Community Service Programs
For more information from GFWC International, check out the GFWC Club Manual.
There are five major Community Service Program areas as outlined by GFWC International. They are listed below along with the GFWC-WI chairwomen and possible ideas.
Arts and Culture - Carole Brinkman
All the programs are described in this PDF. Click here.
Latest Newsletter from GFWC International Chairwoman
Helen Farnsworth Mears Art Contest - Shirley Mattox - Implemented at the GFWC-WI club, district, and state levels, this annual juried art contest for 7th and 8th grade public, private, and home-schooled students is unique to GFWC-WI. The contest was begun in 1927 to honor the memory of this great Oshkosh born sculptor to encourage artistic talent, and to recognized the achievement of student artists.
Member Contests
Youth Short Story and Poetry Contest - Alexandra Lerch-Gaggl
Civic Engagement and Outreach - Michelle Black
All the programs are described in this PDF. Click here.
Lastest Newsletter from GFWC International Chairwoman
“Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
A donation of $240 helps provide surgery for waiting children. Your donation can give a child a new smile and a life filled with possibilities.” Another way to get involved is to order a kit for your club. A kit includes patterns for both the gown and the No-No Armband. Also ask for the DVD featuring Roma Downey. It would be a wonderful heartwarming addition to your meeting. Many clubs collect items for the Smile Bags. Details are in a kit.
Operation Smile Service Project Ideas, click here.
Operation Smile Service Toolkit, click here.
Victoria Rusu-Ebert at victoria.ebert@operationsmile.org
“One child dies every 20 seconds from a disease that could be prevented from with a vaccine. Why? Because one in five children lacks access to the life-saving immunizations that keep children healthy.”
Protect 5 children against polio for as little as $5. Donations are needed and your club may wish to participate in letter-writing campaigns, attending public meetings, and even holding information sessions with elected officials to advocate on the importance of life-saving vaccines for children in developing countries. Educate your clubwomen about life-saving immunizations.
Race to Erase Information - Campaign to support global vaccination efforts.
Rebecca Maxie at rmaxie@unfoundation.org
“Every night, one in eight people in the world goes to bed hungry. At the heart of the solution are smallholder-farming families…and women.”
Request a GFWC Program Kit: “12 Stones” DVD, brochures and Heifer Gift Catalogs, and animal button pins. The DVD is about 20 minutes and makes for a wonderful meeting program; it’s a beautifully done documentary of our work that was filmed about our work with women farmers in Nepal. We are currently holding an online fundraising campaign for GFWC to help rebuild our work in Nepal during the aftermath of the earthquakes (click here for more information).
Asmi Patel at gfwc@heifer.org
For more than six decades, GFWC has supported UNICEF, the United States Fund, in its efforts to ensure the world’s most vulnerable children have access to health and immunizations, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency and disaster relief and more.
Request the “End Child Trafficking” flier for your club. Donate (click here for donation flyer) to support the continuation of the End Trafficking project. Learn how to spot the signs of trafficking. Download the End Trafficking postcard at unicefusa.org/end trafficking. Use End Trafficking resources to educate and mobilize. They are free to download on the U.S. Fund for UNICEF website. Hold a screening of Not My Life. Facilitate a discussion afterward about ways to take action. Email endtrafficking@unicefusa.org to learn how you can get a copy of the film and discussion guide. Make your meetings Fair Trade! Visit fairtradeusa.org to identify fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, and other products you can serve that are made without child or slave labor. Advocate! Visit unicefusa.org/help/ advocate/end-child-trafficking.
Mansi Mehta at mmehta@unicefusa.org
Ideas for Celebrating Women’s Equality Day - August 26, 2020
Skit for Women’s Equality Day
Education and Libraries - Sue Sands
All the programs are described in this PDF. Click here.
Latest Newsletter from GFWC International Chairwoman
Virtual Volunteering Ideas - Click here.
Epsilon Sigma Omicron - Sue Schwarten - Lifelong individual enrichment and learning through reading
How do I join? Simply complete the application (click here) and start reading!
ESO Reading List (click here)
GFWC-WI ESO Reading List Addendum (click here) (Updated 7/25/2020)
GFWC-Texas ESO Reading List Addendum (click here)
ESO Book Report Form (click here) (Updated 6/13/2022)
Sample ESO Tracking Spreadsheet (click here)
GFWC ESO Presentation (click here)
GFWC ESO Handbook (click here)
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) information
Wisconsin Leadership Seminar (WILS) - Leadership seminars for high school juniors. Clubs may provide financial donations to send students.
Environment - Gloria Lansin
All the programs are described in this PDF. Click here.
Trees for Tomorrow - Carolyn DeJohgh and Karen Ostrowski
Trees for Tomorrow is a non-profit natural resources accredited specialty school whose mission is to deliver balanced, objective information on the management and use of trees, forests, and our natural resources. They educate and promote the skills needed by our youth and older citizens to support the renewal of our natural resources for future generations. GFWC-WI is a partner and supporter of "Trees".
Our focus for the 2018-20 administration will be to raise money to provide scholarships and to provide a plaque to commemorate their 75th Anniversary which will be celebrated in 2019. Our goal is to have each club and District pledge $75 or every member give 75 cents. This would allow us to achieve both goals.
The first collection will be taken at the September workshop, so have your coins ready. Let's get started on our Platinum Jubilee fundraiser!
Katie Theisen, District Silviculturist on the Eagle River-Florence Ranger District of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, presented the fascinating history of George Washington Memorial Forest at the Fall Workshop.
Health and Wellness - Joyce Schaefer
All the programs are described in this PDF. Click here.
Latest Newsletter from GFWC International Chairwoman
Here are some suggested GFWC Affliate Organizations:
Inside Knowlege: Get the Facts about Gyneologic Cancer Campaign - Asia Romero or Cynthia Gelb (Note, they do not accept monetary donations because they are funded by Congress.)
The Heart Truth: National Heart Lung & Blood Institute - Ann M. Taubenheim
Other suggested programs :
March of Dimes - Check out the video specific to GFWC.
National Alliance on Mental Illness - It is important for us to not only focus on physical health and well-being but also to focus on mental health and well-being. A great resource is NAMI- the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. They are dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness.
For a listing of all the Community Service Affiliate Organizations, click here.