What we do
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Collectively, we are Living the Volunteer Spirit.
GFWC New Hampshire clubs work on programs in their communities, their state, their country, and internationally. We follow the guidelines from GFWC as outlined in the Club Manual.
The GFWC programs include Special Programs, Community Service Programs, and GFWC Advancement Areas. GFWC-NH Programs
 GFWC Signature Program: Domestice Violence Awareness & Prevention
The goal of the GFWC Signature Program: Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention is to increase awareness of and help prevent the widespread occurrence of domestic abuse and violence against women in communities across the nation by working with national domestic violence networks, supporting existing activities, working with various established programs, and initiating educational opportunities for club members and local citizens. GFWC is a powerful voice for those who have no voice. GFWC NH Chairman – Mary McGahan |
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GFWC Juniors’ Special Program: Advocates for Children is designed to encourage all woman’s, Junior Woman’s, Juniorette, and International Affiliate Clubs to make a difference in the life of a child by being an advocate. The Program was envisioned as a way for clubwomen to provide a voice for children and to teach and encourage parents and other caregivers to advocate for children at the grassroots level.
GFWC Juniors’ Special Program: Advocates for Children is designed to encourage all Women’s, Junior, Juniorette, and International Affiliate clubs to make a difference in our world by becoming advocates for children. Members may choose to organize projects that benefit children in their community, state, or the world. GFWC NH Chairman – |
 Arts Community Service Program
The GFWC Arts Community Service Program encourages members to promote and support arts activities in their clubs, schools, and communities. It is designed to inspire clubwomen and ignite within them a desire to make their world a more beautiful place. GFWC NH Co-Chairs: Sheila Casey & Mary Ryan |
 Environment Community Service Program
Environmental education; care for our air, land, and water, recycling, litter cleanup, partnerships with community groups, schools, and children, support of wildlife, energy conservation, tree planting, and beautification - this is what the Conservation Community Service Program is all about. GFWC NH Co-Chairs: Phyllis Appler & Elaine French |
 Education & Libraries Community Service Program
From the 1996 Report of the International Commission on Education for the 21st Century and the 1997 Hamburg Declaration: Literacy, broadly conceived as the basic knowledge and skills needed in a rapidly changing world is a fundamental human right. There are millions, the majority of whom are women, who lack opportunities to learn or have insufficient skills to be able to assert this right. The challenge is to enable them to do so. Literacy is also a catalyst for participating in social, cultural, political, and economic activities, and for learning throughout life. GFWC NH CoChairs – Marilyn Suszek & Alexis Kearley |
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Through this program, clubs may develop and implement creative projects that promote a healthy lifestyle; increase awareness, prevention, research, and treatment of disease; target personal development; address the issues of hunger, inadequate housing, and homelessness; and/or prevent or correct financial difficulties. GFWC NH Co-Chairs – Laura Otterson & Deb Provencher |
 Civic Engagement & Outreach Community Service Program
The GFWC Public Issues Community Service Program is designed to actively connect members with effective projects and activities relating to civic and social responsibilities. GFWC NH Co-Chairs – Nancy Greenberg & Carol Waters GFWC Advancement Areas Communications and Public Relations |
Juniors' Special Program: Advocates for Children
Our main goal in communications and public relations will be to get the word out to the public about who we are.
GFWC NH Chairman – Dolores VanBlarcom
email: [email protected]
Fundraising and Development
GFWC members are passionate about volunteer service! Successful fundraising and development programs are necessary and important for the continued success of our organization as we strive to make a positive difference in our communities and our world.
GFWC NH Chairman – Chrystina Moran
email: [email protected]
Leadership
Bottom-up or top-down, leadership involves taking risks, being innovative, and promoting new directions. While some may talk about being born leaders, most of us can learn how to be a strong leader. Club, district, state, and national volunteers can become leaders by developing a clear and compelling vision for what one wants to become, establishing attainable goals, providing – and being provided – with encouragement and appreciation, behaving with an entrepreneurial spirit, and pursuing training and education.
GFWC NH Chairman – Rachel Kingston
email: [email protected]
Membership
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs unites the best and brightest of today’s women into a strong coalition that promotes community improvement through volunteer service.
GFWC NH Chairman – Denise Raisanen
email: [email protected]
Legislation and Public Policy
For more than a century, GFWC members have advocated to raise awareness of specific issues requiring attention at the national level. Our advocacy efforts are practical not political; through our advocacy, we seek the implementation of practical solutions to problems that are national in scope.
GFWC NH Chairman – Laurie Jasper
email: [email protected]
GFWC NH Scholarship Committee
Two scholarships are awarded to NH High School Seniors each year. The amount is $2,000.00 each. Students are encouraged to participate in the application process.
File for application form GFWC-NH Scholarships.docx
email: TBD
Jennie Award
The Jennie Award is named in honor of GFWC’s founder, Jane Cunningham Croly, who wrote for national newspapers under the pseudonym “Jennie June.” The award is an occasion to highlight extraordinary clubwomen who epitomize her spirit of independence, courage, and persistence in purpose through their roles as volunteers within their clubs, elsewhere
GFWC NH Chairman – Anne Englehart
email: [email protected]