eConnection 7/21: Day of Service and Other News
by Jan W. Hanson, NJSFWC President
Day of Service
The Statewide Day of Service will be held on Saturday, November 13th in each District to benefit Covenant House. We will be making greeting cards. We will, also, be making fleece blankets to distribute to various other organizations.
In the Central and Northern areas, we will be collecting gift cards in $10 (or more) increments to Walmart, Target, Shop Rite, Dunkin Donuts, Visa and AmEx.
In the Southern area we will be collecting gift cards in $10 increments to Walmart, Shop Rite, Dunkin Donuts, Visa and AmEx.
Our Day of Service will give club women the opportunity to volunteer at a hands-on event. We will learn more about Covenant House and the wonderful work they do at the NJSFWC Fall Conference.
Special State Project-Operation Chillout
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Summer Collection. I am happy to say they have met their goal for t-shirts, water and hats. One of the NJSFWC goals is to give a monetary donation at the end of this administration to Operation Chillout. We will be holding two separate State fundraisers, each district will hold a Bunco party and we will soon be selling tickets for our quilt raffle. We are counting on the generosity of our clubs to contribute to help make our donation awesome.
We will have a table at the Operation Chillout Summerfest selling our Special State Project pins and Quilt raffle tickets. The Summerfest is on August 14th, Vasa Park, Wolfe Road, Budd Lake from 11am-dark There will be music, food and a bike/run. The entrance fee is a free will donation. If you would like to assist at the NJSFWC table contact Jan hanson@njsfwc.org or Barbara, mccloskey@njsfwc.org. Hope to see you there.
Summer Conference
We have over 135 people registered for Summer Conference. Next week’s eConnection will have information on parking and checking in. The Convention and Credentials and Registration committee has been working hard to make this a special event. The photographer will be there to capture the moment and pictures will be available on line. Federation items will be on sale and the Tribute book will be distributed. Best of all will be the chance to catch up with old friends.
Operation Holiday Stocking
Clarification-We would prefer stocking sizes to be 16”-18” not 12” as previously stated.
Deadlines
August 4th-Deadline for GFWC Convention
September 1st-Middle Atlantic Region Conference registration deadline
Highlighted Projects
Each week in the eConnection we will highlight projects selected for the GFWC reports. These GFWC Signature Project-Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention projects can, also, be found on the NJSFWC website.
1. The Branchburg Women’s Club a club of 47 members partnered with the non-profit Safe+Sound of Somerset County providing comprehensive services to survivors of domestic abuse and their families… After a program presented in February, members of the club collected 114 items of girls’ and women underwear and socks (an in-kind donation of $309.00.) Then in October the club collected snacks and toiletries to the shelter (112 items) in-kind donation of $285. The Club bought $235 in gift cards in lieu of their Holiday Gift Drive with the community because of COVID19 restrictions plus a $50 donation. Total of 9 projects, 146 volunteer hours, $2,000 in donations and $1600 in-kind donations.
2. The GFWC Gloucester County Women’s Club, a club of 29 members. The club members were informed of the GFWC Domestic Survivor’s Scholarship and made 10 copies of the application and provided it to the Center for Family Services Center. At the same time the shelter let the club know they were in need of underwear, 77 pairs of women’s and girl’s underwear and 6 boy’s underwear was donated by 11 members, 11 hours of service and in-kind donation of $308. The club also discovered that each time a new person comes into the shelter that they need a new pillow, so the club donated 19 pillows (7 members 7 hours in kind donation of $190. Finding out that the shelter was in need of PJ’s, 12 members donated 36 sets of new pajamas (14 hours in kind donation of $432.)) This club did 5 projects, 34 hours, $50 in donations and in-kind donation of $930.00
3. The Women’s Club of West Deptford has two members who serve as a team for Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention. They are trained volunteer advocates for Family Services and Survivors Empowering the Rights of Victims (SERV). Prior to COVID19, this two-person team spent 20 hours meeting with victims and on SERV meetings. The team found alternative ways to meet the needs of SERV by spearheading a project entitled “You Are Beautiful” and requested their club members to write comforting notes to the survivors, providing over 50 handcrafted as well as purchased cards to the survivors. Another member is the administrative arm of the club and provides awareness within and outside the club and by fundraising for both monetary and in-kind donations. She was able to collect $150 in gift cards and $150 for the center’s backpack project. In-kind donations resulted in several sets of new twin sheet sets and towels donated. Other efforts include encouraging members to include the Federation’s Facebook Frame “Stop the Violence” on their personal websites and working with SERV to encourage participation in the 2021 GFWC Success for Survivor’s Scholarship-$100 donation was given towards this project. The team spent 144 hours on meetings and projects. The club also adopted two families and provided holiday gifts at a cost of $1,200. This club did 9 projects, spent 146 hours and spent $2,000 in donations and $1600 in kind donations.