The American Women's Club of Brussels |
Our Humanitarian Outreach Program and Events (HOPE) is one of the founding pillars of the AWCB's philanthropical focus. Through this program, we show our commitment to make a difference by offering members meaningful service opportunities in our local community. |
Our outreach activities include organizing events and activities for women and families at the Red Cross Refugee Center Alsemberg .
| We organize collections of new or gently-used clothing, household items, electronics, and coordinate food drives for those in need. | We organize and participate in fundraising events to raise awareness and benefit local and global charities. |
OUR ACTIVITIES |
HEARTS FOR HOPE We gather together each month in the Waterloo area to make heart shaped pillows that we donate to breast cancer patients at the UZ Leuven Breast Cancer Ward as well as the Jules Bordet Breast Cancer Ward. The pillow is designed to be placed under the arm to ease pain and tension, as well as provide emotional support to the patients who are always uplifted to receive our pillows which are made with love. No sewing skills are needed, please join this delightful group of ladies and help us to support more breast cancer patients! Find out how you can be involved | ANGEL TREE Each year for St. Niklas Day, the AWCB raises funds, coordinates, collects, and distributes gifts for children in need in the Brussels area with collaboration from local charities. Please note that this program is for people from all religious backgrounds. This is a very large program and we are always in need of volunteers so please get in touch at board@awcb.org to donate your time for this wonderful program. For more information on Angel Tree see here: https://www.awcb.org/sys/website/?pageId=1855861 | MAKE-A-WISH In 2023, the AWCB started to do fundraising for the Belgian Make-A-Wish organiztion. Our first event was on March 9, 2023 in Braine-l'Alleud where we raised about 1800 Euros. All proceeds from the luncheon and tombola went towards funding a wish for a very deserving Make-A-Wish child who was delighted. We are looking forward to expanding our collaboration with the Make-A-Wish foundation. We appreciate our members generosity in donations, and would also appreciate some volunteers to support this initiative. |
Who the AWCB SupportsUZ Leuven Breast Cancer Ward: Treats approximately 25 breast cancer patients each week, for whom we aim to provide heart pillows through Hearts for HOPE. Centre Nos Pilifs: Nos Pilifs is a center for multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation as well as a school for children diagnosed with autism. The center develops individualized programs in order help students with autonomy, socialization and cognitive skills. Their collaborative mindset offers families the opportunity to be at the heart of an educational and therapeutic alliance for children with autism along with the center. Center for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence: provides temporary housing and counseling to women and their children escaping life-threatening situations in the Brussels region. Oasis: works hand in hand with local communities, embassies, churches, and other institutions to bring about long-lasting change in the lives of women, children, and elderly people in Belgium, helping women who have been trafficked to come out of exploitation and find community and employment, women experiencing domestic violence as a result of having immigrated to Belgium for marriage connecting isolated elderly people to community, and supporting the children of people without papers, helping them to stay in school, eat well and have stable accommodation whilst helping the parents to regularize their papers and find work. American Oversees Memorial Day Association Belgium (AOMDA): An organization with a mission to perpetuate the remembrance of the members of the American armed forces who died in the defense of freedom and who are buried in Belgium by organizing and conducting Memorial Day ceremonies at American cemeteries, commemorating and preserving the graves of the American servicemen buried in isolated graves outside of these three cemeteries in Belgium, and engaging in youth outreach and other projects and activities to promote the remembrance of the members of the American armed forces who died in the defense of freedom. Project Lina: named after long-time AWCB member Nancy Evans' daughter, Lina. When Lina passed away suddenly five years ago, Nancy partnered with Lina's previous employer and a local charity, Nativitas, to sponsor summer activities for under-priviledged children in Brussels. The children are encouraged to participate in activities that they would normally not have the opportunity to try: circus, dance, adventure, science and nature as well as many sports. Thanks to Project Lina, these children can discover new horizons. Donations can be made to: BE32 3101 3030 1402 Important!!! Please type “Projet Lina” in the reference (because this account is administered by Nativitas so you need to make sure to mark the donation as for Project Lina) FAWCO Target Project 2020 - 2022: Fundraising and Promoting Well-Being and Healthy lives for Women and Girls. |