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Community Action Projects
Adopt an Author (Children's Author Festival)
Since 1975 Humboldt County has hosted a biennial Children's Author Festival http://www.authorfest.org/. Twenty-five authors from around the U.S. spend two days visiting 60 schools and speaking to thousands of students. The focus is on K-8 grades, although selected high schools also participate. The authors provide inspiration, practical advice on writing and share their love of literature with their enthusiastic audiences.
The Author Festival is paid for in part by a book sale and autograph signing at the Humboldt County Library and financial assistance from the Friends of the Redwood Libraries and the Humboldt Area Foundation. Each year expenses have increased so AAUW-Humboldt Branch has agreed to provide additional sponsorship by "Adopting an Author" for the Festival. Sponsorships range from $50 to $500 and all donations are welcome.
Adult Education Award
Each year Humboldt Branch presents an inscribed dictionary to the top female graduate of the Eureka Adult School. The Adult School personnel select the student to be honored and a Branch representative makes the presentation during graduation ceremonies.
Children’s Book Drive
AAUW has always been committed to literacy and education. What better time to start than with young children? Encouraging reading and promoting the sharing of books are positive endeavors and will help instill the love for lifelong reading. Humboldt Branch members are asked for donations or new or gently used children’s books, appropriate for children between ages of 3 and18, throughout the year, especially at holiday time. Books are donated to the Humboldt Literacy Project and other worth agencies. A "Donated by AAUW Humboldt Branch" label will be placed in each book.
Expanding Your Horizons ConferenceExpanding Your Horizons http://www.expandingyourhorizons.org/ is a day-long conference HSU puts on every other year for 350 girls 7th and 8th grades, as well as parents and teachers. The conference gives the girls an opportunity to work with women scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. Adults attend workshops on gender equity and how to keep girls interested in math and science. AAUW members will be invited to participate by volunteering to help organize the event, scheduled for spring 2009, by volunteering to help the day of the conference, or by donating funds. This year Humboldt Branch has budgeted $350 for science books.
Fresh Start for Domestic Violence Clients
Humboldt Domestic Violence Services http://www.hdvs.org/ provides temporary shelter to women and children fleeing domestic violence. They frequently arrive seeking help with nothing more than clothes they are wearing. The Branch collects personal items such as soaps, lotions and shampoos, as well as ready-to-eat soups or noodles.
Humboldt Literacy Project Trivia Team
AAUW-Humboldt Branch has always been a great supporter of Humboldt Literacy Project (HLP) http://www.humlit.org/ and its mission to teach Humboldt County adults the literacy skills they need on the job, in the family and in the community. Many branch members have been tutors, donors, and board members throughout the years.
HLP's major fundraising event each year is the Great Humboldt Trivia Challenge. Teams of three enter from community businesses, organizations and any others who choose to face the challenge. Each team pays an entry fee and aims to have fun, cooperate and outpreform the others. The Branch has competed in two events and looks forward to the next. Members may also help with event details.
NAMI – Humboldt’s Family to Family Education Classes
Reaching the well family members of those with severe mental illnesses in our community, educating them, guiding them, and helping them cope with the ill ones they love is the goal of Family to Family Education Classes, sponsored by NAMI Humboldt, www.nami-humboldt.org, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Humboldt has existed locally since 1976, first as a grassroots organization, to help and support these family members. In the nineties, NAMI California and NAMI National developed a program to educate the public on mental diseases, The Family to Family Educational Classes. The Family to Family Class is not a support group, but a scripted class presenting researched and documented information on the biology of the brain, the diseases, medications, and how to improve communication and show empathy to an ill loved one. It teaches class members how to get the help they need, to feel stronger, less guilty, and be prepared to cope with this huge challenge that will be with them all of their lives. The teachers are NAMI-trained volunteers. The 12-week classes are free to the public.
Rhododendron Parade Participation
Four years ago Humboldt Branch participated in the 2005 Annual Rhododendron Festival Parade. Based on the success of this first-time entry, our Rhody Parade participation was designated as a Community Action Project.
In April 2008 we participated with convertibles and a Smart car. We will again participate in the parade – April 25, 2009- with branch members (wearing AAUW T-shirts or something teal colored) walking, some carrying mission statements signs and our AAUW banner.
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