November 26, 2014

Dear Members,

After the egregious Ferguson MO decision, it seems difficult to be thankful. However, following the accounts of the non-violent protests throughout the country, including one right here on our Capitol steps in Des Moines, we can be encouraged that people are standing up — hands held high — and shouting out in protest. One placard in Ferguson read "Imagine Justice," something Jane Addams would have shouted that out too. That’s our work — to imagine a different world, putting policy into action. TOGETHER we must put our imaginations to work for PEACE & FREEDOM — TOGETHER we can create — using "our moral energy to put a new sort of force into the world" (Addams) — a true Thanksgiving for all.

Contents:

The office in transition period, Boston and transition consultant
Growing WILPF! Campaign
Annual Campaign
JAPA/WILPF update
WILPF US Board Election — deadline for applications NOVEMBER 30!!
WILPF US Board meeting **CHANGED DATE** to Tuesday, DECEMBER 9, 2014

My Boston trip (Nov 1-10) was productive and invigorating. WILPF members, Odile Hugonot Haber, Fran Foulkrod and Ellen Thomas (and later in the week Robin Lloyd and Pat O’Brien), met with Paula Herrington (interim director) for several hours on Monday, November 3, in addition to Heather Harker for a working lunch. We discussed the most important concerns the members had listed, working to clarify our priorities. The main concern was IT issues, e.g., database, listserv, website, and communication in general. Ariane, our volunteer, and Catherine Brady, our bookkeeper, were also there to meet and greet all of us. They are both dedicated and effective in their work, especially during this transition period.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Transition Consultant: The WILPF US Board ‘consensed’ to hire Heather Harker, director of consulting and executive transitions for Third Sector New England (TSNE). She will working with us through three stages: 1) prepare phase: assessing our organization, e.g., decision-making process, organizational and board culture, governance and staffing models appropriate to WILPF, and increase number and diversity of members; 2) search phase: in collaboration with TSNE search specialist, recruit candidates for staffing and with TSNE Team (which includes WILPF members) facilitates hiring of qualified staff; 3) thrive phase: Heather works with the board and staff to develop, implement and monitor a plan for post-hire support to ensure the success of the new leader. She will also work with WILPF leadership to develop a communications plan to deliver to external stakeholders, and will provide other necessary assistance requested by the board to ensure a successful transition process.

The GROWING WILPF! fundraising campaign: The capacity campaign committee is contacting WILPF donors to add to our base amount before we go public (non-members, foundations, etc.) in January. We will send a letter to branches to give you some ideas on celebrating our 100th year and integrating our GROWING WILPF! campaign into those events. Our GROWING WILPF! brochure will be available on our web page soon. Don’t forget our goal is one million dollars by the end of 2015! YES, WILPF US CAN!

The ANNUAL APPEAL will be coming your way soon! Please look for it among all the other cards and appeals as it provides the structural support for sustaining WILPF US above and beyond our current fundraising campaign. Yes, we are asking all of us to dig really deep down — to the very roots of our 100 years — to keep nurturing our ideals, our "social ethics" as Jane Addams would have us do. It is a YEAR OF GIVING or YEARS OF GIVING that will keep our voices from being eclipsed by corporate-owned media and silencing our protests against injustice in every form.

JAPA/WILPF update on accountants meeting. We now have been able to turn to one of the more pressing issues for our organization — the JAPA/WILPF accountants meeting. Paula is currently receiving "bids" from one Boston firm (our current auditor) and a New York firm, which is where the meeting will be held and the state in which the complaint against JAPA was filed (New York Attorney General, Charities Division). We are looking forward to completing this process with in the next week. WILPF International has hired a New York firm to come to the aforementioned meeting. The details of the meeting are to be decided shortly. I will keep you informed on the progress via email to branches and possibly eAlerts.

APPLICATIONS for open board positions: ONLY A Few DAYS LEFT - please go to our website and download the application if you are interested to working to secure our future!! We’ll be electing four officers to the board -- secretary, program co-chair, development chair, and at-large member.

Next Board Meeting: Tuesday, December 9 (**changed date**) 5:30 pm PT/ 8:30 pm ET Call in: 857-232-0158 921818 Non-board members: if you want to be on the call and receive reports, please register before Saturday, December 6 at president@wilpfus.org