CLEARFIELD – On Wednesday evening, Feb. 27, members of the Clearfield Business & Professional Women’s Club stuffed several purses to help empower women in northwest Pennsylvania.
For the past several months, members donated new and or gently-used purses and personal care items as part of the statewide BPW project to support YWCAs across Pennsylvania.
The YWCA is the oldest and largest multicultural women’s organization in the world. The mission of YWCAs is to eliminate racism and empower women.
Across the globe, there are more than 25 million members in 106 countries. In the United States alone, there are 2.6 million members and participants in 300 local associations.
Clearfield BPW chose to support the Bradford YWCA in McKean County. It provides domestic violence and sexual assault services; housing, budgeting and employment services; and a food pantry.
Its Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Program empowers individuals as well by facilitating development of skills and coping techniques to foster recovery and to achieve independence.
To promote peace, justice and freedom for all, the Bradford YWCA formed a Racial Justice Committee to help its community understand, challenge and eliminate racism.
The committee fosters opportunities to engage in open dialogue on the topic and offers training and support to those who need to address racial issues in their lives and communities.
For more information about the Bradford YWCA visit its Web site, http://ywcabradford.org/, or like and follow the social services organization on Facebook.
For the past 77 years, the Clearfield BPW club has been dedicated to the promotion of working women through its informative meetings, community involvement and camaraderie.
BPW/PA is the statewide organization of 1,600-plus members in 75 local organizations and 12 districts throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Locally, Clearfield BPW meets at 6 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at a local establishment. Meetings consist of dinner, club business and objectives and an informational program.
The club has two major programs each year. In May it honors a local woman for her community volunteerism; then, it awards a scholarship to a senior of the Clearfield Area School District in June.
For more information and to keep up to date on Clearfield BPW, please like and follow the club on its Facebook page @BPWClearfield.