Annual Report - General Federation of Women's Clubs

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Domestic Violence AwarenessYear in ReviewThe GFWC Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Project promotes advocacy, education, and action toincrease understanding about, awareness of, and involvement in programs that decrease domestic violenceand provide support and encouragement to domestic violence survivors in local communities and around theworld. Below are several examples of domestic violence projects led by GFWC clubs.GFWC Alabama covered the issue of domestic violence top tobottom by ensuring victims fleeing domestic violence situationshad clothes and supplies to transition into their new lives. Oneclub sponsored a project called “Cover Our Bottoms.” Sincemany children coming into shelters must leave their homes ina hurry, they often only have the clothes on their backs. Over3,200 pieces of underwear were collected during this project andthey were sorted and distributed to places that housed abusedwomen and children. In addition, clothing, cell phones, giftcards, household cleaning products, toys, and feminine hygieneproducts were donated to local sheltersand second hand stores, which serveto meet the needs of domestic violencesurvivors.GFWC Buckeye Woman’s Club(Arizona) worked towards a noblegoal of opening a domestic violenceshelter in its city. Several members on a committee put togetherfundraisers in order to accomplish this goal. They helped at aCasino Night that raised over $4,000 for the shelter. They alsosponsored a golf tournament at which they sold hot dogs to thegolfers. With all the hard work at fundraising, the members wereable to supply furniture for the interview room and the children’splayroom. The club members are happy to report that the shelteris up and running and serves Avondale, Goodyear, and their owncity, Buckeye.GFWC Florida instituted two special projects dedicated toraising awareness and volunteering for domestic violence. Thefirst project transported 115 members to Tallahassee, so theycould talk to their representatives and senators about domesticviolence and child advocacy concerns. The women wore allpurple, which advertised to the public their dedication to endingdomestic violence and gave them a chance to start conversationswith others about why they were there. The second project was astatewide initiative called “X Out Domestic Violence−Gimme X(ten).” This project gave club members the opportunity to eithergive 10 hours of community service or $10 to a local domesticviolence shelter. This project encouraged participation fromclubs statewide and gave a way for all women to be involved inthe fight to end domestic violence.GFWC Montana addressed domestic violence by becomingproactive and aiding communities that do not have resources toDomestic Violence Awareness by theNumbersDollars Donated $732,589Hours Volunteered 66,947Projects Completed 3,900combat domestic violence. Smaller clubs around Montana traveledconsiderable distances to ensure that the rural communitiesaround them had resources to address domestic violence issues.They delivered supplies and support to safety houses and rescuemissions. In addition, one club joined other organizations in2008, to communicate the domestic violence message. One clubmember is on the board of an area domestic violence task force,which coordinates community resources, program development,and education of service providers and the general public. Eachyear the task force puts on a two-day McGuire Conference onFamily Violence with nationally knownspeakers. The club participated inthis conference by facilitating theattendance of its domestic violencechairman plus three elementary schoolcounselors who committed to sharinginformation with their school staff.GFWC Bristol County Women’s Club (Rhode Island)planted and dedicated a memorial garden in tribute to those whohave lost their lives to domestic violence. This brought awarenessto how serious and dangerous domestic violence threats arefor women in these violent situations. With help from thecommunity-at-large and a GFWC grant, the club members wereable to plant two butterfly bushes, which symbolize freedom, andto purchase a bench and other flowers. At the dedication of thesesymbolic plants, the president of the GFWC Bristol Women’sClub was presented with a resolution from a state senator. Theclub also went above and beyond and sold 200 domestic violenceawareness bracelets at its meetings.The GFWC Douglas Civic Club (Wyoming) broughtdomestic violence awareness into its organization by attendingThe Converse County Coalition Against Family Violence andSexual assault meetings every month. Several members attendthe Coalition meetings and then relay the information to therest of the club members. They not only educate on the dangersof domestic violence, but they also share information on theneeds of local shelters so that the rest of the club members cangive to this cause. The club donates money to a local shelter,which serves the needs of victims of domestic violence who areworking to better their lives. This money helps provide clothesand household items for women who have to flee their situationquickly and are left with nothing.10 2009-2010 GFWC ANNUAL REPORT
Juniors' Special Project: Advocates for ChildrenYear in ReviewThe GFWC Advocates for Children Project promotes advocacy, education, and action to better the well-being ofchildren via health, social, and safety programs. Below are several examples of advocates for children projectsled by GFWC clubs.GFWC Bonsall Woman’s Club (California) established aGirl of the Year program to encourage girls from fifth to eighthgrades at their local schools to participate in charitable projects.The members encourage philanthropy, community serviceprojects, and excellent academics. Each applicant wishing tobe considered the Girl of the Year must have a 3.0 GPA, haveexcellent citizenship, receive a sponsorship letter from a teacheror other adult, and write an essay on “Why I Should Be Girl ofthe Year.” All the essays are collected and interviews of each girlare conducted at the schools. Four savings bonds, valued at $50,are distributed to the winner at eachschool.GFWC Crewe Junior Woman’sClub (Virginia) joined the Crewe-Burkeville Christmas Mother to helpprovide gifts and food for Christmasto qualified families. They took an in-depth approach to thisspecial event by carefully selecting a qualified and prominentdance teacher, as their Christmas Mother. The “ChristmasMother” is a symbol of the spirit of giving at Christmas andsets the tone for rest of the season of giving by the ChristmasMother organization. Applications to receive assistance throughChristmas Mother are distributed throughout the community,families are then carefully selected, and their need is verified bysocial services. Club members shopped for a majority of the giftsthat were given to over 90 children. The club members also tooktime with the children to help them “shop” for their parents. Theclub members were able to see the gratitude of the families whilethey handed out food from Angel Ministries at the Christmasparty held to distribute the gifts.GFWC Junior Woman’s Civic Club of Cumberland(Maryland) joined with the Tri-State Health Center, a facilityserving the under-insured or uninsured, to spread the word toyoung women about protecting your skin during the hot summermonths. The members used the $50 they were awarded by thestate federation to fashion “fry boxes” for distribution to thechildren who visit the health center. These boxes contain sunblock, lip balm with sun protection, hand sanitizers, and bandaids. The message on the boxes stated, “GFWC says…Don’t getAdvocates for Children by the NumbersDollars Donated $1,204,554Hours Volunteered 56,983Projects Completed 2,129fried by summer.” The club members and participants of thisproject were featured in the Cumberland Times-News.GFWC Kenosha Junior Woman’s Club (Wisconsin)generated two programs to advocate for the youth in itscommunity. The members, for the fifth straight year, joinedtogether to make 25 baby quilts in an old-fashioned “quiltingbee.” The co-chairs of the project bought or received donatedmaterials needed to complete the quilts and membersvolunteered to bring in their own sewing machines and ironingboards. The quilts were donated to atriskinfants at the neonatal ICU at St.Mary’s Memorial Hospital in Racine,Wisconsin. The second program was anEaster Egg Hunt for area children fromUrban Outreach, the Shalom Center forthe Homeless and other disadvantagedchildren from Kenosha area foster homes. The members joinedtheir own children to enjoy a day of Easter fun by handing outbags of candy to the disadvantaged youth in the community. Thisnot only gave back to the children of Kenosha but also allowedthe members to pass on their philanthropic attitudes to their ownchildren. They ended the day by having all the children line upto say hello to the Easter bunny right before they went a massivehunt for Easter eggs.GFWC Ladies in Purpose Junior Woman’s Club(Virginia) chose Comfort Zone Camp as the District UnityProject. CZC is a bereavement camp that offers a variety ofexperiences for children who have lost a family member orcaregiver. The camp is an opportunity for those young personswho have experienced similar tragedies to grieve in a safe andcaring environment. Club members supported this organizationby collecting coins at each business meeting to donate to CZC.In addition to the monetary support, two members participatedin the three mile walk held to support CZC. Members also wereproactive by supporting a cookout held at the camp during oneof the summer sessions. They gave donations to support thecookout and provided food and volunteers to help with preparing,serving, and cleaning up.2009-2010 GFWC ANNUAL REPORT 11
Page 1 and 2: 2009-2010Annual Report2009-2010 GFW
Page 3 and 4: Year in Review(January 1-December 3
Page 5 and 6: Conservation Community Service Prog
Page 7 and 8: Home Life Community Service Program
Page 9: Public Issues Community Service Pro
Page 13 and 14: GFWC Haiti Disaster Relief Fund Don
Page 15 and 16: Friends of the WHRCFriends of the W

Annual Report - General Federation of Women's Clubs

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