The 7 Grand Initiatives

By NJSFWC | May 16, 2019

You’ve probably heard the term, “7 Grand Initiatives.” But you might not know what they are or where they came from.

Our own Mary Ellen Brock from New Jersey was installed in 2018 as the GFWC International President. As part of her administration, she created the “7 Grand Initiatives,” called Grand because each of them has 1,000 as a goal. Those initiatives are:

1) That 1,000 clubs will do a service project on Martin Luther King Day; 2) That members will plant 1,000 trees on Arbor Day; 3) That members will donate 1,000 pairs of used shoes to Soles 4 Souls or Nike “reuse-a-shoe”; 4) that members donate 1,000 Dr. Seuss books by March of 2020; 5) That 1,000 members join the Legislative Action Center; 6) That members do 1,000 projects devoted to women in the military; and 7) That 1,000 members donate $1,000 to the Capital Campaign. The “7 Grand Initiatives” are very attainable. Ladies, plan your projects now.

Here are more details about each project.

THE MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
The Million Dollar Club is a group of 1,000 clubwomen, clubs, districts, states, and Regions donating $1,000 each during the 2018-2020 Administration to maintain GFWC’s Headquarters. Help GFWC share its historic D.C. home with clubwomen, historical researchers, members, and future generations by joining the Million Dollar Club. Million Dollar Club donations must be received between June 26, 2018 and June 30, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER
Having GFWC’s collective voice heard by members of Congress is essential and the Legislative Action Center holds many of the answers. That’s why this Initiative aims for 1,000 more GFWC members to sign up for the Legislative Action Center by June 2020. If you haven’t already signed up, visit the LAC and sign-up now!

ARBOR DAY
Celebrate National Arbor Day with your fellow clubwomen throughout the Federation to help GFWC reach its goal of planting 1,000 trees on April 26. Select a planting location in your club’s community and make it a formal event with a program, special guest speaker, and reading of the Arbor Day Proclamation. And, consider Federation Day 2019 the prime time to plot out final event details!

DONATING USED SHOES
Help GFWC donate 1,000 pairs of used shoes to people in need! Join the cooperative giving project with Soles4Souls, an organization that distributes free shoes during times of disaster and gives people living in deep poverty the opportunity to sustain a small business by selling shoes. Register your club through the Soles4Souls website today. Or, contact your local Nike store at least 48 hours in advance to coordinate the details of your club’s donation (organized in clear plastic bags) to its Reuse-a-Shoe Program.

WOMEN IN THE MILITARY
Help GFWC reach its goal of doing 1,000 projects serving women in the military ­and those who have retired-year-round, but especially on Veterans Day. Organize a clothing drive for donations of ball gowns and other formal attire for women living on military bases. Also, military hospitals always seek already assembled “mommy bag” donations for new mothers: lotion, bath gel, nail polish, stationary, candy, etc.

DR. SEUSS
Honor GFWC’s tradition in observing Read Across America Day on March 2, also the birthday of acclaimed children’s book author Dr. Seuss. Help GFWC collect and distribute 1,000 Dr. Seuss books to schools, Head Start programs, and other places in your community and in D.C. that give at-risk children the opportunity to read. Download the Dr. Seuss labels to add your club’s personal touch, filed under “D” on the GFWC Resources page.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE
Clubs came out in droves to participate in the 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Your club can lead your community in equally great ways for the 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 20. Pick a GFWC project passion of your club members and join us in organizing 1,000 more service projects.

Featured photo: The Woman’s Club of Lyndhurst collected 1,500 pairs of shoes!