Zonta Club of Naples Strategic Communications Q&A
Q. What is Zonta Club of Naples ?
A. We are a Club of professionals who work for :
Empowering, Advocating and Serving Women and Girls
Q . How does Zonta empower women?
A. Our efforts are driven by our Mission which is to “Empower Women Through Service and Advocacy”
Q. What sets Zonta apart? What is the difference Zonta wants to makes in the
community ?
A: Our Vision is of a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential .This can be achieved when women have access to all needed resources and are on an equal decision making level as men.Through our service and advocacy we hope to contribute to the creation of that world where no woman lives in fear of violence.
Q. You talk about empowering through service and advocacy . What does that mean?
A. As a Club we volunteer our time, talents and resources to advocate and provide
services which improve the legal, political , economic , educational and professional
status of women and girls in Collier County.
Q. What does the Zonta Club of Naples advocate for ?
A. First and foremost we advocate against sex trafficking and domestic violence to
women. As an example , we created an advocacy program called the “ The More You Know” which provides pertinent information that educates and equips the Collier County Community in addressing these issues.
We also hold an annual awareness campaign entitled “The 16 Days of Advocacy” This campaign is designed to raise community awareness of current issues facing women and girls and ways the community can help answer the anti-violence ‘Call To Action’
Q. You say the Zonta Club of Naples provides services which empower women , how do you do this ?
A. First we start by ensuring we understand the current needs of marginalized women in the community. Women who have been sex trafficked , victims of domestic violence , or have food or home insecurities ( especially during COVID) are especially vulnerable .
To address these needs , some of our service projects have included:
– Project Help which secured personal items for victims of violence and sexual
trafficking
-Collaborations with Habitat for Humanity to address home insecurities.
-Contributions to Meals of Hope and Empty Bowls ( local food banks) to address food insecurities during COVID
Q: Who does the Zonta Club of Naples actually help ?
A. In addition to our direct hands on service projects , the Zonta Foundation of Naples raises money in support of our Mission. The majority of our funds are raised through an annual event called “Sparkle” which has enabled the Foundation to provide grants to a
number of 501© 3 organizations,
Specific recipients of the funds we have raised include 5 charities in Naples
-The Shelter for Abused Women and Children
-Pace Center for Girls- Path2Freedom
-Path2Freedom -Immokalee Foundation
-2 TeenAge Parenting Programs
Q. You stated that the Zonta Club of Naples helps educate to empower women and girls. How exactly is this accomplished?
A. One way we educate women and girls is through ongoing Town Hall meetings where we bring in the experts to talk about the current status of issues facing women and girls. We also partner with our local sheriff’s department to learn about the current trends of domestic violence, sex trafficking and other anti-women activities to become aware existing hot spots. Ultimately this knowledge is shared in an educational setting. We also partner with our local colleges and universities to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the academia arena. Our parent organization, Zonta International provides a huge amount of relevant information on women and girls issues for our use to educate our various audiences of our members, potential members and of course our ultimate audience, women and girls. .
Another way we help support education is through our Scholarship programs which are specifically targeted to enable women to advance themselves in careers that have
traditionally been male dominated. For example, we have scholarships for Women in Technology which are made available to qualified college students pursuing a career in technology related fields. We also have a scholarship program for Young Women in Public Affairs as well as the Jane M. Klausman, Women in Business scholarship.
A. The Zonta Club of Naples is constantly assessing our impact in the community.
Finally, through the Zonta Foundation of Naples , we established an Endowment at Florida Gulf Coast University for scholarships in forensic accounting .
Q. Since the pandemic has limited abilities to publicly gather , how does the Zonta Club of Naples continue to educate the community on relevant issues ?
A. The Zonta Club of Naples has remained flexible and committed to an outreach to the Collier Count Community. With the advent of the pandemic , we responded by
developing virtual Town Halls open to the public .The first virtual Town Hall held in May 2020 , was a Q&A on COVID. The speaker was the Zonta Club of Naples Vice
President , Dr. Sharon Henry-Woodby, MD who is a sub specialist in Infectious
Diseases. Additional educational Town Halls have included a focus on education, social service issues and The More You Know “ series which offers information on local resources and feature programs and services offered in Naples and the surrounding community.
Q. How do you know the Zonta Club of Naples is having an impact in the community?
A. The Zonta Club of Naples is constantly assessing our impact in the community . We often receive feedback from the charities we support .
In addition , for 2 years in a row , we have been the proud recipients of a Proclamation from the Collier County Board of County Commissioners recognizing the Club for the work we have done in the community.
Q. Is the Zonta Club of Naples a reputable organization ?
A. Zonta Club of Naples is a 5013 Club, chartered in Naples in 1973 , under its parent , a global organization , Zonta International ( ZI) . ZI was founded in 1919 and has clubs worldwide with approximately 29,000 members. In 1968 Zonta International was granted
roster level status into the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
In addition, the Zonta Club of Naples carries the prestigious distinction of the 2020 GuideStar Silver Seal of Transparency. Issued through an independent third party , this seal is a tangible way for a non profit organization to demonstrate its commitment to
financial transparency.