Committees & Volunteer Opportunities
Committees are at the heart of the Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club (DGJWC), giving members meaningful opportunities to volunteer, serve the community and make a difference throughout Downers Grove and surrounding communities.
Our committees support the many areas of DGJWC’s work, including community service, philanthropy, fundraising, education, scholarships, health and wellness, membership and community events. Whether you are interested in hands-on volunteer projects, supporting local nonprofit organizations, planning fundraising events or helping provide scholarships and teacher grants, there is a committee where your skills and interests can make an impact.
Active members participate on at least one committee, making committees one of the best ways to get involved, meet other women, build leadership skills and contribute to the Downers Grove community.
Interested in getting involved? Learn more about becoming a member of DGJWC.
Standing Committees
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Co-chairs: Nicole Robertson & Shannon Siegle
The CCA committee is responsible for keeping membership informed about civic affairs while working for the betterment of our community. They work with our various philanthropic partners to create volunteer opportunities for our Club members.
Projects include Hope's Front Door School Supply Drive, Thanksgiving meal delivery, holiday gifts for local families, Adopt-a-Highway cleanup, donation drives and other hands-on service projects throughout the year.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Awareness of different needs within the community that DGJWC can help through volunteer opportunities for members and their families.
Ability to commit volunteer time for different initiatives- e.g. collecting items on your porch, volunteering to deliver meals/gifts to local families in need.
Organizational skills to collaborate with the membership of DGJWC to run service projects at General Meetings.
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Co-Chairs: Holly Duffy & Emily Heise
This committee is responsible for building awareness of DGJWC throughout the broader community and of upcoming events and accomplishments of the Club through local news outlets, social media and the Club’s website.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Marketing skills.
Savvy with social media.
Strong writing skills/experience writing press releases.
Graphic design skills or comfortable with Canva.
Website design experience using Squarespace.
Familiarity with digital newsletter platforms like Mailchimp.
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Chair: Aubrey Southall
The Education Committee promotes education and awards scholarships. The goal of this committee is to keep club members current on community education issues and provide educational services to schools, the library and the children of Downers Grove, as well as educational programs for club members.
Projects include: Scholarships for Downers Grove High School Seniors, D58 & D99 Teacher Grants, and The Junior High Awards Art Contest.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Interest in education; reviewing teacher grant applications and senior scholarships.
Ability to promote all applications/scholarships to reach as many students and teachers as possible in the DG community.
Interest in art; reviewing middle school art submissions.
Connections to Downers Grove elementary, middle and high schools.
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Chairs: *SEEKING CHAIRS FOR THE 2026-2027 CLUB YEAR!
The Health & Wellness Committee plans exclusive events for members as well as for their families promoting nutrition, disease prevention, and physical and emotional care. Including events like: fitness classes, wellness workshops, nutrition/cooking classes and more.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Event planning - interest in planning several health & wellness themed events for Club members throughout the year.
Meeting and getting to know members at social outings.
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Chair: Kelsey Holt Austin
The Membership Committee helps guide prospective members through the recruitment process; helping them understand more about DGJWC and what is involved in becoming a member. This committee is critical in helping make a positive impression for those interested in joining the club. Membership is responsible for fostering connections between members by planning icebreakers at meetings and running the Club’s Bridges Program - which supports members experiencing celebratory milestones or hardships.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Recruiting new members to join DGJWC.
Attend meetings and events with the intent of bringing members together and creating new connections.
Willing to be a “buddy” for prospective members to help them understand upcoming meetings/events and answer questions for them.
Awareness of Club to be able to answer questions for prospective members.
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Chair: Cathy Lykins
The Philanthropy Committee researches and reviews all donation requests submitted by members, committees, and organizations. When a request is received, the recipient organization or individual is reviewed and, if the committee approves it, the request goes before the general membership for discussion and approval. After final approval, the committee distributes the money to the designated recipients.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Awareness of philanthropic organizations in our community.
Interest in reviewing organizations’ needs and providing a balanced vote for if it is the right fit for our Club funds.
Committee members must be active members of DGJWC for a minimum of one year.
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Co-Chairs: Suma Raman & Meredith Van Syckle
WAM raises money to support the club’s philanthropic endeavors. Drawing on the support of the entire Club, the committee plans and organizes fundraisers as voted on by the active members of DGJWC.
Seeking Members who possess skills including:
Event planning - interest in planning one or more of our major fundraisers this Club year: Witches Walk, Elf Shelf, Downers Grove House Walk, restaurant give back nights and more.
Interest in soliciting local business for sponsorship and in-kind donations
Special Committees
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Chair: Becky Bettinger
Federation Reporting is responsible for keeping track of all Club committee projects and submitting annual reports to the GFWC Illinois and GFWC International Federation.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Organizational skills to help maintain current logs of club activities.
Writing skills to help create descriptions and narratives of club activities.
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Co-Chairs: Kelly Dussman & Rachel Sevcik
The Flagship Fundraiser Committee coordinates the operations and execution of the Club’s Flagship fundraising event, also known as the DGJWC House Walk, under the direction of the Ways and Means Committee (WAM).
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Chair: Lavinia Morozan
The Makers & Merchants Market is DGJWC's annual curated shopping event featuring local makers, artisans and small businesses. Committee members help select vendors, coordinate event logistics, communicate with participants and promote the event throughout the community.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Interest in setting criteria and reviewing vendor applicants.
Strong communications skills to help with corresponding with vendors and writing crafter profiles for social media promotions.
Event planning skills to help with logistics, coordinating with venue/food & beverage provider.
Volunteering at the in-person event.
Marketing skills to help promote the live and virtual event to community.
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Chair: Katie Casey
Safety Town is a two-week program held in August and organized with the Park District and Police Department to instruct 5- and 6-year-old children in home, fire, traffic, and bicycle safety issues.
Seeking members who possess skills including:
Interest in working with young children and teenagers (volunteers).
Coordinating with the Park District and Police Department.
Ready to Get Involved?
Every committee welcomes members with different interests, skills, and experience levels. Whether you're looking to volunteer occasionally or take on a leadership role, there's a place for you.