Volunteers in Action: GFWC Delaware and GFWC West Side Women’s Club

April 12, 2022

GFWC Delaware 

Members of GFWC Delaware joined efforts to help the people impacted by the ongoing war crisis in Ukraine. As of April 8, clubwomen throughout the state raised more than $13,000. These donations have come from both clubs and individual members and have been distributed to various relief organizations. Communications and Public Relations Chairman with the Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) Elayne Cannarozzi said many of the clubs chose to contribute through GFWC Affiliate Organization UNICEF USA. However, her club chose to donate $6,000 to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that is working to feed refugees at the border of Poland and Ukraine.

“We’re all trying to make a difference and help Ukraine,” she said.

GFWC Delaware State President Rita Hollada said she spoke to clubwomen about different ways they could help during the state’s Federation Day celebration last month.

“It was met with resounding support and clubs just started to donate,” she said. “It started with a spark and turned into a wildfire.”

Rita noted members are continuing to donate as they are able and want to do everything they can to support the children and families being impacted.

“It’s such a desperate and heart-wrenching situation,” she said.

GFWC West Side Women’s Club 

GFWC West Side Women’s Club (Pennsylvania) members responded to a statewide challenge to raise funds for the Fill a Glass with Hope project. This project is a partnership between Feeding Pennsylvania and member food banks, the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, and American Dairy Association Northeast, which raises funds to enable member food banks to purchase fresh milk directly from their local dairies in order to distribute it to families in need.

Club Treasurer and Northeastern District Director Karen French said the club raised the money by creating and auctioning off a “wellness basket” filled with items to promote physical and mental wellbeing. These items included a lotion, soap, hair products, a handmade scarf, and more. She explained all of these items were donated by clubwomen for the purpose of raising money for Fill a Glass with Hope. In addition to these contributions, a local spa also donated a gift card to support the fundraiser.

“It is a statewide project and we wanted to participate,” Karen said, noting that it is important for food banks to have access to perishable food items such as milk because people often do not donate these types of items, making them less available to those in need.

She said since the COVID-19 pandemic made hosting events and donation drives difficult throughout the last two years, the clubwomen were excited to participate in this fundraiser.

“We were thrilled with the amount of participation from our clubwomen,” Karen said.