Category: Volunteers in Action

The GFWC Ohio Austintown Junior Women’s League(AJWL) recently completed an Environment and Recycling project. For over a year, clubwomen collected over 100 pounds of bottle caps and plastic lids. These plastic products were repurposed into a bench with the club’s name printed on it. The bench was then placed at the AJWL Butterfly and Pollinator Garden at their local park.

GFWC LaBelle Community Woman’s Club had the Honor of being invited by the Hendry County Rotary Club to create a display of all they have achieved over the past 80+ years in LaBelle. They had several old books, pictures and newspaper articles from when the club began in 1930. Several years later they elected to join the General Federation Of Women’s Clubs. The display is at the LaBelle Courthouse on the main floor next to the Tax Collector’s office.

During the GFWC Colorado Fall Board of Directors’ Meeting, clubwomen made community service a priority. GFWC Colorado participated in a virtual walk for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Saturday, September 16. They heard a brief history of St. Jude and their accomplishments in treatments and cures for childhood cancers. They raised $500 for St. Jude at this meeting alone!

The Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach, DE, Inc. (VIA) donated a total of $10,000 to three organizations in the greater Rehoboth Beach Area. Each group performs important work fighting food insecurity. The organizations receiving the donations were carefully chosen based on the type of support assistance provided to the greatest number in need. The groups receiving the resources include:

Cape Henlopen Food Basket – https://capehenlopenfoodbasket.org/

Community Resource Center, Inc. – https://www.rehobothcommunitycenter.org/

Harry K Foundation – https://harrykfoundation.org/

“It is an honor to be able to strengthen the work being done year-round by these three organizations that serve our local residents. There is an increasing population whose needs we must support,” said VIA president, Kate McKenzie.

GFWC Glendale Woman’s Club Veteran’s Committee recently delivered two little libraries to Ashley’s Place, group homes for women Veterans who are experiencing homelessness and experienced sexual trauma during their time in service. The Veteran’s Committee purchased new bookcases, arranged delivery and installation, and then stocked each little library with new/gently used books. Club members also donated much-needed toiletry items, makeup bags filled with makeup, and $25 gift cards for each home to use where most needed.

Winthrop General Federation of Women’s Clubs (MN) raised money during the Winthrop Farm City Fun Fest Town Event Bake Sale to fund their local K-9 program. The club donated almost $400 to the Winthrop Police department to help them start the Winthrop PD K-9 Program.

While in Louisville, KY for the 2023 GFWC Annual Convention, the GFWC Florida Girls on Fire volunteered their time at WaterStep. WaterStep empowers communities to create clean water systems and teaches sanitation practices for better hygiene. Members donated and sorted gently used shoes that are sold to a recycler to assist with funding. The group toured the facility and made a donation to purchase a waterball. The waterball holds 12.5 gallons of water and makes transporting water long distances much easier.

The Wake Forest Woman’s Club was honored to assist the Wake Forest Purple Heart Foundation in recognizing over 50 Purple Heart recipients and their families. National Purple Heart Day is celebrated on August 7 and honors our military who are either wounded on the battlefield or paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. Club members volunteered their time over two days, helping setup, serve dinner, and welcoming over 500 guests.

The GFWC Bitterroot Woman’s Club members hosted a diaper, pull-ups, and baby wipes giveaway on June 6th in Hamilton, Montana.

After the event all of the items were delivered to local food pantries throughout the Bitterroot Valley. Delivering to the Haven House, Calvary Chapel Food Bank, Darby Bread Box, and the House of Praise Food Pantry made it possible for community members to pick up the much needed supplies in a town near their home.

They gave away 6000+ diapers and pull-ups along with 175 packages of wipes! So many members of their community will benefit from this donation which was made in part by a grant from The Power of Change Program, Ravalli Electric Co-op, along with Safeway and Albertsons in Hamilton.

Vivid Village

Acrylic on Board, 2023

The Sycamore Student Culture Series was set up with funds from GFWC Montgomery Woman’s Club (OH) Town Hall Lecture in conjunction with the Sycamore Community Schools. Together, this series provides two cultural programs each year to all students in grades K through 8.  This year, students at the Edwin H. Greene School (grades 5 and 6) painted a mural in the halls of their new school building.  Local artist, Cedric M. Cox designed a mural that the students could paint. Mr. Cox spent time at the school working with the students teaching them about painting and how to make colors “pop.”

Members of the GFWC Naperville Woman’s Club (IL) collected and donated $500 in school supplies to Indian Prairie School District 204.  The school district serves roughly 27,400 students from the Illinois communities of Aurora, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Naperville in DuPage and Will counties and has 4 schools categorized as Title I.

GFWC East Peoria Woman’s Club (IL) collected school supplies for the Fondulac District Library. The library requested school supplies to distribute to students in need.

Despite the soaring summer temps, dedicated members of the GFWC Women’s Club of South Country (RI) showed up for their club. Members participated in the club’s quarterly roadside cleanup along Ocean Road in Narragansett. As part of their “Adopt a Roadway” program they help keep roadways clean and safe.

On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, members of the Women’s Club of Farmingdale (WCF) under the leadership of Welfare Committee Chair, Rosemary Emigholz, and together with Deacon Bill (St. Kilian’s Parish) and community resident, Pat, met with Jeana Lewis, Director of St. Kilian’s Outreach Center, to donate gift cards totaling $575. This annual WCF summer program donation will be used by middle and high school students from the Farmingdale School District to purchase necessary school supplies. 

The GFWC Alabama du Midi Woman’s Club President’s Project for 2022-2024 is “The Flowers of Tomorrow are from the Seeds We Plant Today. Creating a Better Tomorrow for Our Special Friends.” Our special friends are adults with special needs and disabilities, who reside in Huntsville/Madison County, Alabama. Four local organizations were chosen for their dedication, opportunities, and range of assistance provided to our special friends. The four organizations include: ESG/Special Camps, 305 8th Street Community, Next Step Farms, and Inside Out Studio at Lowe Mill.

On April 25, 2023, du Midi members hosted a Garden Party Fashion Show and Silent Auction charity event to raise $20,400 in funds to be shared among the four organizations. The day was filled with excitement as Miss Alabama 2022 was present to share her welcome and journey. Local icon, Liz Hurley, News Anchor at channel WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Alabama, was the Mistress of Ceremony. The event received an overwhelming response with over 300 attendees, including our GFWC Alabama President and Federation sisters from across the state.

Photographs by Gregg Geis

Benson Woman’s Club teamed up with others to support the first-ever County wide food drive!  The teamwork was essential with donated food shortages seen throughout the area.  The food drive lasted one week and saw police departments, grocery stores, and many other entities come together to support the county’s needs.

As an extra incentive, one of Benson’s Women’s Club’s own is the president of the local food pantry.  This gave plenty of motivation for the group to open the clubhouse doors for the week, normally closed in the throes of the summer heat, and are very proud of the 255 pounds of food collected by their club alone!

Benson Woman’s Club is located in Cochise County, on the edge of the Chihuahuan desert (the Sonoran desert is its neighbor).  The poverty level for this area is 52% higher than the national average.  Food banks and pantries are experiencing double the amount of those seeking help from a year ago.  With the spike in demand, food banks struggle to meet the increase. The next County wide food drive is already being planned to combat the situation.

GFWC is proud to recognize the work of Benson Woman’s Club in feeding their community. Make sure your club is registered for the GFWC National Day of Service on Saturday, September 30 to fight food insecurity in America.