AAUW-WHC Announcements

AAUW-WHC HAS A NEW MEMBER DATABASE MANAGER

On January 1, 2025, Linda Griffin will take over the position of AAUW-WHC Member Database Manager. Please send any new member information and corrections or changes to existing members’ contact information to Linda at drlgriffin@outlook.com. Please put drlgriffin@outlook.com in your contacts. This will help make sure that your email server accepts group branch communications.

Remember, the person requesting the blast is responsible for writing it. Requests for blasts to members must be sent to Branch President, Josephine Glidewell first for approval (aauwjglidewell@gmail.com). She will forward the approved blast to the Member Database Manager to be sent out to branch members.

AAUW WHC Gourmet group November dinner at Jonathan’s The Rub

AAUW WHC members enjoyed the November field trip to Coastal Prairie Conservancy’s Indiangrass Preserve

Legacy Circle

AAUW Texas is encouraging each branch to work on the 5-Star rating all year. As we have evaluated the Five-Star Tool Kit and the requirements for achieving 5-stars, we decided that we would advertise some of our areas where we are weak but could easily improve. One of these was Legacy Circle.

What is the Legacy Circle? 

AAUW’s Legacy Circle acknowledges donors who have included AAUW National in their estate plans with a planned gift. Please note that the Legacy Circle does not recognize planned gifts made to AAUW state or branches.

Is there a minimum amount you must leave to AAUW to qualify?        

There is no minimum amount. You are not required to disclose your donation amount. We ask that you be as generous as possible and will celebrate a gift of any size.

Are there any benefits associated with the Legacy Circle?     

All Legacy Circle members receive a special Legacy Circle pin designed by Swarovski exclusively for AAUW as a tangible symbol of their generosity and commitment.

Can I leave my gift to a specific program or area of interest within AAUW?    

While we are grateful for every gift we receive, we strongly prefer unrestricted donations, which offer AAUW the flexibility to use funds where they are needed most at any given time.

What are the different ways to make a planned gift?     

Planned gifts at AAUW include:

  • Bequests: A bequest is a gift that is made through a will or living trust. Bequests can be made as a percentage of an estate, a specific dollar amount, or a specific asset. Bequests can be unrestricted or restricted to a specific purpose.
  • Retirement plan assets: Retirement plan assets, such as an IRA or 401(k), can be donated to AAUW. This can be a tax-efficient way to make a charitable gift.
  • Life insurance: Life insurance policies can be donated to AAUW. This can be a tax-efficient way to make a charitable gift.
  • Charitable gift annuities: A charitable gift annuity is a contract between the donor and AAUW. The donor makes a gift to AAUW (minimum $10,000) in exchange for fixed payments for life. Donors must be 75 or older to set up an AAUW charitable gift or annuity. Donors who are not 75 should consider a deferred Charitable Gift Annuity.

More information is available at https://www.aauw.org/resources/member/support-aauw/leave-a-legacy/

As soon as you have made the necessary arrangements, complete the Legacy Circle enrollment form, sign it, and send it to AAUW, Planned Giving Office.

1310 L St. NW, Suite 1000
Washington, D.C., 20005

TALKING POINTS FROM AAUW NATIONAL, Oct. 3rd, 2024 (edited version)

What does AAUW National do?

  • Policy Advocacy: Focuses on national issues affecting women and girls, such as education equity, pay equity, and reproductive rights. We coordinate our Public Policy Committees, participate in

coalition work and partner with other prominent National organizations to raise awareness about our         policy priorities (such as the YWCA for our Gen Z Town Hall in Philadelphia).

  • Subject Matter Expertise: We have historically produced in-depth studies on topics like the gender pay gap and women in leadership roles. While we haven’t produced reports recently due to limited

funding – we have done high level analysis of pay gap data recently released. We are frequently asked to comment on topics related to pay equity, student loan debt and other issues related to gender equity. You can see our recently updated page on Latinas and the pay gap for example

here: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/latinas-and-the-pay-gap/ We have tens of thousands of social media followers across all platforms and have well over 1 million website viewers – ensuring that our brand remains prominent and relevant. AAUW’s representative to the United Nations has been invited to White House events on at least three occasions recently. On a Global level – our work in this capacity provides great reputational value related to global gender equity work.

  • Salary Negotiation and Financial Literacy Training: Offers training and resources for women to develop skills to be financially empowered. In particular, our Work Smart, Start Smart and Money Smart trainings provide valuable resources and tools for women to become economically empowered. Nationally, we work with organizations such as the HBCU Career Center, Tri Delta, Coca Cola Foundation, Finra Foundation, SAGE and others to bring these trainings to thousands of women across the country. These trainings were developed and are updated and managed by the National office. They have been independently evaluated by two separate entitles and continually receive very

high ratings from participants.

  • Fellowships & Grants: We award and administer over $6 million in fellowships and grants each year to hundreds of women in the US and Internationally. We also connect our members and branches to these awardees and alumnae and have an Alumnae Relations team charged with growing and maintaining relationships with our thousands of distinguished Alumnae.
  • Membership Services: Provides support and resources for local branches and members, including access to national networks and events. We host all aauw.net websites, process dues, support 990

filings, and maintain our history and globally recognized brand. Without AAUW National, AAUW branches would instead be independently organized entities who would not be networked with one another or have the ability to utilize the AAUW name. In essence, while AAUW National sets the strategic direction and focuses on broader issues, local branches implement programs and initiatives that directly benefit their local communities. Together, our aim is to work towards the common goal of advancing gender equity.

WHCB Project to Promote Literacy
Donate your books!

As you have read or heard on the news, many school districts are having to cut their budgets for the 2024-2025 school year.   This is the result of the legislature not passing sufficient school funding during the last legislative session.  To cut costs, Spring Branch ISD is eliminating librarian positions at all schools.  Other school districts may take similar steps.

To advance literacy in one low economic neighborhood, our branch is supporting a free library that has been started at Spring Branch Family Development Center (SBFDC).  What’s needed are books. Gently used (or new) books in either English or Spanish are requested. The SBFDC Free Library can share everything from toddler board books to beginning readers, chapter books, graphic novels, illustrated nonfiction texts, mysteries, and young adult fiction, etc.

Many of you are grandmothers or maybe you are a retired teacher.  You may have gently used children’s books in your home for entertaining grandchildren who have outgrown them and are no longer used.  Perhaps your treasured book collection can be put to good use.  Members can donate books at our next branch meetings in April and May.

When: Ongoing
Where: Branch meetings
Who: All WHCB members
What: Donate gently used or new children’s books
For: Spring Branch Family Development Center
Questions: Contact by email Georgia Kimmel, Cathy Urquhart, or Diana Guarniere.

This webpage was last modified: May 1, 2024

A list of AAUW-WHC activities can be found in our newsletter as well as in the directory.

Leaders for all the groups are listed in the Directory, but if you have questions and/or would like help to make a connection, please contact Activities Coordinator, Sharon Jorgeson,
281-703-5939, sjorgeson@gmail.com

Please see online newsletter for specifics for the interest groups.

10 Steps to Make a Difference with AAUW

This year AAUW is focusing on economic security and pay equity. AAUW is working toward a goal of ensuring livelihood for women by achieving pay equity by the year 2030 through several key objectives:

  • Champion pay equity federally and in all U.S. states and territories
  • Lead the nation in providing salary negotiation programs for employees and employers
  • Train 10 million women in salary negotiations by 2022.

Click here to watch the six minute video on 10 Steps to Make a Difference with AAUW.

Greetings to All AAUW West Harris County (TX) Branch Members

The Board has approved the use of permanent name tags to be purchased by the members. Members opting not to purchase name tags will be provided with sticky tags at events.

The instructions below can be used to order your name tag – example shown above.

Go to: AAUW.source4.com

Select: Wear AAUW (the first item)

Select: Photo of the name tag

Select: Pin or magnet – ($8.00 for pin closing and $10.00 for magnetic closing)

Select: Quantity

Select: “Customize” and complete the information requested: 

  • your name,
  • “West Harris County (TX) Branch”
  • and name of your university (optional).

Make sure the information for the name badge is correct and proceed to checkout.

I will be glad to assist anyone who has trouble ordering their name tag online.
Sheila Jaynes, Membership Vice-President

No Longer in Boxes Under the Bed: AAUW WHC History

Out From Under the Bed and Into the WHC Branch Archives

Now is the time to assemble all records, including digital, paper, and memorabilia, from our activities this past year. By the end of June, please send these records to Martha Ewell, Historian. Each August, the Historian meets with the archivist at the U of H Library, located on the main campus, to deliver these records for entry into the Carey Shuart Women’s Archive & Research Collection which houses all of the WHC Branch past and current history.

If you have any questions, please contact Martha by email m.ewell@sbcglobal.net or phone 713.782.2084.

BYLAWS CHANGE ALLOWS FOR ELECTRONIC VOTING

VOTED ON AT JUNE 11, 2016 MEETING

The Branch Board is proposing that the West Harris County Branch Bylaws be amended to allow for electronic voting. This change will be in effect beginning  in 2016.

The past and current wording of Article V, Section 3b and Article XIV, Section 4c of our Branch Bylaws is shown below.

Margaret Carlson, Parliamentarian

bylaws_prop

Office Depot 

AAUW has partnered with Office Depot  to bring you a free national discount program. Members of AAUW can now save up to 80 percent off preferred products, online and in stores! You will also receive free next-day delivery on orders over $50! Print your in-store savings card by accessing the following URL. http://www.officediscounts.org/aauw.html

Free lamination of the card is included if printed online. This is an INCREDIBLE discount for printing. There are other available discounts online as well.

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  • March 1, 2022