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 The Vernon Township Woman’s Club is dedicated to improving the lives of others and impacting the community in positive ways. Working in small groups, we engage in life-changing philanthropic and operational activities throughout the year. Here's an overview of the projects undertaken by our departments and committees.

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Education & Libraries

Our very active Education Committee presents scholarships and awards, recognizes scouting achievements, sponsors a participant at Girls' Career Institute, and responds to children's letters to Santa.

• Girls’ Career Institute – sponsor a Vernon high school junior to attend the 4-day “college experience” event at Douglass Residential College and invite her to speak at our September meeting.

• Scholarships – award college scholarships to seniors.

• Achievement Awards – present financial awards to eight middle school students who have shown the most effort and improvement in their schoolwork.

• Scouting Awards – present financial awards to Vernon Boy Scouts who earn the Eagle Scout designation and Girl Scouts who achieve the Gold Award.

• Santa Letters – place a “mailbox” in local post offices and respond to letters to Santa.

• Library Books – donate funds to the Dorothy Henry Library to purchase children’s books.

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Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention

Working closely with Domestic Abuse Services (DASI), our club provides holiday gifts, basic necessities and other supplies for abuse victims living in the emergency shelter and transitional housing.

• Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Intervention Services (DASI) – donate monthly food and supplies for DASI’s food pantry providing as many items as possible when requested by DASI for shelter and transitional housing (often urgent requests for families that arrive with nothing).

• Holiday gifts – shop, wrap, and deliver Christmas gifts and Easter baskets for all children and parents living in the shelter.

• Just for You Bags – provide bundles of personal and housing necessities for women venturing out of the shelter into transitional housing.

• ​Pinwheels for Prevention – “plant” pinwheel gardens in Vernon at the Municipal Building, PAL, and Maple Grange Park during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April to raise awareness.

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Health & Wellness

Under the far-reaching umbrella of this department, our members make pillows and blankets for hospital patients, provide holiday gifts and necessities to the homeless, delivery birthday gifts to nursing home residents, and so much more!​

• Operation Smile – provides fleece blankets, toiletries, and toys for children undergoing cleft palate surgery in more than 30 countries.

• Birthday Bags - prepare and deliver gift bags full of small items for the Homestead Nursing Home residents celebrating their birthdays each month.

• Newton Memorial Hospital Blankets with Care Project- knit/crochet/sew comfort pillows for breast cancer patients and lap blankets for chemotherapy patients.

• Cookie Bags - deliver hundreds of homemade cookies to residents of the Homestead Nursing Home.

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Advocates for Children​

• Birth Haven – provides supplies for homeless expectant mothers and their babies.

• Dulce Esperanza – supports children of migrant farm workers through summer enrichment programs sponsored by the Warwick Area Farmworker Organization.

• Ginnie’s House – donate knotted fleece blankets and stuffed animals.

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Civic Engagement & Outreach
This Department conducts activities that benefit U.S. military members serving at home and abroad, and initiates international projects to assist individuals and families in underdeveloped countries around the world.

Veterans & Military Support

• Operation Yellow Ribbon (Operation Holiday Stocking) - sew and stuff Christmas stockings for soldiers serving in the Middle East; this is a statewide NJSFWC project in which many clubs participate.

• Warmth for Warriors - knit skull caps for soldiers.​

• Cell Phones for Soldiers - collect and mail used cell phones to this organization which in turn loads them with minutes and sends them to servicemen and women.

• Wreaths Across America - sponsor wreaths to be laid on local veterans' graves to honor their service.

International Affairs

• Heifer International – donates funds to purchase animals that enable families to earn a productive income.

• Community collections – sponsor drives to collect items that enable women in third world countries to become financially self-sufficient or to support other philanthropic organizations. Past efforts have collected bras for Free the Girls, sewing machines for Sewing Peace, and children’s shoes for Soles4Souls.​​

Community Outreach

• Project Self-Sufficiency –Donate prom gowns, shoes and accessories to their Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop and gift cards to their Season of Hope Toy Drive.

• Earth Angels – put together packets of greeting cards for housebound senior citizens.

• Our Friend Margaret Conti – sends gifts, notes, cards, etc., to our adopted friend living in a woman’s developmental center.

• Community Help - provide funding or supplies to members of the local community as needed i,e. victims of household fires, etc.

• Warwick Area Farmworkers Association (WAFO) - members volunteer during the Safety Backpack campaign,  they cook and provide meals to farmworkers at Thanksgiving, and work at the Christmas Store where over 130 families and individuals in various programs can purchase new items as gifts at below cost.

• Dulce Esperanza (Sweet Hope) A 7-week summer program for farmworker children between the ages of 6-12.  Mornings are focused on reading skills and the children also enjoy arts, crafts, sports and dance.   This allows for opportunities to collaborate with volunteers.  Through the Homework Club, members also help tutor the children needing academic support.

• Benny's Bodega - food and other essentials are donated by members every other month.  The Bodega offers hard-working people who are struggling, a place to “shop” for basic needs items free of charge.  A few members also volunteer their time at the store.

• Market Street Mission - its aim is to fulfill the immedite basic needs of unhoused men in Sussex County.  The Mission provides emergency overnight shelter, showers, a hot dinner, and referrals to Social Services.

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Environment and Conservation​

• Vernon Clean Communities Project – perform roadway cleanup for which the Club receives compensation.

• Beautification – maintain the flower garden at the Vernon Senior Center.

• Ronald McDonald House – collect aluminum pop tabs for a fundraising program that supports families dealing with childhood illness.

 

Arts and Culture

Our members enter many submissions into the Achievement Day contests sponsored by the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs.

• Coordinate submission of members’ entries in the Achievement Day contests sponsored by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs at their Spring Conference.

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Membership

• Recruitment – invite and greet potential members, update and distribute membership brochures, and respond to inquiries about the club’s activities. Order members’ name tags.

• Fairs/Events – coordinate Membership Tea in August and the VTWC information booth at local events to raise awareness of club and meet potential members.

• NJSFWC Honor Roll and Order of the Lily – nominate club members to be recognized at the state level.

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Communications

The Communications Department keeps the community and our members informed about the amazing work that we do.

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• Social Media – keep the Facebook page updated with timely, relevant information and photos.

• Website – maintain and update the VTWC website with stories, photos, etc.

• Media Relations – send announcements, articles, and photos about club meetings, activities, and fundraisers to local newspapers.

• Newsletter – prepare and distribute a monthly newsletter to members.

• Flyers – develop and distribute flyers for fundraisers and other events.

• Yearbook – publish an annual booklet of member contact info, board & committee members, yearly budget, and other helpful information.

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Fundraising

Fundraising is an essential function in our club, and this committee coordinates events and programs to raise money in support of our philanthropic activities.

• Heaven Hill Farm – volunteer on weekends during the farm's extremely popular events, The Great Pumpkin Festival in the Fall and the Easter Eggstravaganza in the Spring.  Volunteers check wristbands at the entrance gate. All members participate in this, our largest fundraiser.

• Taste of Vernon – coordinate member participation at this annual Chamber of Commerce event highlighting local restaurants.  A portion of the event's proceeds are donated to Vernon Township Woman's Club.

• Dine-to-Donate Event – coordinate an event with local eateries that will donate a portion of the income during a specified time period to our club.

• 50-50 Raffle - Conducted at monthly meetings and annually.

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Special State Project

Every two years, the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs selects a non-profit organization as the Special State Project. All clubs in the state conduct activities and/or fundraisers to support that organization’s mission. 

• The 2024 - 2026 State Project:  New Jersey Children's Alliance (NJCA).  NJCA is a statewide non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote hope, healing, and justice for children abuse victims by supporting Children Advocacy Centers throughout the state with training, resources, advocacy, and leadership.  NJCA aids communities in providing a coordinated investigation and comprehensive response to victims of criminal child abuse by providing support, training, and technical assistance to Child Advocacy Centers and multidisciplinary teams in all New Jersey twenty-one counties.

• Contact the organization to determine opportunities for our club to help, i.e., collecting items, participating in events, etc.

• Schedule a representative to make a presentation to our members.

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Updated 9/9/2025 df