Giving Back

This year, the TWA Conference is supporting the Women’s Centre of York Region.

Women’s Centre of York Region (WCYR) offers a range of support and services for women to make positive changes in their lives. There are designed to meet each woman where she’s at and to help foster meaningful steps and actions in her life. All of these programs are provided at no charge.

Group Programs – Enterprising Careers (career exploration) – Financial Empowerment (living on a budget) – Making Changes (life skills) – Wellness Workshops (emotional well-being)
One-on-One Support – Individual Counselling (emotional support) – Transitional Counselling (leaving abuse safely).   Testimonial video: “In Her Words” – Women’s Centre of York Region – YouTube   Two ways to offer your support
Donate care kit supplies: Part of WCYR’s programming includes the distribution of personal care kits. TWA Conference Attendees are encouraged to donate enough products for two care kits (but individual items are welcome too!). These items are small and easily transported in your luggage, but this will make a big difference to the women who will receive these care kits. The care kit should contain a variety of supplies using the list below: – Period care products – Deodorant – Soap – Shampoo and conditioner – Lip balm – Bandages – Toothbrush – Toothpaste – Socks – Leave a note inside of bag “Thinking of you”; “Enjoy”
Donate funds: Attendees who are not able to bring items can still participate by making a one-time monetary donation. See below.   Xerox employees may contribute funds though the Benevity tool. Step 1. Make a donation – Use this link to log on and go directly to the WCYR donation page. Click [Donate Now] and follow the prompts to submit your contribution.  (Tip: When entering a Canadian address, put the two-digit abbreviation in the Province field. Ex. NS for Nova Scotia) Step 2. Don’t forget to make a match! Go back to Make a Donation menu and click Request a Match. Search for “Women’s Centre of York Region”. Click [Add] and fill out the form to have Xerox match your donation.     Non-Xerox attendees may go to the CanadaHelps page and use the “Donate Now” option to submit your contribution.

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Giving back to the community is an important hallmark of success, and it’s especially important to the women in our organization. In fact, most members are active in their communities through schools, churches and other local groups. The Alliance as a whole also looks for opportunities to help women in the communities we serve. Selected charities focus on health, empowerment, and assisting communities. 

In the United States charities must have been granted exemption from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (c)(3) and ruled to be publicly supported under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Members outside the United States should follow the appropriate tax laws of the country in which the activity and donation take place.

The National Community Involvement Chair, Kathryn Binau encourages and supports charity involvement.

Check out our Calendars for Ideas of how you can give back!

2022

July

International Day of Friendship – July 30th

By promoting the values of friendship, trust, honesty, & integrity, we can form relationships that will be open and caring.  If we lead with friendship, we can build a world that is more inclusive &    respectful of diversity.

Let’s celebrate International Friendship Day everyday by:

• Get together with friends. Have coffee or a meal
• Organize an outdoor activity such as a bike ride or a hike
• Call someone you have not seen in a long time and reconnect
• Check your own community event calendar for events or activities happening in your area
• Tell your friends how much their friendship means to you
• Put together a trivia night or a movie night with a group of friends.  Have everyone bring a signature dessert or drink

If you’re looking to connect more deeply with TWA members consider joining TWA circles. When we have a circle of friends, we have more fun. We get more done, we feel we are stronger & celebrate the power of us.

February          

2021

2020

Molly Efron Scholarship

This scholarship fund was created in memory of Molly Efron, an early member of the Alliance and a role model for technical women at Xerox. Ms. Efron pioneered a Xerox job-sharing program to stay home with her first daughter, Eve. We are pleased to announce that there will be two $1,000 scholarships available for 2023. The application deadline along with all supporting documentation is due no later than 5 PM on Friday, February 24, 2023. The scholarship is open to all female Monroe County high school graduating seniors who are attending a STEM program at an accredited four-year college or university in the Fall of 2023.

Please find the application at the attached link: 2023 Molly Efron Scholarship Form – Google Forms

Questions? Please reach out to Scholarship Chair Vicky Evankovich  by email at  Vicky.Evankovich@Xerox.com

Donations to the Molly Efron Scholarship Fund can be made directly to the Community Foundation. See below for options:

• Visit www.racf.org/SupportEfron to submit a gift online.
• Make a check out to Rochester Area Community Foundation with Efron Scholarship in the memo line, and mail it to the Community Foundation, 500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607.

2023 Molly Efron Scholarship Winners:

The Selection Committee is pleased to announce the two winners for the 2022/2023 Molly Efron Scholarship. Each student will receive $1000 to put towards their educational expenses.

Erika Allison Erika will be graduating from Pittsford Mendon High School. She has explored various medical specialties in the New Visions Medical Careers Program and has interned at the Strong Memorial Hospital. She is the president of her school’s Rotary Club as well as a member of the lacrosse team. She plans to continue her studies in Biology (pre-med) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lauren Lamberson Lauren will be graduating from Irondequoit High School. She has excelled in engineering and technology courses and spent time outside the classroom giving back to her community through the Girl Scouts and various volunteer opportunities. She aims to combine her passion for helping people and engineering by studying Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

2022 Molly Efron Scholarship Winners:

The Selection Committee is pleased to announce the two winners for the 2021/2022 Molly Efron Scholarship for our Monroe County Chapter. Each student will receive $1000 to put towards their educational expenses.

	Amy Fen Amy will be graduating from Pittsford Sutherland High School. Amy has demonstrated extensive interest in STEM specifically in calculus.  She has participated in research programs at University of Rochester and is a member of the Math Team. She intends to major in Computer Science/Artificial Intelligence.
	Molly Maxwell Molly will be graduating from Our Lady of Mercy. She is described as a role model for her peers.  Molly has participated in a medical exploratory program at University of Rochester.  She intends to major in Biology with plans to go to Med school.

2021 Molly Efron Scholarship Winners:               

The Selection Committee is pleased to announce the two winners for the 2020/2021 Molly Efron Scholarship. Each student will receive $1000 to put towards their educational expenses.

	Victoria Usachev    Victoria will be graduating from Penfield High School. She is a 1st generation American who will be graduating at the top of her class. In addition to exceling in math and science, she has demonstrated her abilities with the cello. In the fall she will be attending University of Rochester majoring in Optical Engineering.
	Claire Steckley Claire will be graduating from Irondequoit High School. Not only does she excel with her studies, she is active outside the classroom as well. She is a staff writer for the school paper and was on both the Field Hockey and Nordic high school teams. This fall she will be attending Villanova University majoring in Chemical Engineering.

2020 Molly Efron Scholarship Winners:   

Teagan Allart (pictured on the left) is a  graduate of Pittsford Mendon High School. She is attending University of Buffalo to study Chemical Engineering.

Hannah Ruth (pictured on the right) is a graduate of Our Lady of Mercy High School. She is studying Architecture at the University of Buffalo.

Our 2016 TWA International Conference showcased Zonta International, a charity dedicated to the challenge of domestic violence awareness.  Zonta International is a global organization of 30,000 committed to empowering women through service and advocacy. They currently have a presence in 66 countries.

Our conference/s silent auction raised over $2,500 which were distributed to all countries represented at the conference.  Members also created beautifully decorated journals which will be distributed to the Zonta International participants from the Rochester chapter.

We encourage all chapters and virtual members to contact www.zonta.org to find your local chapter to see how you can continue supporting and uplifting other women.

Chicagoland Chapter Provides Holiday Cheer

Our Chicagoland Chapter partnered with the local Xerox Community Involvement Program (XCIP) to provide a happy holiday for three Chicago Youth Centers.  Each year XCIP works with the centers to collect a wish list from all Head Start Preschool participants.   Xerox employees select the name of a child and purchase a gift.   XCIP then supplements  the gifts with a book, hat and gloves for each child.

The Chicagoland chapter offers gift wrapping for $1.00.  At the gift wrapping event our members get to share lunch, wrap the donated gifts and network.

On the day of each center’s holiday party Xerox employees dressed as Santa and Elves attend the party and distribute the gifts.  For many of these children this is the only holiday gift they receive.

ASSISTING UNDEREMPLOYED JOB SEEKERS

Finding work is only one step in a woman’s journey toward economic independence; remaining employed and building a rewarding career are essential if a woman is to become self-sufficient. TWA has a longstanding history of supporting organizations which clothing and prepare women for a brighter future like:

Do you need a little more room in your closet? Jump into spring cleaning  and help those in need.

Find a local organization that will accept your business attire and provides career development services. A project plan has already been created as a roadmap for a successful project. Simply ask your chapter president or contact Kathryn Binau to access the Project Plan Library.

We want to share how our members are contributing to their communities. Send your chapter or individual volunteer highlights to Kathryn Binau