Philadelphia-area nonprofit will close its doors with intention, integrity, and gratitude after more than a decade of transformational work
FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. – After 11 years of edifying, empowering, and equipping more than 10,000 women and girls through leadership development, mentorship, wellness initiatives, and community programming, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization I Choose To Win (ICTW) announced a planned transition toward dissolution effective September 30, 2026.
The decision was made unanimously by the organization’s leadership and Board of Directors after months of thoughtful reflection on the organization’s long-term capacity and the legacy it sought to leave after more than a decade of service. The decision also comes after the organization’s founder and executive director, Melonie Butler, experienced an unexpected health event in late 2025.
“After months of honest reflection about the future of I Choose To Win, what responsible leadership looks like in this season, and the legacy we want to leave behind, our team decided this course of action was best,” said Butler. “While my recovery journey naturally became part of those reflections, it was ultimately a collective decision made with care by our Board of Directors in honor of our shared belief that the right path forward is to conclude this chapter with integrity while celebrating the many lives impacted through this work.”
Founded in 2014 from a vision rooted in faith and the belief that women and girls can walk boldly in purpose, bravely pursue their passions, and brilliantly unleash their God-given gifts to positively impact the world, I Choose To Win has served more than 10,000 women and girls through conferences, retreats, mentorship programs, leadership development initiatives, wellness experiences, and community programming. I Choose To Win grew into a community focused on helping women and girls discover their voices, embrace their possibilities, and pursue lives of meaning and impact.
“We’ve witnessed women and girls discover their voices, envision new possibilities, and take courageous steps toward the lives they wanted to create,” said Butler. “That impact does not disappear because an organization closes its doors.” Over the years, participants launched businesses, completed degrees, published books, stepped into leadership, pursued new dreams, and became catalysts for change within their families and communities.
Most recently, the organization culminated its final offering, the L.E.T. H.E.R! (Ladies Enduring Trauma Healing Emotionally Right-Now!) Mentorship Program, supporting youth co-survivors of gun violence in the Philly area through culturally responsive mentorship, healing-centered experiences, and community connection. This initiative, informed by Butler’s own story as a youth co-survivor of gun violence with the loss of her father, reflects I Choose To Win’s commitment to addressing emerging community needs while remaining focused on its mission of empowerment.
As I Choose To Win moves through its final months, the Board will oversee an intentional dissolution process, including fulfilling outstanding commitments, completing financial reconciliation, and distributing any remaining charitable assets in accordance with applicable nonprofit regulations.
“The Board approached this decision with a deep sense of responsibility to the women and girls we have served and to the funders, partners, volunteers, and supporters who believed in this mission,” said Kamella Emmanuel, ICTW Board Chair and founder of Keep Evolving Consulting. “We are incredibly proud of what has been accomplished over the past 11 years and are committed to closing this chapter with the same care and integrity that have guided this organization throughout its journey.”
In the coming months, I Choose To Win will celebrate its legacy through stories, reflections, and memories.
“Impact does not disappear because an organization closes its doors,” Butler stated. “We believe the seeds planted over these 11 years will continue to bear fruit. We hope the spirit of I Choose To Win will continue through every woman and girl who knows her voice matters, believes her vision is possible, and chooses to walk boldly in her purpose.”
I Choose To Win: By the Numbers
Since 2014, I Choose To Win has:
- Served more than 10,000 women and girls
- Delivered 148 programs and initiatives
- Collaborated with 35 community partners
- Engaged 45 volunteers
- Partnered with 154 corporate sponsors
- Secured 31 grants supporting programs, participants, resources, and supplies
- Built a community of 2,840 social media followers
- Created countless ripple effects through participants, families, partners, and communities
About I Choose To Win
I Choose To Win is a Philadelphia-area 501(c)(3) narrative-shifting, power-building, and transformational nonprofit organization that develops women and girls as leaders and helps carve a path toward economic independence.
The organization will dissolve effective September 30, 2026, closing this chapter with intention, integrity, and gratitude while celebrating a legacy rooted in faith, possibility, purpose, and transformation.
View the FAREWELL VIDEO message with I Choose To Win founder and participants.
