GFWC of NC

08/21/2026

National Senior Citizens Day is a celebration of those among us that are more seasoned. Those with more lived experiences, and lucky enough to hang around for an extended stay. Take a few minutes today and reach out to a senior citizen friend or family member. For those of us that travel in the senior citizens circles, we hope you enjoy your day. Stay active and keep adding to your list of lived experiences.

08/20/2026

Thousands of Americans become ill each year with diseases that a vaccine can prevent. The process of immunization allows people to remain safe even when they are exposed to sometimes deadly viruses and diseases. Vaccines work to maintain health not only for individuals, but also for local communities and, ideally, the population of the entire globe.

Examples of how well vaccines can benefit the world:
• In 1952, the Polio vaccine is developed. Polio is a major cause of disability in children, polio will become almost completely eradicated after the vaccine is invented by Dr. Jonas Salk and his team in Philadelphia.

Vaccines help eradicate diseases when enough people get vaccinated.

In 1796, a Smallpox immunization study showed that by using arm-to-arm inoculation, the method would work on smallpox.

• In 1972, the Smallpox vaccine is no longer needed. Because this immunization had been such a rousing success, smallpox is considered eradicated and vaccines no longer needed.

LEARN THE FACTS ABOUT IMMUNIZATION:
• Vaccines do not cause autism or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

• Although it is possible for a person to have some rare side effects from an injection, people are much more likely to be harmed by a preventable disease than by a vaccine.

• Herd immunity will protect people.
While this is true if a large percentage of the population is vaccinated, this is meant to protect at-risk people like infants, pregnant women or immunocompromised people, it won’t work if other people stop getting immunized.

•A child can’t get the disease from the vaccine. Most vaccines are made from killed germs, which makes it impossible to get the disease from the vaccine.

Knowledge is a superpower. 💉

08/19/2026

Humanitarianism is a set of beliefs, practices and principles centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional reasons.

The U.N. actually sets forth humanitarian principles that guide anyone who calls themselves a humanitarian worker. Those principles include humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. These principles are rooted in International Humanitarian Law, which the International Committee of the Red Cross led the way in developing and implementing.

Most of the projects implemented by our clubs meet the criteria of being humanitarian endeavors and most, if not all of our members meet the definitions of being humanitarian and a humanitarian worker. So enjoy your day! World Humanitarian Day is a day that celebrates you and all of the good you bring into the world through benevolence and reducing the suffering of other humans.

Thank you from GFWCNC for your humanitarian service and for improving the conditions of humanity. You are truly using your POWER to change the WORLD! Think of all the projects completed across our state, our nation, and our world by club members. Together we definitely have the POWER to change the WORLD! We also have the power to alleviate the suffering of other humans. Looking at our Directives and Affiliates we can see projects and organizations that we can support to strengthen our endeavors.

08/19/2026

It’s Ratification day! On this day we honor and remember all of the women who fought for this right. Also remember those who marched, those accosted, jailed, force fed during a hunger strike, and those who died for our right to vote of our own conscience. Even if the voting population at the time thought that women would vote the way their husbands told them, women were and are still an important demographic with many differing political views and policy preferences especially those affecting the family. Upon the ratification of the 19th Amendment our democracy saw its largest percentage increase in citizens eligible to vote.
So THANK YOU to those women before us that fought the good fight leading to our enfranchisement.

106 years ago today, American democracy saw its single greatest expansion.

When the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, millions of women finally gained access to the ballot box after decades of relentless organizing.

Today, on Ratification Day, we’re honoring the women who marched, petitioned, and never gave up. Their story belongs in the heart of our nation’s capital—and that is why we are building a monument on the National Mall in their honor.

Photo: Alice Paul photo Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division / Harris & Ewing Collection

08/18/2026

Virginia Apgar, MD used her keen attention to detail and observation to save the lives of countless children. Her observation skills led to her using her POWER to change WORLD. Apgar was asked by an obstetrical resident what his newborn examination should cover, she wrote on a napkin five categories in which a newborn child should be evaluated, including appearance, pulse, grimace (reflexes to touch), activity, and respiration. The Apgar score is conducted at least two times, first one minute after birth to determine if resuscitation or intervention is necessary, then again at five minutes after birth. Each section of the five category scale is worth a maximum of two points. Apgar noted newborns that received cumulative scores of 0-2 had an infant death rate of 14%, infants who scored 3-7 had a death rate of 1.1%, and the infants who received scores of 8-10 had a very low mortality rate of 0.13%[22] Apgar later examined the scale to determine the effects of birth on the baby, they concluded that the common problems effecting newborns after birth was hypoxia and acidosis. Apgar hoped to use the Apgar score as a way to cease unnecessary intervention with a healthy baby, and lessen these effects. Over the years, the Apgar score has proved a consistent and efficient way to evaluate the overall health of a newborn baby, becoming a procedure used in most U.S hospitals. From 1959 until her death in 1974, Apgar worked for the March of Dimes Foundation ( a GFWC Affiliate Organization), serving as vice president of medical affairs and directing its research program to prevent and treat birth defects.
March of Dimes gfwcnc_juniorettes gfwcncjuniors

08/17/2026

The March of Dimes is an Affiliate Organization of GFWC, and by extension, GFWCNC. What began in 1938 with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal struggle with polio led to the creation of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, better known as March of Dimes. They pioneered the vaccine research leading to the eradication of polio in the U.S., then shifted focus to address the biggest health threats to moms and babies with innovations like folic acid, newborn screening and surfactant therapy. Today, March of Dimes serves as a convener to unite the nation and improve maternal and infant health in the U.S.

Virginia Apgar, MD, (1909-1974) was an obstetrical anesthesiologist who was instrumental in redirecting the March of Dimes' mission in the 1960s from polio to birth defects and other infant health problems such as preterm birth. She is best known for developing a system used worldwide for evaluating the physical condition of newborns at birth, the Apgar score. It's still used today as the standard for screening newborns for birth defects. ✔️ #

08/16/2026

Josephine Baker, best known as a singer who entertained crowds pretty much anywhere she performed—but she was also much more than that. Dedicated to civil rights and social activism, she worked to enshrine civil rights and bring equality to society in the US, plus Baker actually worked as a spy for the French Resistance. She worked across North Africa and Europe during WWII. She was known to sneak photos of German military installations and cross borders by pinning them to her underwear while going through customs and moved top-secret messages across Europe by writing them in invisible ink on her sheet music. The more you learn about Baker, the more courageous she sounds. This talented entertainer was dedicated to improving life for everyone through subversion and persistence. She was changing the world through courage and dedication to the causes she cared most about. She spearheaded an effort to combat racism and provide an example for the rest of the world, Baker started adopting orphans from underprivileged backgrounds and from all corners of the world. Baker started by adopting two Japanese children, and kept going until she had assembled a family of 12 children from a variety of countries and ethnicities; Baker dubbed them "the Rainbow Tribe." # 🌎 GFWC of NC gfwcnc_juniorettes gfwcncjuniors

08/15/2026

Share with other women veterans and have her tell her story! https://womensmemorial.org/

We are excited to have Phyllis J. Wilson, President of the Military Women's Memorial and retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 with us as an Honorary GFWC Chairman this administration after her moving keynote speaker at the 2026 GFWC Annual Convention back in June!⁠

⁠Phyllis is a dedicated advocate for preserving and honoring the stories and sacrifices of women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Through her leadership, she continues to ensure that the legacy of military women is recognized, celebrated, and remembered for generations to come.

08/13/2026

Congratulations, Amanda!

Our employee spotlight this week is on Amanda Irwin, Director of Marketing and Communications at Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina and the talent behind most of our social media posts, press releases, advertising, and more!

Before joining BGHNC, Amanda spent 15 years in journalism, including 11 years at the StarNews in Wilmington covering arts, education and religion. She later worked with Religion News Service, covering stories throughout the Southeastern United States, running the nonprofit bureau Wilmington Faith and Values.

In 2014, Amanda and her family moved to China, where she taught English at an international school in Wuhan. After returning to the United States in 2018, she spent several years working in higher education administration in Connecticut.

While she valued those experiences, Amanda knew she wanted to return to storytelling and mission-driven work. When the opportunity to join BGHNC came along three years ago, she knew it was the right fit. "I wanted to get back to a nonprofit mission that really meant something to me," she shared. "I just craved it. I needed to get back to a mission-driven life."

Since joining BGHNC, Amanda says she has been "humbled every single day" and loves interviewing staff, talking with children and alumni, and sharing the organization's 72-year history.

Looking ahead, Amanda is focused on keeping communications and events centered on the mission, beginning work on a book for BGHNC's 75th anniversary, and developing a podcast that will help share the organization's story.

Outside of work, Amanda speaks a little Chinese, makes a mean banana pudding (CEO Marc Murphy confirms!), creates jewelry and leather goods, enjoys walks in nature with her family, and loves climbing mountains around the world.

Thank you, Amanda, for bringing your passion for storytelling, your love of our mission and your dedication to sharing the stories of children, families and the BGHNC community! 💙

08/12/2026

Did you know? August is officially recognized as National Back-to-School Month! How will your club help give back to our teachers and students this year? 👩🏼‍🏫🍎 📚✏️