Gfwc-Temecula Valley Womans Club

Programs: Annual special project for 2017 was a donation to the city of temecula in the amount of $12,000 for a playground to be built in the sam hicks park in front of the temecula historical museum.

scholarships:twenty $1,000 scholarships were granted to graduated seniors from six local high schools toward their college educations. Career pathways provided $6,850 for vocational scholarships to graduating high school students, community college students, foster care independent programs and older adult re-entry students. In 2017, selected students were seeking vocational training in the fields of graphic art, fire management, child development certification, speech therapy, and law enforcement. Hoby provided $3,850 to send six local high school sophomores to the hugh obrian youth leadership seminar.

senior care: the caring committee provides monthly hot lunch, fellowship and birthday celebrations at a local low income senior housing facility. The committee also provides basic hygiene and personal items, such as shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent and other items along with grocery store and gas station gift cards for those with need.

womens health helps support michelles place breast cancer resource center. Michelles place in the only facility of its type in all of riverside county, providing care, education and support for those going through treatment for breast and ovarian cancer. Tvwc provides mastectomy care kits which include drain pouches, chemo caps, comfort pillows, slipper socks, journals, pens and notes of encouragement.

international outreach goes outside of our local borders to provide support in other parts of the world. In 2017, some of those efforts included making and sending 134 tiny hospital gowns and 27 comfort blankets to operation smile, which provides cleft palate surgery for children around the world. In addition, the committee provided funding for one additional surgery for a child that would have otherwise not been able to have their cleft palate repaired. The international outreach committee also provided funding for several overseas educational projects, including $500 to save the childrens educate a girl program in africa where $15 will educate a girl for one year; endoro primary school in karatu, tanzania; all hands volunteers to build temporary learning centers in nepal after the devastating earthquake; zika virus relief fund; and safe water plus more.

military support provided computers and accessories to the veterans village in san diego for retraining and job search efforts for returning veterans. The committee also supported the annual stand down event which provides health care, barbers, legal counsel, clothing and personal items for homeless veterans. The committee continues to partner with all from the heart to help and support active duty military families with holiday gifts, lunch and a fun family day.

celebrating children helps support several local foster care, homeless centers and at-risk childrens facilities. A major project is to provide each child with a backpack, fully loaded with all the necessary supplies to have a successful school year. Working with project touch, the committee provided holiday gifts for children in their homeless shelter and transitional housing. The committee also aided koinonia foster agency in provide a joyous christmas party for the children. Oak grove is a residential facility for children with special needs. The oak grove committee helps provide parties for all major holidays, a pool party in the summer, and needed equipment, books and supplies. But just as important, the committee members interact with the children, making them feel loved, special, safe and secure.

arts and entertainment committee supports and promotes arts within the community. In 2017, the committee awarded two $750 arts awards to graduating high school seniors to assist them in their continued college education in the arts. The committee also donated $500 to a new, local theater troupe bringing equity theater to the community.

conservation committee participates in the national penny pines reforestation program each year. In 2017, the committee provided funding to reforest 10 acres in the local san bernardino national forest. The committee partnered with the santa rosa plateau to offer conservation and preservation education to grades 3-12. The committee also supports several local community gardens and trail projects.

animal advocates supports our local humane society, animal friends of the valley, by helping care for the animals in their shelter and providing food, blankets, toys and treats for the animals. The committee also partners with villa chardonnay, a local horse sanctuary that cares for abused and abandoned animals. The committee provides care and food for the animals.

domestic violence awareness and prevention committee supports operation safehouse, a shelter for runaways, throwaways and surviving victims of child trafficking. The committee works with s. A. F. E. Alternatives for everyone, a local non-profit that provides services to families and individuals who have experienced or are at-risk of, domestic violence. For the past four years, the committee has been growing their pinwheels for prevention project, taking it to preschools, elementary and middle schools. The pinwheel is a symbol of a healthy family and a carefree childhood and is used to raise awareness about domestic violence, abuse and neglect. After the school presentations and the pinwheel garden plantings, numerous children have sought out a school counselor, teacher and other trusted adult to discuss their personal experiences, concerns and fears in a safe environment. The committee also partners with calicinto ranch in their boys and girls of prisoners program. Statistically, 70% of children of prisoners will follow in their parents footsteps without positive intervention in childhood. Calicinto ranch provides a summer camp and other fun times throughout the year where these children are mentored and participate in playful and enjoyable activities in a safe environment. The children are able to build strong and trusting relationships with adults.

other projects including murrieta library, museum committee, temecula libraries, donor guild for local theatre troupe, local community food pantries