by Terra Osterling
Author Marsha Hayles and Altrusan Liz Finnegan of Spencerport, with students at Martin B. Anderson School #1, during the Book Festival to Go last October. Altrusans also scour library discard sales for quality children’s books to have on hand for opportunities to promote literacy.When it comes to helping to improve the lives of women and children in the community, the women of Altrusa International of Rochester, Inc., know that all it takes is an invitation.
“One of the first people I met was Jody,” says Altrusa Rochester’s webmaster, Pam Mitchell, about her neighbor, Jody Bowen LaRose, the group’s vice president.
After Mitchell moved to Chili three years ago, LaRose invited her to attend one of Altrusa Rochester’s monthly dinner meetings to hear a speaker. “From that meeting, and some online research, I knew that I needed to be a member.”
“If you meet someone who might be interested in the group, you invite them!” says LaRose.
Altrusa International was established in 1917 and has 10,000 members in 361 clubs across ten countries. The Rochester chapter, formed in 1950, focuses on women in transition and literacy, and has partnered with more than 15 local service organizations.
LaRose, now a 28-year member of the group, says in the late 1990s, Altrusa Rochester decided to make a greater impact in the community. They made a list of local service groups and asked each: If you had 15 women who could help you, what would you have them do?
“There is so much need, but there are so many groups out there that are working to help in different areas,” says Liz Finnegan of Spencerport, a 15 year member. Finnegan joined when a colleague at a professional association meeting invited her to an Altrusa dinner.
“We like to do grassroots and smaller agencies just beginning their projects,” says LaRose about how Altrusa considers their partnerships.
“It could be something read in the newspaper,” says Finnegan.
“Anyone in the group can make a suggestion (about a service project), then they just have to bring information to persuade the group,” LaRose says.
“Which isn’t hard to do!” Mitchell adds.
Bethany House is their longest partnership. “It is very client-oriented, and feels like a home,” says LaRose. One of Altrusa’s signature projects is ‘Bethany Buckets’ — buckets filled with cleaning supplies and useful items that a woman will need as she sets up her own household.
Bethany Buckets are assembled at a monthly dinner meeting. Each group member purchases one of the bucket items, times 20.
Similarly, the group assembles baskets for the residents of Jennifer House who are transitioning from incarceration. Finnegan explains that the baskets help the women to reclaim individuality and practice self-care, saying, “We get some baskets and invite people to bring nice personal care items, also things like hair bands, nail polish and journals.”
“We don’t give money – we try to give something needed,” explains Mitchell.
Altrusa members assemble wreath kits for their annual fundraiser. The group has sold about 300 kits each year via extensive word-of-mouth advertising, and welcome interest through their website. (Website link in article.)The group self-funds all their projects through personal donations and fundraisers. “Part of our membership is that we give as we can,” says Mitchell, noting that members provide support within their means.
Altrusa’s biggest fundraiser is selling holiday wreath kits – bags of locally-sourced evergreens, pinecones and bows, with assembly instructions. The kits are sold on pre-order for under $20 and are delivered the week of Thanksgiving.
Another popular project promotes literacy. Altrusa’s annual Book Festival to Go is held in conjunction with the Rochester Area Children’s Writers & Illustrators children’s book festival. Altrusa buys $500 worth of children’s books by local authors, then facilitates author visits to school classrooms.
“The librarians say the children are so excited about reading those books because they have met the authors,” says Finnegan.
Altrusa has also partnered with Sojourner House, Community Place of Greater Rochester, and many other service groups. For Joining Hearts and Hands, they raised $8,000 to build a classroom in Kenya. Altrusa also funds scholarships to both educate a girl in Kenya, and to annually assist a local woman beginning her first year of college.
“We stand behind each member’s passion,” says Mitchell.
Members of Altrusa often find friendship while helping the community. “It’s a caring group – people who care enough to do what we’re doing also care about each other,” says Finnegan.
“Friendships form, things just click,” adds LaRose.
A recent Rochester area newspaper article sparked so much interest in Altrusa Rochester that the group has decided to hold a special informational meet-and-greet on Sunday, July 28. To sign up for an invitation to the event, and to find out about pre-order Christmas wreaths, call 585-739-9877, or visit their contact page at: http://www.altrusarochester.org/
