About Altrusa International, Inc.

 

Altrusa is an international non-profit community service organization dedicated to making our local communities better through leadership, partnership, and service. We strive to create better communities worldwide.  The membership is a diverse group of men and women in both background and experience.  Through Altrusa membership, you have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, serve your community, and develop both personal and business networks that make a difference in the lives of our community.  Altrusa International, Inc. currently consists of 392 clubs in 19 countries.

 
   

History of Altrusa Downtown Dallas

Our Club was chartered on September 28, 1982, and was sponsored by the Dallas Evening Club with only 30 members.  Today, we still have two active founding members and a membership of more than 60 members.  We are taught and support the joy of collectively giving service to others. Our focus is on helping women and children in the Dallas Metroplex and our inspiration is "Educating Families for a Better Future". 

Our Impact

Our Club has made an impact on the lives of our members and our community in many ways.  We have created a family of civic-minded people who mentor each other in Altrusa and support each other in our careers and personal lives.  We have raised over $1 million dollars to fund our service projects and to support non-profit agencies.  We have performed numerous hours of community service for over 50 organizations throughout the Dallas Metroplex. 

 
 

Our Network

 

One of the ways Altrusa DTD has brought its members together is to provide stimulating programs at our meetings. We’ve heard remarks from politicians, executives, journalists, health care consultants, community activists, and presidents of universities. Another way our Club has supported its members is by giving them the opportunity to meet and make friends with people from all types of occupations and backgrounds.  In addition to attending membership and committee meetings and participating in service projects, our members have also been encouraged to attend purely social gatherings, including our annual retreat, monthly book club, Adventures of the Month, club happy hours, as well as events for members and for members and their families. 

   

Our Fundraising

 

Historically, Dessert First has been one of the Club’s primary fundraising event for our service projects. The event serves to raise money for one primary beneficiary and many other smaller service projects.  Recently our donations to beneficiaries have been almost $80,000 to Wednesday’s Child, over $65,000 to CASA, and over $70,000 to Kids U. In April 2016 our members decided to shake things up again by striking out in a new fundraising direction, focusing on raising money to finance our hands-on community service projects through smaller, less labor-intensive methods.