Community Service Program & Advancement Area Chairmen

ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN
Sandra Cabral, CFWC Chairman
I am proud to serve as Advocates for Children chairman for this administration. Together, WE can make a difference. Many children are alone on the streets or in foster care. Children in these circumstances can experience hunger and fear and, sadly, are often abused in so many ways. In the coming months, I will share information about the following philanthropic organizations through CFWC’s Quick Bytes newsletter and/or the California Clubwoman magazine.

  • Katlyn’s Law 
  • St Jude 
  • Children’s Hospitals 
  • Ronald McDonald House 
  • Covenant House 

ARTS & CULTURE
Kelly Davis, CFWC Chairman

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH
Anne Cochrane, CFWC Chairman
The Civic Engagement & Outreach Program helps define that very purpose of community outreach in which we live in our daily lives. We reach out and help our communities through volunteering and provide comfort to those in need. This program encompasses citizenship, crime prevention, safety and disaster preparedness, helping the hungry and homeless; and our military (active members and veterans) and their families.

COMMUNITY IMPACT PROGRAM
Jane Thomey, CFWC Chairman
The Community Impact Program is a call to action for club projects that make a visual, physical or emotional impact at the local level.  The 2-year contest period for this administration is 2024-2026.  To be successful, a club must devote its resources to accomplish its goals.  Effective community impact projects provide opportunities for increasing club membership, enhancing leadership skills, building relationships with individuals and community groups, and creating public awareness of what club and Federation volunteering is all about. GFWC awards a cash prize to each state winner. State winners compete for GFWC’s grand prize awarded to one state in each of five categories. A complete description of the contest and entry forms are found in the GFWC Club Manual.  

DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE AWARENESS & PREVENTION
Cathie Petithomme, CFWC Chairman
Domestic & Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention is a GFWC Signature Project. The Signature Program’s goal is to increase awareness of and help prevent the widespread occurrence of violence against women in communities across the nation—and the globe. Areas of focus include Intimate Partner Violence, Child Abuse, Teen Dating Violence, Campus Sexual Assault, Elder Abuse, Violence Against Native American Women, Military Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking.
2024-26 DV Program Brochure
Campus Safety Brochure
The panels below are approved for use on club/district social media or website platforms (right click on image to copy):


EDUCATION & LIBRARIES
Kay Masonbrink, CFWC Chairman
As a retired teacher, the impetus for me to join and become an active member of my local Women’s Club was because of their contributions to the community, especially through the Education and Libraries program and related projects. Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, wrote “Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”  I plan to highlight and bring attention to various projects (from large to small) that CFWC clubs and their members can use to improve educational pursuits that help achieve progress in our communities. 

EPSILON SIGMA OMICRON (aka ESO)
Reggie Mattox, CFWC Chairman
Epsilon Sigma Omicron is an opportunity for club members to expand their knowledge and personal growth through reading. Developed by GFWC in 1924, the ESO motto is: Enlighten your own pathway. One benefit of belonging to a Federated woman’s club is self-improvement. Participating in ESO helps accomplish this goal. Becoming a better leader, recruiting new members, learning about healthy living, and more –these topics all fall into ESO’s reading categories. Find ESO forms and additional info at the ESO page.

ENVIRONMENT
Nancy B. Jones, CFWC Chairman
Sunflowers & Sustainability – Why sunflowers?  They are bright, beautiful, grow easily, and remind us every day to live a low-impact lifestyle. Why sustainability?  To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.  We look forward to future generations growing up and succeeding with thoughtful and gentle treatment of this Earth, our home.

As a Federation, we need to help protect our Earth every day. Every member can reduce their impact on Earth. Plant sunflowers and poppies; encourage habits such as recycling, composting, and low-waste living. Support a school or community garden – or create one to beautify and protect our Earth.

Good news! PENNY PINES is alive and well!   Your Club can Support Reforestation! Most National Forests in California are ready to receive your donations! Info for California National Forests

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Patsy Wilson, CFWC Chairman

LEADERSHIP EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR (aka LEADS)
Vicki Holden, CFWC Chairman
LEADS Info & Instructions 2024-25
CFWC LEADS Application
Our CFWC  Leadership Advancement Plan  offers  valuable information, including practical ideas and resources to assist our members on every level  in developing leadership skills.  Whatever talent you use, leadership always involves taking risks, being innovative, and promoting new directions. Some may talk about being born leaders, but most of us learn how to be strong leaders, and we should never stop learning and stretching. Just as “management” as a philosophy has evolved through the years into “leadership,” there has also been a growing realization that leadership development is indeed  continuous, involving personal growth and improvement as well as  influencing and fostering others to grow their leadership skills  to maintain the strength of our organization.

LEGISLATION & PUBLIC POLICY
Kathleen Holm, CFWC Chairman
The Legislation & Public Policy program encourages the process of introducing and supporting legislation through Federation resolutions. Most resolutions focus on legislative priorities in these community service programs:

  • GFWC Signature Program/Domestic & Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention, focused on: 1) Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); 2) rape kit backlog (Debbie Smith Act); 3) anti-trafficking; 4) strengthening protections for the Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act; 5) Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.
  • GFWC Juniors’ Special Program/Advocates for Children: Online Safety.
  • Arts and Culture: Funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.
  • Civic Engagement and Outreach: Food insecurity; ERA; pay equity; veterans.
  • Education and Libraries: S.T.E.A.M. programs science/technology/engineering/arts/math); and increased funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
  • Environment: Outdoors for All Act, a recreation grant program supporting states, communities or organizations in developing/renovating outdoor recreation facilities; America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, which addresses public recreation on federal lands.
  • Health and Wellness: Global vaccinations; 2) Paid family and medical leave; 3) Alzheimer’s disease: National Alzheimer’s Project Act.

Federation members are strongly encouraged to participate in GFWC’s legislation efforts. Signing up to receive alerts from GFWC’s Legislative Action Center (LAC) starts the ball rolling for YOU to make an impact in national U.S. legislation matters.

WOMEN’S HISTORY & RESOURCE CENTER
Allison Eccleston, CFWC Chairman