GFWC PA President’s Project:
High Five – Help Kids Thrive!
Early Childhood Advocacy
CHAIRMAN
District Chairman
Southeastern:
Janey Gifford
Northeastern:
South Central:
Melinda McDonald
misherwood77@yahoo.com
District Chairman
North Central:
Southwestern:
Cheryl Brooks
cherylbrooks49@yahoo.com
Northwestern:
Norma McClay
State President's Project:
High Five - Help Kids Thrive! Early Childhood Advocacy
OBJECTIVE:
GFWC Pennsylvania will work with child care and early learning platforms and partners to educate our members on the needs of children birth to age five and their families. Our main focus is partnering and supporting PA Head Start.
PA Head Start offers early learning and care opportunities for children birth to five, and their families. Those services include: Pregnancy services, early care and education, health and wellness, nutrition services and parenting support and engagement. Our club members will partner with their local PA Head Start to support them with needed volunteers and supplies such as art items, paper products, snacks, backpacks, and more.
GOALS:
- Support PA Head Start and give underprivileged children under the age of 6 the opportunity to thrive.
- Help babies and young children learn through reading and creative play.
- Teach young children the important of protecting our environment and food resources
- Provide supplies so children can grow their creativity, imaginations, and blossoming skills
- Give parents and caregivers information to keep their children safe.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS
The President’s Project will also concentrate on the FIVE aspects of High Five – Help Kids Thrive: Arts & Culture, Environment, Health & Wellness, Civic Engagement (safety) and Education & Libraries.
Under each of these Community Service Programs our members will have opportunities to support the President’s Project by undertaking projects in these areas.
Arts & Culture
Encourage creative play; take your grandchildren to a museum; support crafts at a local playground; donate used musical instruments to a school; have a children’s craft booth at a local fair; supply refreshments for a daycare musical program; and more.
Health and Wellness
Club members will share information on nutrition; food allergies; playful exercise for body and mind; disease prevention; emotional support; and more. Members could hold a gluten free food drive for the local shelter; sponsor a run for 3 to 5 year olds with prizes; have a program for parents on good nutritional habits; provide healthy snacks for the local daycare; and more.
Education & Libraries
This program’s focus on the President’s Project will highlight reading and creativity. Members should promote story hours at libraries and daycares; have a small child craft workshop based on a children’s book; donate books to start a little library for preschoolers; host a baby book drive for the local women’s shelter; have a Dr. Seuss Tea Party for club members’ children and grandchildren and more.
Environment
Encourage parents to plant with their children and teach them about pollinators; plan environment projects for preschoolers focusing on sensory exploration, recycling, and connecting with nature to build early stewardship habits. Make nature crafts, set up a recycling sorting game or plant seeds in recycled containers.
Civic Engagement
Under this program the President’s Project will include food insecurity; unhoused children; and safety. Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death of children in the United States. Summer is known among public health professionals as “trauma season”. Club women will share information on keeping children safe this summer. Safe Kids Pennsylvania is the only statewide evidence-based child injury prevention program in Pennsylvania that covers home safety, car and road safety and sport and play safety. May is Safe Kids Month and National Water Safety Month. We will give you a calendar with safety focuses for each month such as swimming safety; brain injury prevention; playground safety; safe toys; and more.
Affiliates
The President’s Project also encompasses some of GFWC’s affiliates. So the projects you do for children under the age of 5 for
- Shot at Life
- March of Dimes
- St. Jude’s, and
- Operation Smile
should also be reported under the President’s Project.
© 2026 General Federation of Women’s Clubs Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Permission granted to GFWC Pennsylvania members for their exclusive use to freely reproduce in whole or in part (indicate if excerpted) using this credit line: © 2026 General Federation of Women’s Clubs Pennsylvania. www.gfwcpennsylvania.org Used with permission. May not be reproduced for sale or profit.
Join a Club Near You
Reach out to our membership chairman for help finding a club near you.
For general inquiries, contact Headquarters below or the Chairman of a specific program or advancement area.
1301 Allegheny Street, Suite 119
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
T: 814-317-6489
info@gfwcpennsylvania.org
