GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs

GFWC Junior Special Project Advocates for Children

 

Chairman: Julie Vugrinovich

District Chairmen:

Lake Erie         Michelle Bodie           

Northeast              Peggy Boyd

Southeast            Cheryl Taylor

 

 

Project Goal & Objectives – Encourage GFWC Ohio members and clubs to work collaboratively in their communities to educate, advocate, and engage in projects concerning the well being of children via health, social, and safety programs, as well as to work with GFWC Partner Organizations across the country to protect children from harmful situations, encourage healthy lifestyles, support and provide best practices for emergency care, and prevent substance abuse and youth suicide.

 

Call To Action – How to Educate Yourself, Inform Others, and Create Change

 

Educate Yourself  about skin cancer, the most common cancer that has reached epidemic levels, and know how you can help decrease the occurrence of it. Learn more about Child Health Day in the U.S., which is annually celebrated on the 1st Monday of October. This special day raises people’s awareness of how you can protect and develop children’s health. Support youth drug abuse programs and investigate teen abuse non-prescription and prescription drugs.  Educate yourself about internet safety and how the latest social media affects our youth, including cyber bullying.

 

Inform Others and raise awareness of the need for dedicated pediatric bags on ambulances in your community. Inform your community about the importance of foster parenting and what it involves, and the need for quality, professional foster parents. Educate and inform your community on how it can participate and help reduce hunger, especially for children, where there is an increase in the population of those who do not know whether they will have food for their next meal.

 

Create Change and volunteer at early childhood centers by reading to children or assisting teachers. Support and encourage family and adult involvement in children’s education. Start or support an existing Junior Club. Visit www.GFWC.org/GFWCMembers. Provide needed equipment and funding for training of local pre-hospital emergency service personnel. Participate in community injury prevention programs and support ongoing prevention activities. Advocate on topics affecting children as supported by organizations such as Special Olympics, Emergency Medical Services for Children, Foster Parenting, the Skin Cancer Foundation, and other GFWC Partners. Encourage your club and members to recognize, celebrate and hold a program/project/event for any of the important dates and commemorations listed below:

 

January           National Birth Defects Prevention Month     June 12   World Day Against Child Labor

February 3      National Girls & Women’s Sports Day          August 12         International Youth Day

February 4      World Cancer Day                                            September       Hunger Action Month

March 23-25   National Youth Violence Prevention Week    October            Child Health Month

April                Child Abuse Prevention Month                        October 4       Child Health Day

May 15-23       National EMS Week                                         October 15       World Food Day

May 18            National EMSC Day                                          November        Child Safety & Protection

May                 National Foster Parent Month                         November 20   Universal Children’s Day

May                 Skin Cancer Awareness Month

 

 

Target Programs & Projects For GFWC Ohio Juniorette, Junior and General Clubs

 

1.)     Emergency Medical Services For Children ~ www.ChildrensNational.org/EMSC ~ Join forces in your community to help reduce child/youth disability and death due to severe illness or injury. EMSC seeks to ensure that state of the art emergency medical care is available for all sick children and that pediatric services are provided and well integrated into an emergency medical services system.

-          Coordinate and Sponsor a Local EMSC Day Project or Activity during May

-          Provide Much Needed Equipment/Pediatric Bags/Funding for Training of Your Local Pre-Hospital Emergency Service Personnel

-          Provide a Program/Speaker to Your Membership – Invite a State EMSC Coordinator or Family Advisory Network Member /Parent

-          Encourage a Club Member to Join the State Advisory Committee

-          Disseminate Safety Curriculum and Emergency Guidelines for Schools, Clubs, and Childcare and Assist with the Development of Emergency Care Plans for Children

-          Adopt your Local Ambulance Service, Fire Department, Rescue Squad, or Other Emergency Care Department by Participating in The Blue Bear Brigade

 

2.)     National Foster Parent Association ~ www.NFPAOnline.org ~ Take a look at this wonderful non-profit organization committed to supporting foster parents in achieving safety, permanence, and well being for children and youth in their care. Together the NFPA and GFWC are working on Walk Me Home…To The Place I Belong, America’s Only Nationwide Walk for Foster Care.

-          Start Up and Coordinate a Walk Me Home Event and Collaborate with the NFPA in Your Community to Benefit Foster Care Locally

-          Assist Local/State Associations in Recruiting Quality, Caring Families to Become Foster Parents

-          Back Packs for School – Prepare Back Packs Filled with School Supplies so Children Transitioning in Foster Care Can Develop Good Study Habits.

-          Invite a Foster Care Association to Your Club Meeting to Explain the Foster Care System and What Roles Foster Parents Play in Keeping Children Safe

-          Tell Your Neighbors and Friends About Foster Care and Provide Information on How They Can Become Foster Parents

-          Recognize, Celebrate, and Support National Foster Parent Month in May

 

3.)     Special Olympics  ~ www.SpecialOlympics.org ~ Partner with your local Special Olympics               and become a team player to support this global non-profit organization targeting nearly 200 million people around the world who have intellectual disabilities.  Athletes compete in over 33,000 events per year in 170 countries and use the power of sports to change attitudes and communities.  

-          Sponsor a Local Special Olympics Athlete by Supporting and Raising Money to send them to a Competition

-          Provide a Program/Speaker to Your Membership – Invite a Rep From the Special Olympics for Unified Sports Eventsâ

-          Members Can Participate in Local Fundraising Events for Special Olympics, like

                                The Polar Plunge

-          Help Coordinate a “Meet and Greet” Event with Local Special Olympics Athletes

                                And Coaches. Throw “Send Off” Parties and Hold “Re-Medaling” Events to Present Medals                                           to Winners.

-          Work with Project UNIFY Schools (young women with/without intellectual

                                Disabilities),  Juniorette Groups/Programs, or Mentor and Partner with Youth Leadership Groups                                    or Service Learning Projects.

 

REPORTING - Report your overall work in ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN annually on the OFWC White Pages and on the Junior Scorecard.

 

IN ADDITION - All Clubs must submit a Separate Narrative, Typed, Single spaced and Single sided describing your efforts in Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) SEE GFWCCLUB MANUAL

 

With Each Program or Project Reported, please include Number of Members, Hours and Dollars Involved. All Reports Must Be Postmarked by February 1, 2011 and 2012. Send NARRATIVE REPORTS to JULIE VUGRINOVICH AT 2412 EAST POINTE DRIVE   WARREN, OHIO 44484

 

The Advocates for Children GFWC Partnerships emphasized thus far for this administration are:

 

 

                Emergency Medical Services for Children      www.ChildrensNational.org

                Girls on the Run International                          www.GirlsOnTheRun.org

                National Foster Parent Association                  www.NFPAOnline.org

                The Skin Cancer Foundation                            www.SkinCancer.org

                Special Olympics                                                 www.SpecialOlympics.org

 

 Clubs are encouraged to continue working with the GFWC Resource Organizations from previous administrations, as they have longstanding national relationships with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (not only GFWC/ Ohio relationships).  The GFWC Resource Organizations include, but are not limited to, those listed in the GFWC 2010-2012 Manual.

 

 

Information on other GFWC/Ohio Community Service Programs and Committees
Return to the OFWC home page.