COMMUNITY SERVICE
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH
The GFWC Civic Engagement and Outreach Community Service Program reminds members that each of us is a part of a larger society and is responsible for undertaking actions that will create a better quality of life and foster a sense of community; locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. The “broad strokes” of this effort include: 1) Citizenship; 2) Crime Prevention, Safety, and Disaster Preparedness; 3) The Needy, Hungry, and Homeless; 4) Our Military Personnel and Veterans and 5) Support and Aid Women Veterans.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Clubs are encouraged to take an active role in creating and enhancing their community by partnering with their City Government, Chamber of Commerce, local schools, and other organizations (i.e., Art League or Artist Guild) to create mural paintings throughout their city or town.
Murals that highlight the local culture and display pride in their town’s history and traditions, as well as showcase local celebrities or figures prominent in the historical legacy of the community. Murals can be located on city property and schools, as well as local businesses.
EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES
GFWC members promote education at all levels. We help others, while continuing to learn ourselves. Projects in the Education and Libraries Community Service Program are designed to foster schools and educational institutions, and to promote literacy, libraries, and the love of a good book. We encourage the growth of individuals and communities at home and around the world. Education has been a cornerstone of GFWC. Our founder, Jane Cunningham Croly formed the General Federation of Women’s Clubs “to support clubs throughout the nation and further their efforts at providing education, improved working conditions, health care, scholarships, and other reforms.”
ENVIRONMENT
The GFWC Environment Community Service Program encourages us to be stewards of the earth: 1) Preserve the world’s resources, protect wildlife and domesticated animals, 2) Live sustainably, and 3) Beautify our communities and enjoy nature. The environment is everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earth—the air we breathe, the water that covers most of its surface, all flora and fauna, and the soil, minerals, and fossil fuels that exist within its crust. The environment continually changes through natural ecological processes and as a result of human actions. We strive to educate members about the importance of beautifying, maintaining and restoring our most precious resources through the implementation of projects in our local communities.
ESO
(Epsilon Sigma Omicron)
The motto of ESO is “Enlighten Your Own Pathway”. Its purpose is to provide club women with a structured reading program to promote educational pursuits and stimulate a desire for self-improvement. ESO can take the form of a reading group or an individual’s personal reading pursuit. It has helped many members learn to read out of their comfort zone and explore new authors and new genres. We all have our favorite genres… and our not so favorite genres. Maybe you love the classics, but you’re not so into robots and aliens. Or you love sci-fi, but you can’t make it through Dickens without nodding off. That’s why we need book clubs: to make us read those books that we never would have picked up on our own. You might discover that you really love The Hobbit, even though it lacks spaceships. Or you might be totally into Eragon, even though it is about dragon riders.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
The GFWC Health and Wellness Community Service Program is designed to inform members of issues that affect the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. To improve our well-being, we must address three key components: 1) Nutrition, 2) Disease Prevention, and 3) Physical and Emotional Care. This Community Service Program aims to explore the various opportunities for awareness and advancement of each of these vital areas. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” Wellness has been described as an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is a dynamic process of change and growth.