Older Women's League: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American women's rights organization}} |
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'''[http://www.owl-national.org OWL - The Voice of Midlife and Older Women]''' was founded in 1980 (as the Older Women’s League) after a White House mini-conference on aging in Des Moines, Iowa. It was founded by [[Tish Sommers]] and Laurie Shields. |
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| name = Older Women's League |
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| logo = OWL The Voice of Women 40 Plus.png |
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| formation = 1980 |
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| dissolved = {{end date and age|2017|03|15}} |
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| purpose = [[Women's rights]], fighting [[ageism]] |
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| headquarters = [[Washington, D.C.]], [[United States|U.S.]] |
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| leader_title = President |
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| leader_name = Margaret Hellie Huyck, Ph.D. |
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| leader_title2 = Vice President |
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| leader_name2 = Janet Pitt |
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| leader_title3 = Treasurer |
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| leader_name3 = Joan Bernstein, J.D. |
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| website = {{URL|owl-national.org}} |
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| footnotes = <ref name="Amati">{{cite news |last=Amati |first=Christopher |url=http://hpherald.com/2017/03/15/national-owl-disbands-local-chapter-to-continue/ |title=National OWL disbands, local chapter to continue |work=[[Hyde Park Herald]] |date=2017-03-15 |accessdate=2017-03-28 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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}} |
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'''OWL - The Voice of Women 40+''' was founded as the '''Older Women's League''' by [[Tish Sommers]] and Laurie Shields, following the White House Mini-Conference on Older Women in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] in October 1980. The conference, called "Growing Numbers, Growing Force," addressed three main concerns: ensuring adequate income, health concerns of older women, and quality of life and the impact of aging.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rausa|first1=Bettina A.|title=Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health|date=2008|publisher=Springer|location=New York, NY|isbn=978-0-387-33753-1|pages=603–604|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rTMrB0AutLwC&q=%22Older%20Women's%20League%22%20-wikipedia&pg=PA603}}</ref> About 200 women participants stayed on after the conference, at their own expense, to start the Older Women's League, an outgrowth of the Older Women's League Educational Fund, founded by Tish Sommers and Laurie Shields, and named Sommers as the first president of OWL.<ref>Chimes of Change and Hours: Views of Older Women in Twentieth-century America by Audrey Borenstein. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, Jan 1, 19</ref> |
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In March 2017, it was reported that the national organization had decided to disband, but local chapters may continue to function under the OWL name or possibly another name.<ref name="Amati" /> |
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[[File:Older_Women's_League_logo.jpg|thumb|right|]] |
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==Founding== |
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The foundation for all future activism by OWL followed from these issues: a recognition of the value of women's work, paid or unpaid; a focus on the economic plight of women in later years; and an attack on inequities inherent in public policy. |
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==Mission== |
==Mission== |
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As the only national grassroots membership organization to focus solely on issues unique to women as they age, OWL strives to improve the status and quality of life for midlife and older women. OWL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that accomplishes its work through research, education, and advocacy activities conducted through a chapter network. OWL provides a strong and effective voice for the more than 73 million women age 40 and over in America. |
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==Education and Advocacy== |
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OWL has created a powerful and effective grassroots network of over 30 chapters nationwide composed of women and men of all ages dedicated to winning economic, health, and social equity for midlife and older women <ref>http://www.owl-national.org</ref>. OWL's current Executive Director is Bobbie Ann Brinegar. Brinegar has a strong background in voting rights and worked for the Florida League of Women Voters. |
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OWL was a nonpartisan, nonprofit, national membership organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that advocated for the estimated 78 million women in the U.S. who are age 40 and over.<ref>Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States, Counties, and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division</ref> Its core issues were economic and retirement security, [[encore career]]s and entrepreneurship, wellness, cost-effective and comprehensive health care, [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]], and long-term care.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Heinemann|first1=Sue|title=Timelines of American Women's History|date=1996|publisher=Berkley Pub. Group|location=New York|isbn=978-0-399-51986-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/timelinesofameri00hein/page/163 163]|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/details/timelinesofameri00hein|url-access=registration|quote=Older Women's League -wikipedia.}}</ref> |
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OWL leaders and members undertake national public education and advocacy campaigns, and work through forums, campaigns, and coalitions to put those issues in the public spotlight and on the legislative agenda. OWL works closely with the [[National Council of Women's Organizations]] (NCWO)[http://www.womensorganizations.org/], the National Council on Aging (NCOA) <ref>http://www.ncoa.org</ref> and the [[Leadership Council of Aging Organizations]] (LCAO). <ref>http://www.lcao.org</ref> |
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==Advocacy== |
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OWL’s Mother’s Day Reports spotlight issues of critical importance to midlife and older women, focusing on such issues as the health care coverage needs of midlife and older women, Social Security, pension reform, retirement security for women, caregiving, long term care, housing, [[elder abuse]] and domestic violence. |
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Advocacy was carried out through: |
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National campaigns on key health issues like prescription drugs, Medicare as a women’s health plan, and managed care’s effect on midlife and older women, as well as materials on mental health, osteoporosis, nutrition, and medication interaction, provide women with tools to negotiate the health care system effectively. In 1981 OWL shaped legislation in Oregon which required group health insurance policies to allow former dependents to continue coverage if they paid premiums. This legislation laid the groundwork for the [[Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985]] (COBRA) law. OWL has testified at congressional hearings on Social Security, the [[Equal Rights Amendment]], end-of-life issues and long-term care. |
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* Educational initiatives on issues such as workforce challenges, access to healthcare and long-term care, and strengthening Social Security |
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* Reports and other publications offering policy recommendations and best practices |
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* Briefings for congressional staff, media, and the public |
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* Collaborations with other organizations on common issues |
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* Updates on policies and proposals |
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Membership dues and donations, and grants from foundations and corporations were OWL’s prime funding sources. |
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==Funding== |
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Membership dues and donations, and grants from foundations and corporations are OWL’s prime funding sources. |
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OWL has successfully advocated for legislation, including the Retirement Equity Act and a law allowing widows to continue using their spouses' health insurance.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cullen-DuPont|first1=Kathryn|title=Encyclopedia of Women's History in America|date=2000|publisher=Facts On File|location=New York|isbn=978-1-4381-1033-2|page=193|edition=2nd|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oIro7MtiFuYC&q=%22Older%20Women's%20League%22%20-wikipedia&pg=PA193|chapter=Older Women's League}}</ref> In the 1980s, OWL formed a planning group with the [[National Women's Health Network]], the [[American Association of University Women]], the [[National Black Women's Health Project]] and other organizations to establish a women's agenda for health care reform. In 1990, OWL allowed the newly created Campaign for Women's Health to have space in its Washington D.C. offices.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Weisman|first1=Carol S.|title=Women's Health Care: Activist Traditions and Institutional Change|date=1998|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore|isbn=978-0-8018-5826-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/womenshealthcare0000weis/page/210 210]|url=https://archive.org/details/womenshealthcare0000weis|url-access=registration|quote=Older Women's League -wikipedia.|chapter=Transforming Women's Health Care Policymaking}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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<references /> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.owl-national.org OWL - The Voice of Women 40+][link now advertises hotels] |
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[[Category:Seniors' organizations]] |
[[Category:Seniors' organizations]] |
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[[Category:Feminist organizations]] |
[[Category:Feminist organizations in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Organizations established in 1980]] |
[[Category:Organizations established in 1980]] |
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[[Category:Women's organizations in the United States]] |
[[Category:Women's organizations based in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Women in Iowa]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:03, 9 June 2024
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| Formation | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | March 15, 2017 |
| Purpose | Women's rights, fighting ageism |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
President | Margaret Hellie Huyck, Ph.D. |
Vice President | Janet Pitt |
Treasurer | Joan Bernstein, J.D. |
| Website | owl-national |
| [1] | |
OWL - The Voice of Women 40+ was founded as the Older Women's League by Tish Sommers and Laurie Shields, following the White House Mini-Conference on Older Women in Des Moines, Iowa in October 1980. The conference, called "Growing Numbers, Growing Force," addressed three main concerns: ensuring adequate income, health concerns of older women, and quality of life and the impact of aging.[2] About 200 women participants stayed on after the conference, at their own expense, to start the Older Women's League, an outgrowth of the Older Women's League Educational Fund, founded by Tish Sommers and Laurie Shields, and named Sommers as the first president of OWL.[3]
In March 2017, it was reported that the national organization had decided to disband, but local chapters may continue to function under the OWL name or possibly another name.[1]
Mission
[edit]OWL was a nonpartisan, nonprofit, national membership organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that advocated for the estimated 78 million women in the U.S. who are age 40 and over.[4] Its core issues were economic and retirement security, encore careers and entrepreneurship, wellness, cost-effective and comprehensive health care, Social Security, and long-term care.[5]
Advocacy
[edit]Advocacy was carried out through:
- Educational initiatives on issues such as workforce challenges, access to healthcare and long-term care, and strengthening Social Security
- Reports and other publications offering policy recommendations and best practices
- Briefings for congressional staff, media, and the public
- Collaborations with other organizations on common issues
- Updates on policies and proposals
Membership dues and donations, and grants from foundations and corporations were OWL’s prime funding sources.
OWL has successfully advocated for legislation, including the Retirement Equity Act and a law allowing widows to continue using their spouses' health insurance.[6] In the 1980s, OWL formed a planning group with the National Women's Health Network, the American Association of University Women, the National Black Women's Health Project and other organizations to establish a women's agenda for health care reform. In 1990, OWL allowed the newly created Campaign for Women's Health to have space in its Washington D.C. offices.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Amati, Christopher (2017-03-15). "National OWL disbands, local chapter to continue". Hyde Park Herald. Retrieved 2017-03-28.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Rausa, Bettina A. (2008). Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. New York, NY: Springer. pp. 603–604. ISBN 978-0-387-33753-1.
- ^ Chimes of Change and Hours: Views of Older Women in Twentieth-century America by Audrey Borenstein. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, Jan 1, 19
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States, Counties, and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
- ^ Heinemann, Sue (1996). Timelines of American Women's History (1st ed.). New York: Berkley Pub. Group. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-399-51986-4.
Older Women's League -wikipedia.
- ^ Cullen-DuPont, Kathryn (2000). "Older Women's League". Encyclopedia of Women's History in America (2nd ed.). New York: Facts On File. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-4381-1033-2.
- ^ Weisman, Carol S. (1998). "Transforming Women's Health Care Policymaking". Women's Health Care: Activist Traditions and Institutional Change. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-8018-5826-0.
Older Women's League -wikipedia.
External links
[edit]- OWL - The Voice of Women 40+[link now advertises hotels]