Looking for a service-focused, tight-knit community right in your backyard? The West Orange Women’s Club, or WOWC, is a non-profit, volunteer effort in affiliation with the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs that aims to serve the neighborhood.
Vicki Withington, the president of WOWC, was kind enough to share with us some of the latest projects the WOWC has engaged in. Recently, they partnered with the food pantry to provide meals for those in need, as well as working with the new non-profit Baby’s Closet to collect items and run a donation boutique. The WOWC’s work goes beyond the immediate area as well. The club has provided First Night Kits for the Livingston Women’s Shelter, which helps victims of domestic violence get back on their feet.
The WOWC emphasizes ensuring a future for women and girls, and they have worked with the Girls Career Institute in Rutgers to do so. Thanks to their support, high school seniors can visit campus and get a feel for the college experience before deciding for themselves. As Vicki says "Helping as locally as you can is how things get started and how change really happens."
"There are lots of opportunities in our town alone and in our community to volunteer. Why would you join a women's club over that? Well... we have something for everyone. I think the idea of a service group, that is truly made up of people who are your neighbors... that really creates a sense of belonging." -Vicki Withington
