Who we are

The purpose of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Montana is to unite women’s clubs around the state in order to enhance community service efforts throughout our state. We are professional women, homemakers, teachers, elected officials, business owners, students, retirees, wives, mothers, and single women.

Our clubs are very diverse in age as well as agendas and interest. We have a wide variety of meeting times and programs. We meet in homes, in clubrooms, in public buildings, senior centers, and in libraries.

Our history

In 1904 twelve clubs banded together to form the Montana Federation of Women’s Clubs. Early records show that the still active GFWC Deer Lodge Woman’s Club, organized in 1890, was the first woman’s club organized in Montana.

Montana’s first state convention was held in Butte in 1905, with Mrs. H. Mitchell of Great Falls elected as our first state president.

The state official seal was adopted during the 1962-1964 administration with the official colors of copper and green; official bird, the meadowlark; and the official flower, the bitterroot.

Our record

Notable projects from GFWC of Montana:

• Youth Equip

• Montana Hope Project

• Helping Hearts Project

• Montana Talking Book Library- new recording booth

• Cancer Family Network

• Chapel at Galen

• W.H.A.L.E. Project – Child Safety Seat Occupant Identification Program

• Raised funds for a playground at Intermountain Children’s Home in Helena

• Chapel at Warms Springs

• Restoration projects at the Governor’s Mansion in Helena

• Braille Trail at School for Deaf and Blind in Great Falls

• Communications system for Eastmont Training Facility in Glendive

• Recreation room for Hope Ranch Children’s Home, Poplar

• Fort Peck Indian Reservation

• Fundraising for Northern Rockies Cancer Treatment Center in Billings

• Allergy center at Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena

• Raised funds for ‘Prevention of Child Abuse’

• Portable monitors for children with heart disease

• ‘Speak Typewriter’ for blind

• Rejuvenation of local libraries

• Restoration of the historic stained glass windows in the dome of the state capitol rotunda

• Participant in ‘Montana’Promise’

What we do

A wide variety of projects in Juniors Special Program: Advocates for Children, Signature Program: Domestic Violence and Sexual Awareness and Prevention, Arts and Culture, Education and Libraries, Health and Wellness, Environment, and Civic Engagement and Outreach to address issues of importance to our communities, state, nation, and world. With ‘Unity In Diversity’ as our motto, our clubs are free to choose programs and projects suitable to their interests and their communities’ needs.

We tackle many issues such as:

• Personal leadership development

• Literacy-adults and children

• Safety of older Americans

• Women’s health concerns

• Community improvement contests

• Arts and crafts development

• Recycling and waste management

• International understanding

We raise money for:

• Scholarships

• Libraries

• Art contests

• Domestic violence shelters and programs

• Substance abuse education

• Historic restoration