Each year the Westport Woman’s Club evaluates grant applications from Fairfield County nonprofit organizations. WWC members spend countless volunteer hours each fall through spring on due diligence to find the right balance between current needs within the community, raised funds, and the WWC mission statement. This past March, COVID-19 arrived as a surprise participant late in the grant evaluation process.
Current WWC President, Christina McVaney shares, “As we go through the current crisis, it has never been more important for philanthropic organizations such as the Westport Woman's Club to use our resources to make the most impact in our community. For that reason, we have identified 5 local organizations that we believe will make an important contribution in Fairfield County in the coming months.”
With the physical and mental well-being of our neighbors taking precedence, the Westport Woman’s Club announces their Spring 2020 Community Service Grants, totaling $50,000, to the following Fairfield County nonprofits: Bridgeport Rescue Mission (www.bridgeportrescuemission.org), Filling in the Blanks (www.fillingintheblanks.org), Domestic Violence Crisis Center (www.dvccct.org), Homes with Hope, Inc. (www.hwhct.org), and Westport Families in Need (coordinated by Westport’s Department of Human Service’s COVID-19 Fund ~ www.westportct.gov). Please visit these five organizations/websites to support the COVID-19 services each are providing within our Fairfield County community.
The Westport Woman’s Club (www.westportwomansclub.org), organized in 1907, is a non-profit philanthropic organization dedicated to volunteerism and the raising of funds in support of the educational, charitable, cultural and public health services in Westport and surrounding towns. You do not have to be a Westport Resident to join The Westport Woman’s Club. To join, call the WWC office at 203-227-4240. Link to 06880 post:
“Westport Woman’s Club members and friends participated in the
MAKING STRIDES Against Breast Cancer Walk on 10/20/19, led by WWC Past President,
Audrey Rabinowitz, who has organized the club’s participation for the past 14 years.”
Photo taken by WWC Member Gloria Smithson
Westport Woman’s Club members and friends joined survivors, caregivers, and walkers of all ages at the MAKING STRIDES Against Breast Cancer Walk this morning at Sherwood Island State Park for the WWC’s 14th consecutive year of supporting this cause. The American Cancer Society has organized this MAKING STRIDES walk in Fairfield County for the past 26 years to raise funds for research and support for those diagnosed with breast cancer. To learn more about MAKING STRIDES of Fairfield County, contact your local American Cancer Society office during standard business hours (Katie Divenuto, FairfieldCTstrides@cancer.org, 203-563-1513). (more…)
The Westport Woman’s Club’s Ruegg Committee presented their 2019 Ruegg Grant, in the amount of $10,000, to Aspetuck Land Trust to help sponsor their “Green Corridor: Saugatuck to Shore" program, focusing on "Westport: A Model of Change." This WWC grant will be used to educate and motivate homeowners to take care of their yards in more sustainable ways to increase biodiversity and improve the environment by planting native plants, switching to organic lawn care, and reducing pesticide usage. The land trust is developing two model native landscape demonstration sites in Westport: one at Earthplace, and another at the land trust’s Caryl and Edna Haskins Preserve on Green Acre Lane. This effort to educate Westport residents will involve workshops and partnerships with Westport non-profits, as well as local businesses. Aspetuck Land Trust shares, "Every homeowner can make a difference by taking care of their yards in more sustainable ways."
The WWC Grant Awards Breakfast was held on Wednesday, May 22nd and gratitude was the main course! The Westport Woman’s Club Community Services Director, Susan Hricik, presented Grant Awards to 34 local non-profit organizations, totaling $33,000. These funds were raised from the WWC Yankee Doodle Fair and other yearly WWC fundraisers which support these annual Community Service Grants. Also awarded was a Bedford Hall Grant, which allows a one-time free rental of our Hall by nonprofits for fundraising or friend-raising purposes. (more…)
The Westport Woman’s Club presented scholarships totaling $38,000 at their annual Scholarship Awards ceremony on Thursday, May 23rd. Recipients were Staples High School Seniors, and an adult woman pursuing a secondary education. Thank you to our 2019 Scholarship Chairperson, Wendy McKeon, and her committee for all of their dedication to the application review and interview process, and for coordinating this morning event that honors these inspiring students. (more…)
Westport Woman’s Club members, along with volunteers from the National Charity League and S.L.O.B.S (Service League of Boys), brought their muscle on Saturday, May 11th to transport, sort and stock arriving bags of food from the annual USPS “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive. Numerous mail trucks, each filled with donated bags of food from the Westport community, arrived throughout a beautiful spring afternoon to benefit our Food Closet (at one time seven trucks showed up simultaneously!). (more…)
Westport Woman’s Club members and community friends met on the first morning of the New Year to deliver hot meals, prepared by Westport’s Sherwood Diner, to provide cheer to local residents. The list of recipients is generated by the Westport Human Services Department and this holiday meal program is funded by the WWC. (more…)
The Westport Woman’s Club sponsors holiday meals each Thanksgiving Day for local homebound residents, in support of Westport’s Department of Human Services’ home-delivered meal clients, who may not otherwise have family or friends to share the holiday. These 2018 Thanksgiving meals were prepared by In Good Taste Catering, and were delivered by many appreciated volunteers. (more…)
The WWC Food Closet, now in its 43rd year of community service to Westport, offers gratitude to local partner, Westport National Bank, a division of Connecticut Community Bank, N.A. One of the Bank’s Spirit of Giving campaign events will be stocking the WWC Food Closet with a Community Food Drive this holiday season from 11/26 – 12/21. (more…)
On Sunday, October 14th, Westport Woman’s Club members and friends raised funds and participated in the American Cancer Society’s MAKING STRIDES Against Breast Cancer Walk at Sherwood Island State Park. This annual Fairfield County fundraising event draws thousands of participants. Thanks to WWC member Audrey Rabinowitz for organizing our club’s participation again this year.
link to westportnow post
The Westport Woman's Club's Ruegg Committee presented their 2018 Ruegg Grant, in the amount of $1,200, to Wakeman Town Farm for the purchase of an innovative Mobile Chicken Coop that aids in soil fertilization.
Wakeman Town Farm is a local non-profit educational center whose mission is to provide Westport families with a link to the land. It has become a community hub where people of all ages in Westport and surrounding towns come to learn about organic farming, sustainability and homesteading, as well as to attend events designed to bring families to the farm. The farm has partnered with the Westport Parks & Recreation Department to promote various children’s programs, including summer camps, a Farm Apprentice Program, a Middle School Farm Club and internships for high school and college students. (more…)
The Westport Woman’s Club presented scholarships to Staples High School students at their Awards Breakfast on May 25th.
Click here for details on Westportnow. (more…)
The Curio Cottage Thrift Shop at the Westport Woman's Club is having a Huge Winter Clearance Sale.
For the ENTIRE MONTH of FEBRUARY EVERYTHING is HALF-PRICE.
There are a wide variety of quality items from collectibles, jewelry, glassware, artwork, purses and much, much more.
The shop is open Monday 1-4, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10-3, Saturday 11-2. (more…)
Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2017 Westport Woman's Club Holiday Meals program a success; planning, preparing and delivering warm meals to homebound Westport residents over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays.
The program, funded and coordinated by the WWC, would not have been possible without the contributions and support from the Town of Westport, In Good Taste, Sherwood Diner and the Jack and Jeanne Klinge family. The Human Services Department of the Town of Westport identified residents (about 24 residents each holiday) who did not have access to a special holiday meal. In Good Taste (Southport), and Sherwood Diner (Westport) took time during the busy holiday season to plan and prepare delicious warm meals. Jean and Jack Klinge, their extended family and friends delivered the meals. (more…)
The Westport Woman’s Club is currently accepting grant applications from Fairfield County non-profit organizations. Please click here for Grant Application Form. The due date for applications to be submitted is October 31, 2017.
Contributions are being accepted weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westport Woman’s Club located at 44 Imperial Ave.
Link to Westportnow.com Article
Members of the Westport Woman's Club Ruegg Committee award 2017 Ruegg Grant to members of Westport Astronomical Society Board. (more…)
Our small farewell party for Karen Eickhoff, one of the founding members of the WWC Curio Cottage together with Jackie Froelich. Karen will be moving to Saratoga Springs, NY.
Thank you, Karen. Your hard work, loving care and generous spirit has helped make our Curio Cottage the success it is. Thanks from all of us at The Westport Woman's Club! (more…)
Today, at Westport's Project Return, the Westport Woman's Club's Ruegg Committee presented their 2016 Ruegg Grant, in the amount of $10,000, for use in repainting the group's facility, a historic house on North Compo Road. (more…)
On May 19, at the Westport Woman's Club's Bedford Hall, The group presented $30,000 in community services grants to local non-profit organizations. Also awarded were Bedford Hall grants, which allow a one time per year free use of the hall by nonprofits for fundraising or friend-raising purposes. (more…)
The Westport Woman's Club's Food Closet partners each year--on the second Saturday in May--with the National Assn. of Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive. Postal workers collect and deliver bags of food to the WWC's Bedford Hall. There, WWC volunteers receive and sort the food according to type, remove and discard expired items and transfer the net donations for storage and future distribution to Westporters in need, through Westport's Dept. of Human Services. (more…)
On Earth Day, at the head of the Earthplace trails system, the Westport Woman’s Club’s Community Services chair, Nancy Saipe, presented its annual $5,000 Ruegg Grant to Tony McDowell, EarthPlace executive director and Lisa Shufro, Trustee and Grounds chair. Also presenting were WWC president, Dorothy Curran, and Jo Fuchs-Luscombe, Mary Lee Clayton, and Arlene Thrope.
The WWC Ruegg Grant committee (Nancy Saipe, Mary Lee Clayton, Jo Luscombe, Arlene Thrope and Barbara Szefc) unanimously selected EarthPlace as the 2015 recipient of the Ruegg Grant. The Ruegg Grant, established in 1995 by an endowment left to the club by former member Lea Ruegg, is given to deserving organizations in the arts, educational endeavors, and health and safety-related programs.
EarthPlace will use the funds to re-draw and update inaccurate maps of their 74 acre sanctuary. The new maps will include all trails, habitats, bordering areas and other nature elements; there are several miles of trails, including a trail suitable tor wheFel chairs and strollers. (more…)
