Information on Club Community Service Programs and Standing Committees
Club members are encouraged to join or participate in as many of the various programs or committees as their interest or schedules allow. All below are open to every General Member.
Special State Project: every two years New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) votes on a state wide non-profit volunteer organization to support. Clubs send in recommendations, and a state wide vote is taken. The current project is CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). Past projects include Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, NAMI – NJ, Family Promise, Gilda’s Club and the Wellness Community, Autism Awareness, Canine Companions for Independent Living, the Valarie Fund and Community Food Banks. For the chosen project the Club creates community awareness, does fundraisers, and supports NJSFWC efforts.
We also work with other NJSFWC Clubs on the Special State Project, CASA.
Arts Creative: encourages members in developing and enjoying creative arts as a method of self-expression. There are a range of activities including photography, painting, making craft items for nursing home residents or other craft lessons or projects. Each year any club member can enter their personal handiwork for Achievement Day which is a District competition. The winning entries in each District go on to compete on a statewide level at Convention.
Arts Performing: creates and contributes to art education and activities in communities as participation in the arts helps raise public consciousness and connects members and clubs with their communities. Members decide as a group what they want to do. Activities can include monthly book club, day trips to museums, lectures, etc. Singing, dancing, poetry have been past endeavors. Members participate in the District Performing Arts Festival.
Conservation: educates members and the community about the importance of preserving natural resources and encourage citizen action to address these concerns. Distribute information on community projects, recycling, gardening etc. Participate individually or as a club project. Each year any club member can enter plants which they have grown for Achievement Day which is a District competition. The winning entries in each District go on to compete on a statewide level at Convention.
Education: promotes a commitment to lifelong learning by encouraging members and others to foster and support educational opportunities in their communities. The Scholarship Committee reviews and awards scholarships to area high school seniors as well as citizenship awards to the Parsippany middle schools. The monies for the scholarships are raised through our annual Golf Classic at the Knoll Country Club. A 5th grader at each of the town’s 10 elementary schools who best demonstrates their love of reading is awarded our 5th Grade Reading Award. Also, selects the local GCI (Girls Career Institute) candidate who participates in a “mini-college experience” at Douglass College.
International Outreach: educates members and communities about global topics and provide opportunities to support and contribute to world issues. Projects can include UNICEF fund drives, collecting card fronts for St. Jude’s Ranch for Children and collecting cancelled stamps for the Holy Cross Sisters Mission in India. There is usually a fundraiser for the President’s Special project, which has included Heifer International and CARE. Operation Smile, which supports children’s surgeries in third world countries, is an ongoing project that collects office supplies, small toys, toiletries and handmade bags, gowns, blankets or “smile dolls”.
Public Issues: enables members to continue longstanding advocacy and proven historic involvement towards investigation and development of programs and projects relating to veterans, citizenship and safety. Crime Prevention and Support of the Military are current projects,
Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention: General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Signature Project. Objective of this committee is to increase member understanding about and involvement in programs to decrease domestic violence in communities and across the nation. Programs include “showers” for women leaving the shelters, Mother’s Day gift baskets of personal care items and collections of school supplies for “back to school” drives for children in the shelters.
Home Life: Informs members of issues that affect the well-being of individuals, families, and communities by providing opportunities and resources to meet and address needs through volunteering. Offers a variety of projects including support of the local food pantry, holiday packaging of candy and cookies for seniors in area nursing homes, women’s heart health awareness, purchasing daffodils for the American Cancer Society as well as participation in the Relay for Life and support of local daycare center.