current Service Projects
Local Service Fund Recipients
Bolt Bags
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The Zonta Club of Austin, MN has created "Bolt Bags" for women and children fleeing domestic violence. These bags contain basic necessities that a victim may need in order to leave an abusive situation quickly, such as shampoo, toothbrush, games for kids, and other items. They have been distributed to the Austin Police Department, the Mower County Sheriff's Office, Crime Victims Resource Center (CVRC), Safe Harbor, and other police departments and fire departments in Mower County.
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GED Testing
Our Zonta Club provides funds and gas cards to assist women who have not completed high school and are in need of funds to test for their GED. These are donated to the Adult Learning Program in Austin.
More than pink bags and scholarships
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More Than Pink is a program designed for girls who have completed third through sixth grade to empower themselves and each other. This 6-week summer program innovatively weaves training for a 5K run with lessons that empower girls to celebrate their bodies, honor their voices and embrace their gifts.
We have filled, packed, and donated 100 pink bags each year to participants in this program. Bags are filled with nail polish, journals, personal care items, and more. |
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Nepal Social Services
Dr. Earl and Bev Thompson, representing Nepal Social Service, is one of the ongoing service funds that the Zonta club has helped out with a yearly donation. With our funds we have helped them to open a Safe House which helps provide food, shelter, and education for fifty orphans, community women in need of support, and surgical patients who are sent from clinics around the countryside.
They have also set up literacy classes for women. These women attend classes for six months, six days a week, two hours a night. They learn to read and write and are also provided with training on human health, agriculture, and animal care. Each student is given seeds for planting their own gardens.
They have also set up literacy classes for women. These women attend classes for six months, six days a week, two hours a night. They learn to read and write and are also provided with training on human health, agriculture, and animal care. Each student is given seeds for planting their own gardens.
Haiti Health and BIrthing kits
School Backpack Program
Children enrolled in this program receive a backpack filled with food to take home on the weekends. The food is designed to provide children, who may be going without food over the weekend, with nutritious kid-friendly meals and snacks. The Zonta Club of Austin has donated funds to support this program.
Fleece Blankets
Our Zonta Club has bought, cut, tied, and donated many fleece blankets to different organizations, including Austin High School, Parenting Resource Center, Rachel's Hope, and victims of the Taopi tornado.
Gas cards - crime victims resource center
Our club has donated Kwik Trip gift cards to Crime Victims Resource Center to support victims of domestic violence that are leaving a violent situation with food or gas purchases.
Haiti Sponsorship
We help financially support and sponsor a young woman to stay in school each year.
Gift of warmth
Gift of Warmth is a nonprofit organization that organizes and accepts donations for gloves, mittens, hats, and scarves. These are distributed at a yearly event on Skinners Hill, where anyone in need can come and grab what they need. Zonta has donated to this cause.
Past Service Projects
Real hope for the hungry
Real Hope for the Hungry, a satellite of Kids Against Hunger, assembles and packages highly nutritious meals and sends them to those in need. Our club has participated in many meal packing opportunities over the years!
Shirley Thiel Walking Path
In 1990 the Zonta Club of Austin, MN donated $6,000 to start the first walking path in Austin. The path in the park is ½ mile. For the next 4 years the Zonta Club donated another $1,000 for the completion of the project. From this project there were other paths completed and now Austin has a total of 10 miles of walking paths. The Austin Park and Recreation assisted us with a sign in the park recognizing our club.
School BenchesA group in Austin had started a project with the Blanden Foundation to fund a project of providing benches in the landscape of Austin High School. The group disbanded and our Zonta Club was approached by Bruce Loechen, the art teacher at the school. A former member of Zonta, Nancy Gruenwald, helped to initiate the project. Each graduating class made tiles and they were selected by the Zonta Club and Mr. Loechen to put on display on the benches. Anderson Memorials ordered the benches and the classes added tiles to them. The Zonta Club also raised money for this project when the Guthrie Theater came to Austin. Members of the club worked selling tickets prior to the performance and helping with costumes and working that evening. The funds raised assisted us in completing this project.
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