 Public
Issues
Click
here
for the GFWC Public Issues Community Service Program from the GFWC Club
Manual.
Click here for the address and guidlines to send your
Christmas Cards for "Holdiay Mail for Heroes." Cards must be postmarked by
December 9, 2011!
PROGRAM
PRINCIPLES
The GFWC Public Issues Community Service
Program is designed to enable members to continue its long-standing
advocacy and proven historic involvement towards investigation and
development of programs and projects relating to veterans, citizenship,
and safety
PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goals
- Provide
comfort and resources to members of the armed forces and their families
in recognition of their sacrifices to protect our country
- Utilize our
GFWC Resolutions to increase members’ patriotism, pride in
heritage, and to become more involved in community leadership roles
- Create safer
communities and overall well-being of all citizens.
CALL
TO ACTION:
- Educate
ourselves about the problems, Inform others and Create
change.
- Work in collaborations,
projects created by club members
in
and for their
communities and
which may include other clubs, community
groups, non-profit organizations, etc..
- Work
on Partnership projects with
organizations that have become GFWC Partners. Partners
operate at the national or international level and offer unique and
customized services such as project materials, speakers, kits, and
other assistance to GFWC clubs.
VETERANS
ISSUES:
PARTNERSHIP
1.
Investigate the Sew Much Comfort website for
information. www.sewmuchcomfort.org
As a club
project make adaptive clothing for wounded service
members. Contact sports teams for donation of
t-shirts, shorts, pants. Hold a fundraiser to help Sew Much Comfort
2.
Help WIMSA (Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Foundation, Inc.) to recognize and tell the stories
of the commitment and patriotic service of all women who have served in
defense of our country. www.WomensMemorial.org
COLLABORATION
1. Recognize the dedication and patriotism of women and men
who have served in defense of the country by inviting them to speak at
club meetings and community forums,
2. Seek
volunteer opportunities through the Department of Veterans Affairs
Voluntary Service. Assist with the care of
outpatients in Community Care clinics as well as in Veterans Hospitals
3.
Support Homes for Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit group that builds
specially adapted home for disabled veterans. Visit www.HomesForOurTroops.org
4.
Support the Wounded
Warrior Project. A nonprofit group that provides backpacks containing
essential care and comfort items to make hospital stays more
comfortable for returning veterans in military trauma.
5. Support American Gold Star
Mothers, Inc. This is an organization of mothers
who have lost a son or daughter in the service of our country. www.goldstarmoms.com.
6. Collect coupons for the Military
Overseas Coupon Program. Military commissaries overseas
accept manufacturer's cents-off coupons for up to SIX months past their
printed expiration dates. Coupons useless to us can still save
overseas military families some money. Visit www.ocpnet.org for more information.
COMMUNITY
SAFETY:
PARTNERSHIP
Safe
Kids USA. Hold a community program on
keeping children safe from unintentional injury. Contact the
National SAFEKIDS Campaign for coalitions near you and for materials on
safety regarding winter and summer activities, water, poisons, toys,
firearms, sports, school and playground and information about product
recalls. www.SafeKids.org
COLLABORATION
1.
Make sure the Amber Alert emergency response system implemented by
local police to rescue kidnapped children is in place in your
state. For information visit www.AmberAlert.gov.
Get involved with the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children.
2.
Involve
community officials in National Night Out: register and receive the NNO
kit filled with how to materials.
3. Work
with
local law enforcement officials, neighborhood coalitions, and city and
town councils to develop crime prevention programs
4. Review
the GFWC Community Safety for Women fact sheets at www.GFWC.org/Programs
5.
Investigate how your club can assist the community in forming a Citizen
Corp group coordinated nationally by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency.
6. Work
with
schools. Provide printed materials and inform them of the United States
Fire Administration’s Kids’ Page on the
internet. Kids’ Page has many helpful games,
quizzes and other activities to educate children about fire safety.
VEHICLE
SAFETY:
PARTNERSHIP
1. Coalition
against Bigger Trucks, LLC. Find out
about your state’s current legislation regarding double and
triple trailer trucks and longer single trailer trucks on state
highways. If larger trucks are permitted, work with your
state legislators to tighten regulations or cap weight and sizes
allowed. If larger trucks are not permitted, work with your
federal legislators to support freezes in truck weight and length on
Federal Highway System roads. Work with the Coalition against Bigger
Trucks, LLC, 901 North Pitt Street, Suite 310 |
Alexandria, VA 22314 www.CABT.org
P: 888-CABT123
COLLABORATION
1. Order the poster
“Growing Up with Safety” from the National Safety
Council. Give it to a teacher or bring it to a
class for a discussion period.
2. Find out
if your local law enforcement agency and fire rescue personnel have
taken courses in the national Highway Transportation Safety
Administration Child Passenger Safety Training. If not,
provide information on the need for training and how it can be
obtained, including sources of possible subsidies to reduce costs to
participants.
3. Hold
public awareness events, such as a fitting station for safety and
booster seats during the National Safety Council’s Child
Passenger Safety Week, the week of February 14th
Promote the proper use of child safety and booster seats.
Provide information to low-income parents who can apply to the United
Way for free booster seats donated by the Ford Motor Company.
4.
Invite a speaker from AARP to educate your members and their parents
about the 55/Alive/Mature Driving Program
5. Work
with state legislators to tighten laws regarding requirements before a
new driver can obtain a license. Work with your local
officials and schools to encourage driver training and safe driving
seminars for young driver licensing.
HOME
SAFETY:
PARTNERSHIP
National
Safety Council. Plan a Safety
Fair for your community with the assistance of the National
Safety Council. Include Community Safety, Vehicle Safety and Home
Safety issues with special attention to the older population and to the
very young. www.NSC.org
COLLABORATION
1.
Take advantage of the opportunity to reduce calls from telemarketers by
registering online at www.DoNotCall.gov
or calling toll free 888/382-1222. Registration is free.
2.
Work with your local fire department or hospital community liaison to
hold a fire safety awareness day for children and parents.
Include topics such as home fire drills and what to do once
you’ve escaped a burning structure.
3. Investigate toy safety and recent recalls by visiting the
Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.CPSC.gov.
4. Set up an awareness campaign to remind community members to
change batteries in smake detectors when clocks change back to standard
time.
5. Obtain
fact sheets
from the United States Fire Administration. Titles include:
“Fire Safety During or After a Natural Disaster,”
“Bedroom Fire safety,”
“Fireplaces,” “Electrical
Fires,” “Rural Fire prevention,” and
“Holiday Fire Prevention”
6. Plan awareness campaign to remind community
members to change batteries in smoke detectors when clocks change back
to standard time.
7.
Get involved in food safety. Visit www.FoodSafety.gov
for information from hand washing to packing a safe lunch. Visit www.FSIS.USDA.gov
for information about salmonella, safe handling of take-out food, and
keeping food safe during an emergency. Distribute the Food Safety Quiz
for Kids at a PTA meeting or a local school. Visit www.FoodSafety.gov
for this and other activities.
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