Cincinnati Womans Club

Programs: Educational opportunities are a cornerstone of cwc. Programming in fine arts, language arts, and social sciences is offered throughout the year, via 33 educational groups. Educational groups are divided into two categories based on the format of the programming. Groups that typically have a formal presentation, lecture, or speaker are called programs/lectures. These include antiques, art, bible, book review, civics, drama, film, garden, gourmet, greek, history, lunch-n-learn, music, science, travel, and women's health and wellness. The remaining groups, where members usually participate in the program itself, are called classes. Classes include arts and crafts, biblical literature, book discussion, bridge, choral, collector's corner, creative writers, drawing, finance, great books, needlework, painting, photography, players, technology, tai chi, and yoga. All educational groups schedule activities from september through may, offering more than four hundred educational opportunities per year. Programs/lectures typically meet between three and nine times per year, and classes meet as often as weekly. Chairmen and vice-chairmen, selected by each group, plan programs and obtain speakers or instructors, as needed. Educational opportunities are open to all cwc members, consistent with the objective of welcoming member participation and attendance at all educational programs and studies. Members are welcome to invite guests to all programs/lectures and many classes. Pop-up programs and classes are added throughout the year by the education coordination committee. These are programs on a topic that arises during the year or small hands-on classes on subject matter not covered elsewhere in the cwc educational program. The summer program offers a variety of activities for the education and enrichment of members during june and july.

the philanthropy program provides assistance to various charities selected by club members throughout cincinnati. Community impactthe community impact component of the philanthropy committee includes programs for community involvement that actively involve cwc members. The club maintains an ongoing relationship with the agencies that receive the greatest number of votes during the gift research program, and these organizations become the focus of can do, gift sleigh, and philanthropy service projects during the year. Ten charitable agencies were selected to receive monetary donations. In march, 2016 the philanthropy steering committee met and selected ten agencies from more than twenty that were nominated; these were presented at the november general meeting. Ten of our newer members, who were each assigned an agency, visited the organization to gather information that was used in a presentation on behalf of her agency. Immediately following the presentations, the members in attendance voted for their top three agencies; those agencies receiving the greatest number of votes were awarded funds in proportion to the total number of votes. The following agencies were selected as our 2016 gift recipients:lasoupe; youth hope cincinnati; bethany house; brandon c. Gromada head & neck cancer foundation; first step home; imago; karen wellington foundation; lighthouse youth services girls' circle; little brothers-friends of the elderly; project yogaadditional cash donations were made to the following agencies and institutions in order to help support their philanthropic missions:joseph house; one way farm; chatfield collegephilanthropy fundraiser: "feed your soul," the philanthropy fundraiser, was held in april, 2017. An elegant evening of food, fellowship, and inspiration featured dr. Stephen post, best-selling author and director of the center of medical humanities, compassionate care, and bioethics at stony brook university. The evening was a success, and $9,780 was donated to the philanthropic funds. In addition to the monetary donations this year, there were a number of non-monetary donations as follows:monthly charitable donations (gift sleigh): the gift sleigh is a monthly donation initiative focused on easy ways to contribute to various charitable organizations in greater cincinnati. This year, donations were expanded to include travel-sized toiletries and unused greeting cards. These collections were highly successful, as members donated more than 1,500 toiletries and 1,000 greeting cards. The items were delivered to ronald mcdonald house, friends of the elderly, tender mercies, glen care center, our lady of the woods, mary magdalene house, and caracole. During the months of october and november, members donated items for the residents at prospect house, a highly successful drug and alcohol treatment program located in price hill. In december, the gift sleigh celebrated its 24th year of collecting hats, gloves, and socks for charities. This year donations were distributed to the salvation army and anderson ferry food pantry. More than 500 hats, gloves, and socks were collected, including generous contributions from the tuesday painters group. For march, april, and may, school supplies and other items were collected for soaring hawks foundation, which benefits the impoverished children of the ethel taylor academy, an elementary school in millvale. Eyeglass collection: throughout the year 126 pairs of eyeglasses were collected in a basket in the coat room. These spectacles were then taken to lenscrafters, who refurbished and then distributed them to visually impaired people throughout the world. Holiday sock & mitten: to celebrate the 24th year of the holiday sock and mitten dive, more than 500 hats, scarves, and mittens were collected and donated to the salvation army and the anderson ferry food pantry. Pill bottle collection: through the cwc pill bottle collection, members contribute plastic pill bottles to matthew: 25 ministries. As a worldwide philanthropic agency, matthew: 25 receives prescription and over-the-counter pill bottles, which are pulverized, creating a plastic pulp that can be sold to finance other aspects of their operation. On average, cwc members collect three large kitchen garbage bags of pill bottles a month. Ronald mcdonald charities: ronald mcdonald house is a "home-away-from home" for families of children being treated at cincinnati children's hospital medical center. Aluminum pull-tabs are collected and delivered to ronald mcdonald house where they are sold to scrap-metal dealers. The funds are used to support the many activities offered to families staying at the house. In 2016-2017 members donated more than seventeen pounds of aluminum. Cwc can do projects: cwc can do projects actively involved many members in a variety of philanthropic endeavors. The practice of planning two-hour labor intensive sessions for hands-on projects continued the club's long history of serving and improving the community. All volunteers enjoyed the camaraderie that resulted from working together, and the sessions provided newer members an opportunity to meet other members of the club. Each session involved six to twenty members. Service projects: the arts & crafts committee sewed more than seventy-five pillowcases and supplied cutouts for a book-making project at fernside. The following agencies were selected as our 2017 gift recipients. Fisher house: fisher house provides a residence for seriously ill veterans who are receiving care at the cincinnati veterans administration hospital. In september, fifteen dedicated cwc members met to mat and frame pictures of cincinnati scenes to be hung in hallways and in patients' rooms. In addition, the volunteers assembled 100 welcome bags that included personal letters expressing our appreciation for their service and wishing them well with their treatments. Joseph house: in december, members gathered to spread yuletide cheer to residents of joseph house. Located in the heart of over the rhine, this agency strives to meet the needs of homeless veterans suffering from addiction. Both the residential and outpatient programs provide support to maintain a lifelong commitment to recovery. Eighteen cwc members baked a large variety of holiday cookies for these veterans. Twelve members then assembled these sweet delights in festive packaging. Hundreds of cookies were delivered to fifty-two thankful men at joseph house. Freestore foodbank: a team of fourteen members and their families met at the mayerson distribution center and packed 200 boxes with food for those in need. Glad house cooking: in october members planned, purchased, and prepared meals at wyoming presbyterian church to benefit glad house. In march the group prepared five meals for forty-eight homeless veterans at joseph house. The meals were ready to freeze and then serve as needed. One way farm: one way farm cares for children who have been victims of abuse as well as victims of human trafficking. They provide a variety of services including temporary emergency housing and longterm housing as well as services that address the challenges of special needs children. Members gathered in january and april to prepare meals; an average of eighteen members prepared six casseroles, decorated 100 sugar cookies, and prepared veggies and veggie dip. All of the food was delivered to one way farm in fairfield, ohio. Project care: in february, members packed and shipped a total of twenty-nine care packages to u. S. Servicemen in kuwait. This year the highly requested girl scout cookies were included to provide the troops with a taste of home. Also packed were personal care items, snacks, treats, books, and games. Each box included a handwritten, personal letter sharing news and expressing gratitude for their service. Leftover snacks were donated to joseph house. Project healing waters: in june cwc members met at voice of america park to assemble lunches for servicemen and women. Project healing waters fly fishing uses fly fishing and associated activities such as educational programs and outings to address the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans. Off the streets (ots): ots provides comprehensive case management for women who are recovering victims of sex trafficking and exploitation. The services include housing, health care, and community integration through job skills training. In november, can do collected towels, sheets, foundation and other garments, personal care items, and more than $500 in gift cards.

the scholarship program provides assistance to outstanding young women students at the university of cincinnati, the university of cincinnati college-conservatory of music (ccm), the art academy of cincinnati college of art & design, and the chatfield college. In 2016-2017 the cincinnati woman's club awarded multiple scholarships that fall into a variety of categories. The university of cincinnati scholarships are awarded to sophomores who can annually renew them until graduation. The longacre scholarship is a one-year scholarship to students pursuing the arts and was awarded to two students, one at the art academy and one enrolled at uc (daap). The louise dieterle nippert scholarship was awarded to a vocal performance student at ccm. She will receive $3,500 each year through the completion of her undergraduate degree. The margaret j. Thomas rehabilitation sciences scholarship is a $5,000 scholarship awarded to one student working toward a doctorate in physical therapy at uc; it is renewable for three years. The chatfield college "learning to live" donation was created in 2017. Students at chatfield face barriers to their continued education from lack of transportation, childcare, and tutoring. Cwc contributed $3,000 to this "scholarship support" fund which will benefit 12 students. The annual scholarship program was held in november, 2016. The 2016-2017 scholars were introduced and invited to share their goals and accomplishments. Each scholar responded with enthusiastic presentations of her academic pursuits, career goals, and extracurricular activities. Twelve university of cincinnati students, the louise dieterle nippert scholar, the thomas scholar, and the longacre scholars were present. Each scholarship recipient has a cwc mentor who supports her; this relationship lasts through the years of each young woman's scholarship.