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Iowa Society

Daughters of the American Revolution

Edith "Edee" Brunia, State Regent, 2022-2024

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Women's Issues

Linda Harvan, Chairman

Women’s Issues National Theme 2022-2023: “Celebrating and Caring for Women”

Women's Issues
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The Women’s Issues Committee is a special place for daughters to educate and empower themselves to serve the Society, their chapter, and their communities. The committee encourages chapters to use the resources on the Women’s Issues Committee website for information on the topics of Career, Family, Physical Health, Mental Health, Personal Finance, Senior Advocacy, and Women Veterans.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Celebration Essay Contest. Essays may be written about any subject within the four national categories: Physical Health, Mental Health, Career, and Family. Participants are encouraged to consider using this year’s National Theme of Celebrating and Caring for Women. You can also include topics of Personal Finance and Senior Advocacy within the annual National Theme.

Essay entries must follow the Essay Contest Instructions found on the national website. Entries will be judged on the state, division, and national levels by at least three non-DAR judges. To begin the process, members must send their entries to the state chairperson by January 15, 2023. The contest package must be sent in a single email with two attachments, the Essay Proper (cover page and essay) and the Contest Entry Form, to linda.harvan@gmail.com. Any submission failing to follow these guidelines will be disqualified.

2022 Women's Issues contest entries State Winners:
  1. Family Category -- Winds of Change: Coping with Technology, by Michelle Turner, Lawrence Van Hook Chapter
  2. Mental Health Category -- Fighting Tension and Stress, by Janelle Morgan, Nancy McKay Harsh Chapter
  3. Physical Health Category -- My Cochlear Implant Journey, Sharon Greenlee, Elizabeth Ross Chapter
Chapters are encouraged to plan programs that deal with issues women face and service projects that benefit women in our communities. The Women’s Issues Committee has put together a list of Chapter Program Ideas and ideas for Chapter Service Projects. Participation in service projects focusing on the theme Celebrating and Caring for Women may receive credited hours under Service to America.

Chapters are encouraged to include a Women's Issues Minute in its regular agenda. Ideas around monthly themes are easy to download and share from the committee website.

The Caring Campaign provides tools to inform and educate members and the community in the areas of Personal Finance, Mental and Physical Health, and Senior Advocacy. This included suggestions for both one-on-one support and chapter programming. Throughout the year the committee will provide social media messages around monthly themes which can be shared with your chapter. Connection Coach materials help support women with careers using coaching and mentoring.

The Women’s Issues Committee has an award program to fund grants made to 501(c)(3) organizations helping indigent, homeless women. Vivian’s Outreach to Women (VOW) will help organizations providing medical and educational services, childcare, housing, clothing, food, or other needs assisting women veterans to become self-sufficient in their communities.

This committee invites every member to Rejoice in Our DAR Ties of Service and Friendship in our communities and our society by Celebrating and Caring for Women.

Note:  Women’s Issues Committee on the Daughters Online Community
Linda Harvan