Our Federation: GFWC

Our State Federation is a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS

The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service, with members in all 50 states and more than a dozen countries.

Among the many achievements of our members, GFWC is credited with the following:

  • turning the tide in favor of the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 (an effort initiated by a New Jersey clubwoman, Alice Leakey of Cranford);
  • founding 75% of the public libraries in the country in the 1930's;
    campaigning in the 1960's for seatbelts in all cars and streetlights on neighborhood streets;
  • the fulfillment of its commitment to America's Promise by raising and donating over $13.5 million in books and materials to public libraries and public school libraries (1997-2002), continuing GFWC’s traditional support for libraries; and
  • contributing $180,000 for a fully-equipped ambulance for use by the New York Fire Department in response to the loss of equipment suffered during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs, one of the oldest women’s volunteer organizations, seeks to build global communities where people unite in diversity and dedicate their service to changing lives. GFWC celebrates the engagement of people of all backgrounds and believes in fostering an inclusive, equitable climate and culture where community members can thrive.

GFWC Affiliate Organizations

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR HEIFER INTERNATIONAL MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

GFWC has supported Heifer International by donating gifts of livestock that enable families to lift themselves out of poverty and reach a living income.  Heifer International believes that women-led, small-holder farming is key to ending hunger and poverty through the gifts of livestock and training.

To support the mission of Heifer International your club can:

  • Visiting www.heifer.org/gfwc for information about the Fund a Female Farmer initiative, as well as downloadable resources for use at a club meeting.
  • Give a gift that will provide livestock to families.
  • Honor a clubwoman’s accomplishments, a relative’s birthday, or other special occasion with a Heifer gift in their honor
  • Request a virtual or in-person presentation to learn about Heifer’s history, mission, and current projects.
  • Sponsor a Local Read to Feed® Program. Now, with Heifer’s Read to Feed app, the more you read, the more you feed! Students can unlock corporate funded donations and even collect donation pledges of their own, all while developing a love for reading and growing their literacy skills. Your club can sponsor a Read to Feed program with a local school or after school club.

Contact Information:  GFWC@heifer.org P: 888-548-6437
Berit Kimrey, Director of Community Marketing (Berit.Kimrey@heifer.org)
Jen Girten, Manager of Education Program Development (Jen.Girten@he

CANINE COMPANIONS

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR CANINE COMPANIONS MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

Canine Companions is the largest provider of service dogs in the world and all follow-up support is provided free of charge to recipients.

To support the mission of Canine Companions, your club can:

  • Promote puppy raising. Volunteers are needed to raise puppies from eight weeks to 1.5 years old attending dog obedience classes and socializing the puppy in public settings. Assistance is needed in getting the word out on the need for volunteers.
  • Give each member a container to save pennies during the month or pass the hat at every meeting collecting pennies.
  • Participate in the Canine Companions Signature Event — DogFest. For more information, visit www.canine.org/dogfest.
  • Raise funds to help place a dog with a veteran. • Join the Canine Companions Facebook page: (www.Facebook.com/CanineCompanions) and help them build their network of “likes.”

Contact Information:  www.canine.org

Meredith Harrison, Senior Manager of Events P.O. Box 446 2965 Dutton Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0446 (E: MHarrison@canine.org)

HOPE FOR JUSTICE

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR HOPE FOR JUSTICE MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE SIGNATURE PROJECT: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION END OF YEAR REPORT.

Hope for Justice and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) share a common mission and vision: to live in a world free from trafficking. We believe every person can be a force for good. Human trafficking is a global problem, and Hope for Justice brings a global solution. We target our resources where they will have the most impact and help the most people.

To support the mission of Hope for Justice your club can:

  • Have an anti-trafficking club meeting or community event using a speaker of the Hope for Justice (60 min) Live Stream Educational Presentation with Q & A. Space for presentations are limited, please schedule in advance with Hope for Justice representative.
  • There is also a 30-minute Learning Academy Module available to clubs. It uses real life stories and interactive scenarios concerning Human Trafficking in the United States.
  • Origami Bird Project • The migration process of the swallow has close parallels to our work at Hope for Justice. As well as rescuing people out of exploitative situations, we work to safely reunite survivors of modern slavery with their families. There is a Leader guide (including where to order supplies) must be ordered  6 weeks in advance of your meeting. Your club can choose to create a display with all of your origami birds to post to social media tagging @HopeforJustice or

write words of hope, or prayer, on each bird to be delivered to a survivor on their path to healing. Mail finished birds to PO Box 208365, Nashville, TN 37228, with a note from which club they are being sent and contact information for the sender.

Contact Information:  Amanda Jacobi, Philanthropy Manager, amanda.jacobi@hopeforjustice.org.

www.hopeforjustice.org/GFWC

UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION: SHOT@LIFE CAMPAIGN

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR SHOT@LIFE MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

GFWC and Shot@Life have challenged clubwomen across the country to help protect 16,000 children with lifesaving measles vaccines between 2024–2026 by raising funds for UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

To support the mission of Shot@Life your club can:

  • Donate as an individual or fundraise by getting your club, friends, and family to donate. Instead of a $5 cup of coffee, you can help protect a child for life against measles. Or, give $25 to help protect an entire family. Check out the new fundraising hub, where you can find resources, join your state page, and directly donate (there is a box to include your club name): bit.ly/gfwc-measles If you/your club prefer to send a check, please address it to Shot@Life, 1750 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 300, Washington D.C. 20006. Please be sure to put “Shot@Life Measles” in the memo line. To make sure your club gets credit for the donation, you can also include a separate note in the envelope or send us an email (champions@shotatlife.org) with your club name.
  • Put aside 10 minutes of a club meeting to call your congressional representative together. Find the call instructions and script at bit.ly/salcalls.
  • Signing the petition, which will send emails to your members of Congress, and then sharing the link with your club. The newest petition can always be found at shotatlife.org/petition.
  • Join a live 45- minute training webinar right from your computer. Sign up at shotatlife.org/ training. Shot@Life can also host an individualized training for your club.

Contact Information:      Rebecca Maxie, Manager of National Grassroots Strategy 1750 Pennsylvania     Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 E: rmaxie@unfoundation.org;  202-854-2364 C: 202-340-5867

OPERATION SMILE

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR OPERATION SMILE MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

Each year, Operation Smile provides safe, effective, and well-timed surgery to more than 20,000 patients in 30+ countries. As one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care, we work to build self-sufficiency and sustainable health care infrastructures through training, capacity building, and engaging in public private partnerships in the countries where we work.

To support the mission of Operation Smile your club can:

  • Fundraise to help cover the cost of surgery, medical missions, education, and training. • Fund a surgery — as little as $240 can change a child’s life forever!
  • Make Smile Splints (formerly No-No Armbands), children’s hospital gowns, blankets/quilts/ afghans, and SmileBags for our patients or collect items needed for these projects.
  • Request an Operation Smile Donation Box to collect change at the register of your favorite hot spot.

Contact Information:      Melanie Hittinger E: Melanie.Hittinger@operationsmile.org; Please help ensure your club gets credit for your donations by including your club name and contact information with each donation and by writing GFWC on the memo line. An inventory form or donation form are both available by contacting gfwc@operationsmile.org or 877-240 7196

ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

St. Jude continues the vision of its founder, Danny Thomas, that no child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay. By sharing knowledge freely and exchanging ideas openly, it inspires more collaboration between doctors and researchers worldwide, and, as a result, more lifesaving treatments for children everywhere.

To support the mission of St. Jude Research Hospital your club can:

  • Support the St. Jude Walk/Run in September for Childhood Cancer Research. GFWC has a National Team, so your club can support St. Jude and GFWC by participating in a Walk/Run near you. No Walk/Run in your hometown? Create a Virtual Walk team and join efforts with clubwomen around the country to help the kids of St. Jude. Rally friends, family, and community members and register for St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer. Visit www.stjude.org/walkrun to find an event near you.
  • Sponsor a Trike-A-Thon at a local daycare or preschool. If you sign up to become a coordinator, St. Jude will provide everything you need to have a great event at a preschool or daycare in your area. Log on to stjude.org/get-involved.
  • Participate in St. Jude Epic Challenge. Participating kids research, create, and present an invention or idea that would improve life for kids like those at St. Jude. Designed by educators, St. Jude EPIC Challenge meets Next Generation Science Standards. St. Jude EPIC Challenge follows a flexible five-lesson format that can be implemented in the classroom or from home. For more information, visit stjude.org/epic

Contact Information:      Beth Perkins, Principal Advisor, Partnership Development & Stewardship; Beth.Perkins@alsac.stjude.org: 901-216-1148

MARCH OF DIMES

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR MARCH OF DIMES MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. Each year, one woman dies every 12 hours from pregnancy-related causes, and 1 in 10 babies is born too soon.

To support the mission of March of Dimes your club can:

  • Make blankets and hats for babies connected to Mission: Healthy Baby®; a program that is designed specifically for military families and provides free pregnancy and newborn health information, as well as support services to help them have one less thing to worry about and have healthy, full-term babies. These handmade hats and blankets go a long way in helping with just that.
  • Assemble personal care kits for parents whose babies were born too soon, or unexpectedly.
  • Make costumes for babies in the NICU. Instructions for making NICU costumes can be found in the “Affiliate Organizations” folder in the GFWC Member Portal Digital Library.
  • Get involved and raise your voice during Prematurity Awareness Month in November. Together we can raise awareness by wearing purple, educating others, and donating funds to fight for healthy moms and strong babies. Learn more and download the toolkit here: https:// volunteer.marchofdimes.org/the-general-federation-of-womens-clubs/
  • Register for March of Dimes Advocacy Action Alerts. Sign up at: www.marchofdimes.org/our work/policy-advocacy/federal-advocacy/bill-tracker

Contact Information:      Patricia Gentry, Director, Volunteer Engagement and Mobilization: pgentry@marchofdimes

UNICEF USA

PROJECTS AND DONATIONS FOR UNICEF USA MADE BY NJSFWC CLUBS CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM END OF YEAR REPORT.

Check out the website for more resources on the program, how to get involved, and ways to fundraise and spread awareness in your community. FOR EVERY CHILD Flexible funds are UNICEF’s most important, most effective and most valuable tool to help children worldwide, because they’re able to be deployed when and where they’re needed most.

  • Flexible funds enable UNICEF to maintain its presence in 190 countries and territories. This flexible funding helps UNICEF country offices make informed, real-time decisions about how to best address the needs of the children in their care.
  • Electronic contributions are preferred, and you can submit them online at: www.unicefusa.org/GFWC. If needed, you may also send a check to: UNICEF USA c/o Global Cause Partnerships 125 Maiden Lane New York, NY 10038 *In the memo, please note your GFWC club name. During times of emergency, if you wish to direct your funds to UNICEF’s emergency response, please note in the memo line the country you wish your funds to go towards.

Contact Information:      Marisa Ferguson, Assistant Director, Global Cause Partnerships; mferguson@unicefusa.org;  917-720-1413 W: www.unicefusa.org/GFWC