Honoring Our Founder

As a young wife and mother living in Colorado, Doris became involved in early efforts to provide safety to women fleeing abusive situations through her friends, who started a local shelter. Years later, while attending a conference on domestic violence, having learned that economic barriers were primary reasons a woman might stay in an abusive relationship – the idea for WISP was sparked.

WISP is a private nonprofit agency founded by Doris Buffett and funded solely through her generosity. Our organization reflects the mid-western values and no-nonsense approach to decision-making that Doris grew up with in Omaha, Nebraska. Each grant is considered an investment, and the decision to grant funds is always based on an expected successful return. For Doris, that return was seeing survivors achieve a “full and triumphant life”.

Doris Buffett passed away on August 4, 2020, but her legacy continues to ripple out and change countless lives due to her commitment to helping others.