May 2020

Coronavirus Updates

COVID-19 has challenged the way we all live and work. It is vital that in this time of isolation we continue to maintain our virtual community in order to maximize the impact of our work for women, who are being disproportionately impacted by the virus.

NOW is providing the resources for our chapters working on the frontlines, for our members navigating their new realities as online activists and for anyone seeking resources to deal with gender-based challenges during these difficult times.

Additionally, president Toni Van Pelt sends out weekly messages of inspiration. You can see them all here.

Chapter Updates

NOW values the contributions and activism of each local and state chapter.  We rely on you to disseminate NOW’s agenda and advocate around NOW’s core issues in your community

Chapter Highlights:  

  1. Florida NOW Campus ERA Day Recording
  2. Northwest Indiana NOW makes, donates masks to women’s shelters
  3. Massachusetts NOW Feminist Friday Recordings
  4. Massachusetts NOW Webinar: ‘Sex Work, Sex Trafficking and Violence’ with Dr. Jill McCracken 
  5. National Organization for Women of New Jersey calls for Gender Parity on the 2021 NJ Legislative Apportionment Commission

Round Orders: Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, NOW staff is teleworking to ensure the health of their family and peers. The status of your order is still pending and will be shipped once I am able to make it to the office. 

Please do let National know if you have any questions or concerns regarding your order and we will make sure to work with you. 

Chapter Compliance: If you are a chapter that has not submitted their IRS determination letter, please do so as soon as possible. If you still have questions regarding the status of your chapter’s compliance, please reach out to Supria at chapters@now.org 

Here is a checklist to ensure that your Chapter is eligible for rebates and grants: 

  • Your chapter must be registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as “XXcode Chapter Name NOW” (XX – State initials; code – 4 digit assigned by National, ex) US0888 Fakecity NOW). 
  • Please visit irs.gov to verify how your chapter is listed. 
  • Your chapter must have at least two officers, specifically a President and Treasurer. 

Note: one person cannot hold both positions. Please cross check the chapter portal to find out which officers are listed. 

  • You must have submitted the most recent annual chapter report, 2019 report due by December 31, 2020.  
  • Please email chapters@now.org if you are unsure of your last annual chapter report submission. 
  • The chapters’ most recent 990-N was filed.  
  • Please visit irs.gov to verify when your chapter last filed a 990-N. 

Every chapter should have received a letter highlighting any areas they need to address. Please reach out to National if the status of your chapter has not been discussed. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Supria at chapters@now.org. Please note that due to a high volume of emails regarding compliance, responses are delayed. Thank you for your patience. 

Chapter Annual Report: Please be aware that the Chapter Annual report for 2019 will be on the Members Only page until December 31, 2020. 

Chapter Leader Portal:  

  • If you are a chapter leader and you do not have access to the chapter portal, please reach out to Supria at chapters@now.org or Carlo at vpoffice@now.org.  The chapter portal is a resource for your chapter to track members, update chapter information and view chapter transactions. 
  • If you have held or will hold chapter elections, please update your chapter officer listing via the portal before your last day in office. Please bear in mind that, in order to add an officer to your chapter officer list, they must be affiliated with the chapter. If affiliations need to be changed, please reach out to our Member Specialist, Priscilla, at member@now.org. 

Politics and Governance

Campaigns, Initiatives, and Events

Legal Momentum Partnership

NOW is proud to be the inaugural founding champion of the Syms | Legal Momentum Helpline. Established in 1970, Legal Momentum is the nation’s first and oldest legal defense and education fund for women and its helpline is an early-stage legal resource for women and girls facing discrimination in the workplace, home, or school.   

Offering legal information, assistance, and referrals, the helpline can be reached by phone at (971) 3- LEGAL-1, online at LMHelpline.org or by email help@LMHelpline.org. 

100* Centennial Campaign  

NOW is celebrating the centennial anniversary of the 19th amendment by launching our Sisters in Suffrage campaign! In the 100 days leading up to August 26, we will not only be celebrating the brave suffragists who made the passage of the 19th amendment possible but we will also be highlighting women from marginalized groups.

The campaign launches mid-May! 

 

 

 

NOW in the News

President Toni Van Pelt being interviewed by the Washington Post Podcast in NOW’s Media Room. March 3, 2020.

A key component of NOW’s mission is to monitor and elevate the country’s progress and shortcomings regarding women’s rights through press statements and earned media. Recent highlights include our work with a historic coalition to stop COVID-19 order that intends to ban and criminalize abortion and our efforts to stop this dangerous new Title IX rule that attacks the safety and rights of women and girls on campuses.

Below is a sample of our recent press statements or read more here: Media Center 

NOW PAC Holding May 21 Webinar on how to #AskThemMore

Join NOW PAC for a webinar on May 21 unveiling the #AskThemMore Toolkit.

The #AskThemMore Toolkit will equip NOW members with the resources to increase any campaign’s discourse around women’s issues. The May 21 webinar will run through organizing tactics that NOW chapters and members can use to get candidates up and down the ballot to champion women’s issues in their campaigns, as well as how to urge your local media to cover these issues.

Register here for the webinar.