Serving Forsyth County since 1985
New SWC member Sandy Carter led this year’s Stockings for Seniors project to stuff stockings with items such as:
Here are some pictures of Sandy’s group of volunteers and their happy senior friends getting into the Christmas spirit:
With a $5,000 matching grant from United Way of Forsyth County, a $2,500 grant from Sawnee Woman’s Club, a $1,000 grant from the Gwinnett Braves, and private donations, Feed the Hungry Forsyth has been able to purchase a refrigerated truck.
The addition of this vehicle will allow the organization to begin collecting perishable foods from local restaurants and catering services. This in turn will significantly increase the amount of food delivered to the food pantries in Forsyth County that provide food to the hungry.
The organization is actively seeking additional food donors among Forsyth County restaurants and catering services, as well as volunteers that can drive this vehicle a few days a week to transport food for hungry families.
Congratulations to Maggie Little, daughter of long-time SWC member Debbi Little, on winning a $480 grant from Youth Service America to help fund the “Footloose and Hunger Free” project.
The project raised awareness for the Club’s Sacks of Love program and included a food drive during a drama performance at Forsyth Central High School.
Through the Sacks of Love program, SWC donates food to more than 60 families in Forsyth County.
Beth Buursema and Kristin Joyner announced at the November Executive Board meeting that the Home Life Department was awarded a $4,000 grant from United Way for its Sacks of Love program.
The funds will be used to expand SWC’s Sacks of Love program. Through Sacks of Love, children in Forsyth County schools receive nutritious meals and snacks that prevent them from going hungry over the weekend. SWC members deliver food to each school to be sent home with the students.
Currently, SWC members purchase food at their own expense. If you’d like to donate non-perishable food items to help us stretch the grant award to feed even more children in need, please contact us.
The Sawnee Woman’s Club is pleased to announce that it has donated $2500 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s ambulance fund for the Forsyth location.
The donation will be combined with others from our community and used to purchase a pediatric ambulance that will service the Forsyth County area. Children’s Healthcare of Forsyth has a goal to raise $1 million to provide a dedicated transport vehicle and team for the location at The Avenues. These funds will purchase a mobile intensive care unit vehicle and provide financial support for a dedicated team of pediatric, critical care trained caregivers to better serve the children in our area.
The end result will be faster and more efficient transfer for emergency cases that present at the Children’s Healthcare of Forsyth location. This vehicle will also be able to assist with transfers from the adult healthcare systems in the Forsyth area, as well.
The Sacs of Love project has been Sawnee Woman’s Club main focus in the Home Life Department for the past two years. Our members are currently accepting donations of food to fill backpacks for school children who do not have access to food for the weekends. We began this program in 2009 and with FCSB help, students were identified within the school system needing assistance.
Each week, our members shop for non perishable food and fill a backpack for the student to take home. The counselors and teachers have seen a difference in attention, behavior and overall positive health of the student.
“When we began this project, I believed these book bags we had purchased would not make it back to the counselors office, boy was I wrong,” states Kristin Joyner, past SWC president. “Not only do these backpacks make it back, we receive a huge thank you from all parties involved. These are the types of programs the Sawnee Woman’s Club likes to participate in and where we can make a difference.”
Thank you to everyone single one of you who donated items and/or their time for the Good Night Sleep Tight project!!! It was a huge success!
I have to brag for a minute. We were all so organized and business oriented that we decorated and stuffed over 40 pillowcases and more than 50 stockings in less than 2 hours! That is so awesome Ladies!!!
The best part is, when I dropped off those items at the Child Advocacy Center, they were almost in tears because they had been wondering what they were going to do to help the children that are being taken daily from their homes and put into emergency foster care. So again, from the bottom of mine and Elaine’s heart, thank you! We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas, and we will see you all again after the holidays!
Started by Sue Wilson in 2001, Garden of Empowerment touches the lives of women who are seperated, divorced or widowed. The organization is open to all women and offers educational materials, discussion groups and a mentoring program.
There are no membership fees. Love offerings are welcomed.
Women in the program range in age from 30 to 70. To learn more about this wonderful program please visit www.gardenofempowerment.org or contact Executive Director, Sue Wilson at 770-815-2628, sue@gardenofempowerment.org
