Womans Club Of Minneapolis

CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, CIVIC AND SOCIAL SERVICES, STUDY AND FRIENDLY ASSOCIATION

THE WOMAN'S CLUB WAS FOUNDED BY A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO REALIZED THAT THEY COULD ACHIEVE MORE IN THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVELY THAN THEY COULD INDIVIDUALLY. THEY BEGAN MEETING IN 1907 AND CONTINUED GROWING UNTIL THEY CONSTRUCTED THE BUILDING, LOCATED AT 410 OAK GROVE ST. IN MINNEAPOLIS, IN 1928. THE WOMAN'S CLUB IS RESPONSIBLE, IN LARGE PART, FOR THE MILK PROGRAM AND LUNCH PROGRAM, AS WELL AS CLEAN WATER, IN THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND HAD A HAND IN CREATING THE MINNESOTA VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION, THE MINNEAPOLIS SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND (TODAY KNOWN AS VISION LOSS RESOURCES), AND THE ELOISE BUTLER WILDFLOWER GARDEN AND BIRD SANCTUARY IN THEODORE WORTH PARK.COMMUNITY OUTREACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MISSION-BASED FOUNDATION OF THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF MINNEAPOLIS. SINCE OUR FOUNDING, THE CLUB HAS DONATED OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITY. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE CONTINUED MANY OF OUR TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND WE HAVE ALSO STARTED NEW ONES.THE ARD GODFREY HOUSE, THE OLDEST FRAME HOUSE IN MINNEAPOLIS, DATING FROM 1849, WAS RESTORED BY THE WOMAN'S CLUB AS A GIFT TO THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IN RECOGNITION OF AMERICA'S BICENTENNIAL IN 1976 AND OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1979. NOW OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD, THE WOMAN'S CLUB CONTINUES TO CARE FOR THE INTERIOR FURNISHINGS AND PROVIDES GUIDED TOURS ON WEEKENDS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. IN ADDITION, WE HOST EVENTS EACH MAY (DANDELION DAY) AND DECEMBER (HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE). PRIVATE TOURS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.STILL STRUGGLING WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES FOR BOTH FOOD AND SUPPLIES, COMBINED WITH A STAFFING SHORTAGE THAT IS ONLY STARTING TO IMPROVE IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, THE WOMAN'S CLUB'S RESTAURANT CONTINUES TO GRADUALLY REOPEN. THE RESTAURANT IS OPEN EVERY FRIDAY FOR LUNCH ALONG WITH SPECIAL POP-UP EVENTS THAT ARE MEMBER ONLY EVENTS AND DINNERS AND/OR BRUNCHES THAT ARE ALSO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER (WEATHER PERMITTING) OUR ROOFTOP IS OPEN FOR DRINKS AND DINING AGAIN, BOTH FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR MEMBERS.THE WOMAN'S CLUB'S CULINARY TEAM HAS SHARED OUR KITCHEN WITH THE NONPROFIT INVOLVE MN FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS. INVOLVE MN IS A COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, FAITH, AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS THAT PROVIDES FOR THE UNSHELTERED AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE OF THE MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL AREA. INVOLVE MN LEASES THE CLUB'S KITCHEN AND SEVEN DAYS A WEEK THEIR STAFF PREPARES AND DELIVERS MEALS TO THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE UNSHELTERED. THE WOMAN'S CLUB AND INVOLVE MN PARTNER ON COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS A CLOTHING AND PERSONAL HYGIENE DRIVE IN 2021 AND ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH FOR THE LORING PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, IS HELD IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE WOMAN'S CLUB.OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE HAS THREE PRIORITIES THAT HELP US ACHIEVE OUR MISSION OF "ENHANCING THE CIVIC FRAMEWORK OF THE CITY."- SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE PROJECTS: THESE ARE LONGSTANDING PROJECTS, LED BY MEMBERS OF THE WOMAN'S CLUB, TO SERVE UNMET NEEDS FOR AREA NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.-- SCHOOL'S IN SESSION IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS AQUATENNIAL THAT RAISES BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS THROUGH PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE. WITH MOST SCHOOLS RETURNING TO IN-PERSON EDUCATION THIS FALL, THIS HAS BEEN AN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN IN 2022.-- CHEMO CAPS, A DECADES-LONG PROJECT THAT HAS CLUB MEMBERS MAKING SOFT, WARM CAPS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY AND OTHER TREATMENTS, WAS A PROJECT THAT THRIVED DURING COVID-19. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, VOLUNTEERS DELIVERED 600 CAPS TO THE HENNEPIN HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION.-- UKRAINE HAS BEEN ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MOST AMERICANS, AND, WITH TWO WEEKS PLANNING, THE WOMAN'S CLUB PRODUCED, WITH LAKE OF THE ISLES LUTHERAN CHURCH AND THE ISLES ENSEMBLE, A SPECTACULAR FUNDRAISER THAT RAISED OVER $80,000 FOR UKRAINIAN RELIEF IN A SINGLE AFTERNOON.-- INVOLVE MN WAS THE RECIPIENT OF HOLIDAY MEALS FOR THEIR CLIENTS WHEN THE WOMAN'S CLUB SOLICITED DONATIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED IN OUR COMMUNITY WOULD RECEIVE A THANKSGIVING MEAL.- COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS: THE WOMAN'S CLUB WAS ASKED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK & RECREATION BOARD TO HELP IN THEIR EFFORTS TO INCREASE ACTIVITY AND REDUCE CRIME IN CITY PARKS AND ON CITY STREETS.-- THE LORING PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY BLOCK CLUB WAS THE SECOND WALKING GROUP TO FORM IN MINNEAPOLIS IN THE SUMMER OF 2022. THE WOMAN'S CLUB SERVES AS THE MEETING PLACE FOR MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, AND CONCERNED CITIZENS TO MEET WEEKLY TO WALK AROUND LORING PARK, NICOLLET AVENUE, AND OAK GROVE STREET. ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 18 WALKERS SHOW UP EVERY THURSDAY AFTERNOON TO WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MEET NEIGHBORS, PROVIDE DIRECTIONS, AND A SAFE PRESENCE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.-- WORKING WITH E.T.C. PRODUCTIONS, A THEATER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA, THE WOMAN'S CLUB SPONSORED TWO PERFORMANCES OF SEUSSICAL JR. IN LORING PARK AND IN CHUTE SQUARE IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS. OVER 150 PEOPLE, THE MAJORITY CHILDREN, ATTENDED THESE TWO FREE, COMMUNITY PRODUCTIONS.- ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAMMING-- A VITAL ARTS AND CULTURE ENVIRONMENT IS A KEY ASSET OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND A POWERFUL ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR OUR REGION. THE WOMAN'S CLUB HAS UNIQUE SPACES THAT ARE PERFECT FOR PRESENTING MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, THEATER, DANCE, AND THE FINE ARTS. AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS, THE CLUB IS OPENING UP OUR SPACE TO LOCAL ARTISTS SUCH AS MUSICIAN LORI DOKKEN, JAZZ VOCALIST CONNIE EVINGSON, RADIO PERSONALITY AND PODCAST HOST SUE SCOTT, AND THE LAKES ARES MUSIC FESTIVAL. WORKING TOGETHER, WE ARE FINDING NEW AUDIENCES FOR ARTISTS AND PROVIDING REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTIST TO WORK AND EARN A LIVING.IN ADDITION TO BEING A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE WOMAN'S CLUB REMAINS A PRIVATE CLUB. THE WOMAN'S CLUB HAS 30 COMMITTEES AND INTEREST GROUPS WHICH HELP COORDINATE OUR CHARITABLE, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. SOME OF THE COMMITTEES INCLUDE THE WRITER'S GUILD, CLASSES AND SEMINARS, MULTIPLE READING GROUPS, THE COMMUNICATIONS, DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND HISTORY COMMITTEES.BELOW IS A PARTIAL LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.- EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MISSION. IN THE FALL OF 2021, OUR TUESDAY PROGRAM RETURNED IN PERSON WITH A WEEKLY GUEST SPEAKER WHO PRESENTED ON TOPICS SUCH AS CHALLENGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, THE DEREK CHAUVIN MURDER TRIAL, LEADERSHIP, CURRENT AFFAIRS IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. OUR GREAT DECISIONS SERIES IS A MONTHLY DISCUSSION ON INTERNATIONAL ISSUES SUCH AS GLOBAL HEALTH, THE IMPACT OF BREXIT, GLOBALIZATION, HOMELAND SECURITY AND TERRORISM.- OUR CIRCULATING LIBRARY, WHICH ALLOWS MEMBERS TO SELECT BOOKS, AUDIO TAPES, AND CDS, WAS RARELY USED DURING THE PANDEMIC. NOW, IT'S OPEN WHENEVER THE CLUBHOUSE IS AND IT'S AGAIN BEING USED BY OUR MEMBERS.- OUR GALLERY EXHIBITS A NEW SHOW BY LOCAL ARTISTS EVERY QUARTER. EXHIBITIONS RETURNED IN THE FALL OF 2021 AND WERE AS VARIED AS A COLLECTION OF WATERCOLORS THAT DOCUMENTED ONE ARTIST'S WORK PAINTING CHICKENS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC. THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY A SPECTACULAR COLLECTION OF BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY OF NATURE TAKEN THROUGHOUT THE U.S. A DISPLAY OF TRADITIONAL OIL PAINTINGS INFLUENCED BY THE FLEMISH SCHOOL CONCLUDED THE FISCAL YEAR'S EXHBITS. THE CLUB OFFERS A "MEET THE ARTIST" EVENT AND ENCOURAGES MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS BY PURCHASING THEIR WORK.FOLLOWING SOME DIFFICULT YEARS, THE WOMAN'S CLUB IS SEEING A GRADUAL INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP, A SIGNIFICANT RETURN IN EVENTS (SUCH AS LIFE CELEBRATIONS AND CORPORATE MEETINGS), MORE BOOKINGS IN OUR THEATER, AND A SENSE OF ENERGY AND POSITIVITY THAT HAD BEEN MISSING FOR SOME TIME.