises and President of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

All proceeds support WomenRise, a United Way program that provides childcare scholarships to single mothers while they pursue college degrees and professional credentials. Childcare costs can exceed $1,000 per month per child, making it one of the biggest barriers for single mothers trying to complete their education. WomenRise removes that barrier, helping mothers earn degrees in fields ranging from nursing and education to social work.

Last year, WomenRise awarded $150,000+ in scholarships to single mothers in the Greater Richmond region. It costs on average approximately $12,000-15,000 to support one scholar.

At this year’s fundraiser, United Way hopes to secure funds to serve even more families in the next cohort. A silent auction will also be open for bidding online at yourunitedway.org beginning May 21, 2026, and anyone can participate online even if they cannot attend in person.

Tickets are available at yourunitedway.org. For those unable to attend, donations and auction bids can be made through the event site.

To learn more about WomenRise, visit yourunitedway.org/womenrise or contact womenrise@yourunitedway.org.