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Now Accepting Applications for Supplies for Success Scholarship

The Supplies for Success Scholarship Award was established by the Diocesan Board of GFS Los Angeles in 2021 to assist members in grades K-12 with school supply costs. The amount of each award will be determined annually by the Committee and will depend on the number of applicants. The current award amount is capped at $75 per student.

The scholarship award is for the recipient to use towards the cost of school supplies at a K-12 educational institution approved by the State of California, including public, private, charter, and home school operations. Award payments are limited to school-sized backpacks and those items listed on a published supply list from the applicant’s educational institution and is not authorized to cover items outside of those lists. Please contact the Committee for exceptions where published supply lists are not available.

Applications are due by June 15, 2021. The Committee will decide the awards by July 15, 2021, and applicants will be notified of the award decisions in July.

 The award recipients must email their published school supply list and receipts for the supplies they purchased for the school year to the Committee Chairperson by September 30 for award payment.  Checks will be sent by October 15, 2021. If an award recipient does not submit a reimbursement request on time or does not use the entire award, the unused balance of the award will revert back to the Scholarship Fund. Awards do not carry forward.

An applicant must be a current GFS member in good standing. The applicant must be part of a branch in good standing. Applications will be scored based on the responses provided and each applicant’s work in furthering the GFS motto: “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”.

Applications are available here. .

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How to Talk to Youth About Bias

Join us to learn!

We invite parents, leaders, clergy and adult supporters of GFS to a free workshop on Saturday, September 12, from 10AM to Noon, to become better skilled as youth leaders. We are presenting it in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League.

Please watch this video of Margaret Nolde, President of the board of GFS-Los Angeles diocese, explaining our purpose for offering this program.

This award winning program helps participants:
• recognize bias and the harm it inflicts on individuals and society
• build understanding of the value and benefits of diversity
• improve intergroup relations
• confront racism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of bigotry

Registration required
We must have a minimum of 25 participants and no more than 50. Please register by September 8.

REGISTRATION

Please complete this short survey to help inform the workshop leader.

 

 

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GFS responds to COVID-19 impact on girls

GFS LA holding a Zoom series gathering our members from around the diocese.

GFS responds to COVID-19 impact on girls

GFS-LA has gone on many outings together – camp, beach parties and rally days. Now we are staying at home due to COVID-19, but to respond to the current needs of our girls, we have a new online event – Fly Away with GFS!

Our skilled GFS-LA leaders are holding a 3 weekend Zoom series to help girls acknowledge, evaluate and address their social, emotional, spiritual and physical needs during the stay-at-home orders.  Each meeting involves activities such as dancing, spiritual devotion, teaching and a chance for girls to share ideas and talk. 

Girls got involved right away, chatting on the sidebar, waving to each other, sharing feelings and joining in the dancing. This is an evolving activity as we all get used to a different format.  Next meeting is May 23, grab your ticket contact [email protected]!

 

 

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News from Phildelphia – A tour of the City of Brotherly Love

The city of Philadelphia is where the birth of the nation took place. On Thursday we boarded a bus for a tour.   It took a long time for people to actually show up for the bus tour. We went on the tour and it was really hot. My mom and I were near the plastic hood on the top which was hot. We stayed there for half of the trip before we got to move. It was much cooler at the back of the bus and I was relieved.

After the tour, we went to a lunch place, ate Philly Cheesesteaks and we cooled of at a Starbucks for a while. Finally we made our way to buy souvenirs and the Betsy Ross museum. Philadelphia is very old and it has a lot of history to it. When we went through neighborhoods the houses looked very old fashioned. The place I enjoyed the most was the Liberty bell because it was pretty. We also saw some old technology called busy bodies. It was a three way mirror so people on the second floor could see who was at the door without the visitor seeing them.
Clover Brantner

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News from Philadelphia – Nya Thomas

Building Alheri Village – Yewande Austin

Yewande Aistin

Today we met Yewande Austin and she talked a lot about helping young people from terrorists and human trafficking in Nigeria. She is teaching people how to farm and how to make their own reusable pads. She is also trying to build a village for people who come back from human trafficking and those who live in tents. She also talked about how she held summer camps for girls who want to learn how to speak their minds. Her talk was very inspirational because she uses some of her own money to fund the children, and even though she knows building her village might fail, she keeps trying.

Nya Thomas
July 4, 2019

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News from Philadelphia – A Life Ignited

The speaker from A Life Ignited, Rhonda Kinard, gave a workshop that opened my eyes to see how powerful a women can be. One of her main focuses was leadership and how anyone can be a leader as long as they believe what they do is right and have a passion for reaching their goals. A one of the traits of a leader is to not be sorry for what you do. If you are skirting in front of others, trying to get through a crowd, or writing an email to a busy coworker, don’t apologize for any of your actions or requests  because what you do is just as acceptable as what anyone else does. You shoild never let yourself down. This talk really inspired me to be confident in my actions and. . . to not say sorry.

Aiyana Harris
July 3, 2019

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News from Philadelphia – Junior Delegate

This year is my first year attending the GFS National Assembly. I had never experienced a business meeting before or knew how they functioned. I was given the honor of being the Junior Delegate for the Diocese of Los Angeles during the first session and now everything makes a whole lot more sense! Normally, I would be entertaining myself by sketching, reading, or zoning out.  But having to actively listen to others and their concerns gave me a clearer understanding on how the board works and learned how powerful soneones voice can be when they speak for what they believe in. I hope to have another opportunity to represent the LA diocese and  listen to other people’s ideas.

Aiyana Harris
July 1, 2019

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News from Philadelphia – Opening Ceremonies

Today I served as a banner bearer for the GFS Diocese of Los Angeles. The Episcopal Cathedral of Philadelphia is truly beautiful, and set the perfect atmosphere for our small, intimate service. The stain glass panels displayed the several stages of Jesus’s ministry. The dean remarked that besides it’s beauty, the church is unique in its adaptability. The pews were removed several years ago, and were replaced with chairs; this allows the arrangement of seats to be altered depending on the size of the congregation. Before the service, all of the banner bearers gathered outside in line formation. As the Gisselle music began, we filed in. My banner was very large, and so kept me from seeing anything more than a foot in front of me!  Although I was afraid to be the first GFS member to crash into an altar, with the grace of God, I managed to navigate my way safely. I took pride in being able to represent my diocese, even with a task as small as banner bearer. This is what GFS is all about: each person contributing just a little, to achieve one greater purpose.

Mikaela Sesler
July 1, 2019

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Girls’ Friendly Society Marks 140 Years!

 

For 140 years the Girls’ Friendly Society has been helping girls and young women to make their way in an often uncertain society. This year we celebrate 140 years of providing education and shelter for women. Although our focus has changed over the years from training to formation, our dedication to helping create a nurturing environment with a Christian emphasis has not. Join us this May as we celebrate our anniversary at St. John’s Pro Cathedral in Los Angeles. Click here to see a slideshow of the event!

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Folding Palm Crosses

 

 

It is a GFS tradition to make palm crosses for the church for use on Palm Sunday. Gather your girls for a meeting the day before Palm Sunday and learn this fun craft. There are many how to videos and instructions online.

Below are two versions of the cross to try. Each requires patience and precision. Don’t be surprised that there will be a lot of frustration at first. However, once the girls learn the trick of folding a palm cross, you won’t be able to stop them. I call the ability to fold a palm cross the secret handshake of GFS.

 

Finish up your Saturday afternoon meeting with an additional craft or a game.

 

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