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{{Short description|American women's rights organization}}
{{multiple issues|advert=August 2014|unreferenced=August 2014|notability=August 2014}}
{{Infobox organization
'''OWL - The Voice of Women 40+''' 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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| purpose = [[Women's rights]], fighting [[ageism]]
| headquarters = [[Washington, D.C.]], [[United States|U.S.]]
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| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Margaret Hellie Huyck, Ph.D.
| leader_title2 = Vice President
| leader_name2 = Janet Pitt
| leader_title3 = Treasurer
| leader_name3 = Joan Bernstein, J.D.
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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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'''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>

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" />


==Mission==
==Mission==


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>
OWL’s sharp focus is what makes us unique. We are the only organization that focuses solely on issues affecting the nation’s estimated 78 million women over 40 – economic security, cost effective and comprehensive healthcare, and an enhanced quality of life.

==Values==

OWL is committed to maintaining the nonpartisan, collaborative, pragmatic approach that has defined the organization since its founding in 1980.

==Vision==

Our vision is of a society where women over 40 are secure in their finances, are free to pursue careers and family, and have the support they need to live long, vibrant and independent lives.

==Issues==


 Encore careers and entrepreneurship
 Wellness
 Cost effective and comprehensive health care
 Social Security
 Long-term care

==How OWL Works==

• Conducting educational initiatives on timely issues, including workforce challenges, health care and how women’s voices are changing the world.


• Producing compelling evidence-based publications that include policy recommendations and best practices


• Presenting expert briefings attended by congressional staff, media and other opinion leaders

• Building partnerships and alliances with a wide range of organizations

• Providing updates on relevant policies and proposals


==Advocacy==


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.<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>
Membership dues and donations, and grants from foundations and corporations are OWL’s prime funding sources.


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.owl-national.org OWL - The Voice of Women 40+]
* [http://www.owl-national.org OWL - The Voice of Women 40+][link now advertises hotels]


[[Category:Seniors' organizations]]
[[Category:Seniors' organizations]]
[[Category:Feminist organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Feminist organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1980]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1980]]
[[Category:Women's organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Women's organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Women in Iowa]]
[[Category:Women in Iowa]]

Latest revision as of 23:03, 9 June 2024

Older Women's League
Formation1980
DissolvedMarch 15, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-03-15)
PurposeWomen's rights, fighting ageism
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., U.S.
President
Margaret Hellie Huyck, Ph.D.
Vice President
Janet Pitt
Treasurer
Joan Bernstein, J.D.
Websiteowl-national.org
[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]
  1. ^ a b Amati, Christopher (2017-03-15). "National OWL disbands, local chapter to continue". Hyde Park Herald. Retrieved 2017-03-28.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Rausa, Bettina A. (2008). Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. New York, NY: Springer. pp. 603–604. ISBN 978-0-387-33753-1.
  3. ^ Chimes of Change and Hours: Views of Older Women in Twentieth-century America by Audrey Borenstein. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, Jan 1, 19
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
[edit]
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