FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is GFWC National Day of Service?
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) is united in its dedication to volunteer community service.  The National Day of Service (NDS) is a day in which all GFWC comes together in service to highlight an area of need, take action to address it, and raise public awareness about its importance.  State federations and clubs will participate by organizing Community Service Programs (CSP) in their communities as part of NDS. It’s also a great opportunity to invite guests to participate in your NDS activities and introduce them to the benefits of GFWC.

How can you help solve food insecurity in the United States?
To initiate the planning process, GFWC encourages you to contact your local food banks and food pantries — wherever people go for food — to find out how best to be of service. For example, a club can sponsor a food bank, pantry, or food program to organize a volunteer activity with fellow club members, family, and friends. Ask every member of your club to invite a friend who is not presently a member to participate and experience GFWC in action.

Who should you invite to participate?
Use the activity to motivate and inspire your friend(s) to join GFWC. The benefits of community service not only make a person feel good, but it helps to build meaningful friendships and bonds that will last a lifetime.

Ideas for NDS Activities

• Volunteer at a Local Food Bank
• Food Drives: Connect directly with the local food bank to determine how your club can be of service. They will welcome the support and donation of time and food.
• Raise Awareness About Hunger: Reach out to your local media to introduce NDS and the cause being promoted. Ask the reporter to mention NDS and how people can participate and donate. Also, use social media to discuss food insecurity with members of your community, clubs, schools, church groups, and others.
• Advocate to End Food Insecurity: Use GFWC’s Legislative Action Center (LAC) to interact with your federal and state elected officials to advance a bill or introduce legislation that helps to end hunger by funding programs specific to the issue.

NDS Information & Updates
Every week until September 30, GFWC will make announcements, provide project ideas, and discuss food insecurity. Be sure to check out the weekly electronic newsletter, GFWC News & Notes; Facebook and Instagram; and website, www.GFWC.org.   Stay tuned for additional resources, including a tool kit and a media kit.

Resources to Locate Your Local Food Bank & Food Service Programs

• Second Harvest – food near me – Second Harvest (2-harvest.org)
• Feeding America – Find Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
• Type “food banks (your state)” into your search engine
• Find churches with food banks in your state – https://save.lovetoknow.com/Churches_with_Food_Pantries

For More Information About Food Insecurity

• US Department of Agriculture– https://www.fns.usda.gov/fact-sheet/usda-support-for-food-banks-emergency-food-system
• Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion– https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/food-insecurity
• National Public Radio, Food Insecurity in the US By the Numbers– https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/912486921/food-insecurity-in-the-u-s-by-the-numbers

How to register?
Please contact Melanie Gisler, Director of Membership Services, at MGisler@GFWC.org; and, copy Deb Strahanoski, International President, at DStrahanoski@GFWC.org to register. Be sure to include the following in your email: Club Name, Point of Contact, Address, Phone Number, and Email.