Tag Archives: PresidentsMessage

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

AAUW members are very generous people as witnessed by the food donated at our Holiday Luncheon in December. Several members donated later, and I had the opportunity to visit the food closet at CSUS in January, before classes began.

I was given the tour of the room where students come to get needed food. They have a refrigerator and have received a generous grant to buy a larger one. Food is organized by type, such as cereal and canned soup that appeared to come from bulk purchases, probably facilitated by monthly donations. They also have a large rack of bread products, which concerned me as school was on break. The coordinator of the facility said that they go through this really large rack of bread in two hours during school, and there are students who are local who also come in during the break. There were bins of carrots and potatoes, probably donated by a farmer.

This brings me to a way we can further be involved. Soil Born Farms has volunteers who come out on Saturdays to pick and donate fruit from your backyard trees if you would like to donate it. They then distribute the fruit to local food banks, one of which is at CSUS. To donate in this way: Go to Soil Born.org, click ‘volunteer’, next ‘Join the Harvest Sacramento team’, then ‘Donate — donate your fruit’ options are 1. “We harvest and donate the fruit from your tree,” complete the form shown there, or 2. “You harvest and donate fruit from your tree,” Locate a donation site near you. Click on that to enter your location and enter how many miles you are willing to travel to donate.

As a further way to help: They also give students cookbooks with recipes that are quick and easy, like having only a few ingredients. Who doesn’t have way too many cookbooks? I live near CSUS and can deliver if you would like to give them to me when you see me — perhaps at a book group meeting!

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

I have been asked how members can be more politically active within AAUW, given that as a 501(c)(3) our affiliate cannot advocate for partisan politics. But, AAUW supports lobbyists, at the state and national level, to advocate for issues that further our mission statement of advancing gender equity for women and girls. Note the difference: We are non-partisan, but not disinterested. We are issue focused, not political-party focused. You can certainly do that on your own time or with other organizations.

National AAUW supports a program called the Two-Minute Activist, in which many of us participate. Aside from donating to the state and national organizations, it is the easiest way to get involved. The process is as follows:  On your computer, go to AAUW.org. Log in if you have before or have forgotten your password. If not, follow the ‘Donate, Engage, Renew’ which prompts you how to set a login if you have not previously set on. Log in, which takes you to the ‘Personal Snapshot’ page. Check your information, return to the top of the page and click ‘Take Action.’ On the right of the screen click ‘Two-Minute Activist’ and sign up. Again you will see your contact information and then click on your interests. Click ‘Submit’ and you are in! This sounds like a lot, but it is pretty intuitive. Don’t you hate that when someone says that? Generally I say, then why do I need directions! Really, it is easy! Trust me.

You will get emails that tell you what the issue is and give you the chance to add your own thoughts to the prepared message. You agree for it to be sent to your representatives, or not, as you see fit, and you are done. Try it. Besides being told of the issues and AAUW’s position, you are informing your representatives!

 

 

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

Last month we talked about women who have given a significant amount of time to maintaining the presidency of our branch. This month we need to talk about what help is needed to keep the branch running.

When you get involved, besides knowing that you are a part of the leadership team, you will get to know other active members who just could become your great friends. Look at our current vacancies and see where you fit in!

Lisa Howard, the chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, needs help putting together the March meeting, which will use the AAUW implicit bias tool kit.

Charmen Goehring would like members to become familiar with the California School Board Project, which is a part of our Public Policy committee. The San Juan school board was just flipped to extremists so we need to monitor what and where this is happening. We also need a public policy chair to report on bills before the state government that our state lobbyist is following. You would also attend an alternate-month Zoom meeting and write articles for this newsletter informing us of issues we might want to follow.

If you are interested in helping high school girls plan for a career in government, we could use help in contacting schools to recruit girls. We have a state Gov Trek representative in our branch who could show how this is done. Contact Kathy Papst for any of these areas of focus.

The Speech Trek committee needs another member or two to shadow Ann and Shari as they conduct their November informational speech contest workshops (about one hour each) so that you can learn to conduct some of these meetings yourselves. You would need to be available a few weekdays by mid to late November. Where are our former English and/or speech teachers? Contact Kathleen Deaver if you would like to get involved.

Karen Burley could use some help getting the newsletter out and can show someone the ropes. Some comfort level with technology/computer applications such as Microsoft Word is needed.

It takes a lot of hands to accomplish our goals, and we would like to have your time and talents to help accomplish our goal of advancing gender equity for women and girls! Be in touch! All of the contact people are in the directory.

SEE YOU AT THE HOLIDAY PARTY!