| Abstract: | The Greater Cleveland Welfare Rights Organization was founded in 1966 following a protest march from Cleveland, Ohio, to Columbus, Ohio, by a small group of welfare recipients. The group used the march to highlight their demands that all people be able to meet basic needs with dignity. From the GCWRO grew a state affiliate and a national organization, the National Welfare Rights Organization. By the mid-1970s, GCWRO was a funded organization through the United Way with Minnie Player as director. Carolyn Miller was appointed executive director of the group following Ms. Player's death in 1983. GCWRO evolved into an organization to advocate for and educate those receiving public assistance. Outreach programming efforts included: Minnie's House, a women's center developed to focus on the specific issues of low-income women; the Give-a-Christmas program, aiding those with great need at the holidays; and, various programs and seminars on job training, self-sufficiency, and parenting. The collection consists of agendas, agreements, booklets, certificates, constitutions, correspondence, financial statements, flyers/handouts, forms, grant proposals, interviews, invitations, lists, manuals, memoranda, minutes, newsletters, newspaper articles and clippings, notes, press releases, programs, and reports. | |