W.E.L.L. believes that change can happen in every community, as long as there are people willing to do the work. Here you can see how we’ve worked in our communities for positive change. The programs listed here are mainly focused on some element of service or community enrichment. Our volunteers have fun (as we always do) along the way, but the main goal is to make our world a better place to live. There’s always room for more! Check out each program to find out what positions are currently open, where we need an extra hand, and how you can get involved today. If you have an idea that you don’t see in place, please let us know! We need your ideas and input to make W.E.L.L. a group that reaches all areas of the community.
The Expanding List of Programs W.E.L.L. Offers:
Book Club-This was the first program W.E.L.L. started with, and is still one of the favorites. Led by Ariana Reid, this is a monthly book club on various feminist texts. We always meet the 3rd Thursday of the month at Starbucks on 2801 Magazine, at 6pm.
Poetry Workshop-This is for adults, and generally for women. This group is currently on a small hiatus. But in general, members are screened to maintain group standards and solid work ethic. Members write poetry which is then reviewed by members of the group on that individuals given day to present.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling-This program is about helping women business owners, independent female business-people and female artists. A list is complied of various services (auto mechanics, hairdressers, lawyers, babysitters, plumbers, etc) like a phone book, only all the entries are women. This way we can support women in business while meeting our own needs.
Pen Pal Program-This program is about pen pals, and has three tiers within the program: S.C. female inmates, children in long-term hospital stays, and elderly home-bound adults.
Y.E.L.L. (Youth Empowered and Loving Life)-Set to launch in the Algiers public school system in August, Y.E.L.L. is our most ambitious program to-date. We will be creating and maintaining two after-school clubs for Jr. High students: a chess club and a book club/writing workshop. These will be free programs led by W.E.L.L. volunteers. We hope to offer both clubs at as many schools as possible, depending on the number of volunteers we have to led the groups.
W.E.L.L. Newsletter-A bi-monthly update via PDF, this newsletter is open for any members to submit articles for. Regularly we have book reviews for our book club, sometimes we have poems submitted from the workshop, and various articles on women's issues. (Under the belief that all issues are women's issues, of course.) To submit an article for a newsletter, please send it to Brittany ([email protected]) by the 20th of the month prior to the newsletter you would like your article to appear in, for instance an article for the June newsletter would need to be received by May 20th.
Stitch and Bitch Stitching Circles-Proudly offering two monthly meetings, one in New Orleans and one in Metairie, our Stitch and Bitch groups are a place for anyone with a sewing craft to hang out and work. We have knitters, crocheters, cross-stitchers and embroiderers that attend and crafters of any kind are welcome. Once a year our S&B program works with the Pink Slipper Project to donate slippers, supplies and funds to women and children in shelters.
W.E.L.L. Theater-This program is not a regularly meeting group, but more of a semi-annual program that presents plays/shows. During Feb of 2011 W.E.L.L. produced a V-day play about women in prison called "Any One of Us: Words From Prison". We successfully raised $364 in 2011 for Beyondmedia Education's website Women and Prison: A Site of Resistance.
C.R. Talks-C.R. is short for Consciousness-Raising, and these talks are still in the planning stages. They will be bi-monthly and feature a different "hot topic" at each meeting. The goal is a educational lecture of sorts followed by a round-table discussion, the lecture being led by an expert in the field discussed. For example, "Fad Diets" may be a topic, and local nutritionist Corey Walsh would come and speak. Another example could be "Conditions of Women in Ghana" and local business owner E. Aminata Brown may come talk.
MOMS-Still in the planning stages, we hope to offer regular toy/clothing swaps, field trips, play dates, and a small day-care program for parents. Our main cause for delay in this program is volunteers. Many parents need the help, but understandably do not have the extra time to led the program.
Poetry Workshop-This is for adults, and generally for women. This group is currently on a small hiatus. But in general, members are screened to maintain group standards and solid work ethic. Members write poetry which is then reviewed by members of the group on that individuals given day to present.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling-This program is about helping women business owners, independent female business-people and female artists. A list is complied of various services (auto mechanics, hairdressers, lawyers, babysitters, plumbers, etc) like a phone book, only all the entries are women. This way we can support women in business while meeting our own needs.
Pen Pal Program-This program is about pen pals, and has three tiers within the program: S.C. female inmates, children in long-term hospital stays, and elderly home-bound adults.
Y.E.L.L. (Youth Empowered and Loving Life)-Set to launch in the Algiers public school system in August, Y.E.L.L. is our most ambitious program to-date. We will be creating and maintaining two after-school clubs for Jr. High students: a chess club and a book club/writing workshop. These will be free programs led by W.E.L.L. volunteers. We hope to offer both clubs at as many schools as possible, depending on the number of volunteers we have to led the groups.
W.E.L.L. Newsletter-A bi-monthly update via PDF, this newsletter is open for any members to submit articles for. Regularly we have book reviews for our book club, sometimes we have poems submitted from the workshop, and various articles on women's issues. (Under the belief that all issues are women's issues, of course.) To submit an article for a newsletter, please send it to Brittany ([email protected]) by the 20th of the month prior to the newsletter you would like your article to appear in, for instance an article for the June newsletter would need to be received by May 20th.
Stitch and Bitch Stitching Circles-Proudly offering two monthly meetings, one in New Orleans and one in Metairie, our Stitch and Bitch groups are a place for anyone with a sewing craft to hang out and work. We have knitters, crocheters, cross-stitchers and embroiderers that attend and crafters of any kind are welcome. Once a year our S&B program works with the Pink Slipper Project to donate slippers, supplies and funds to women and children in shelters.
W.E.L.L. Theater-This program is not a regularly meeting group, but more of a semi-annual program that presents plays/shows. During Feb of 2011 W.E.L.L. produced a V-day play about women in prison called "Any One of Us: Words From Prison". We successfully raised $364 in 2011 for Beyondmedia Education's website Women and Prison: A Site of Resistance.
C.R. Talks-C.R. is short for Consciousness-Raising, and these talks are still in the planning stages. They will be bi-monthly and feature a different "hot topic" at each meeting. The goal is a educational lecture of sorts followed by a round-table discussion, the lecture being led by an expert in the field discussed. For example, "Fad Diets" may be a topic, and local nutritionist Corey Walsh would come and speak. Another example could be "Conditions of Women in Ghana" and local business owner E. Aminata Brown may come talk.
MOMS-Still in the planning stages, we hope to offer regular toy/clothing swaps, field trips, play dates, and a small day-care program for parents. Our main cause for delay in this program is volunteers. Many parents need the help, but understandably do not have the extra time to led the program.