HISTORY
OF THE EDINA FEDERATED WOMEN’S CLUB
2020-today
2025-2026
Edina Feds turns 55! Our organization will host the first Edina Feds Chili & Brew Fest on November 1.
2024-2025
Edina Feds celebrates our 54th year and launches a new, updated website. Our Feds Fest event raised a new record $83,000 for Every Meal.
2023
Our Feds Fest event raised a record $70,000+ in November 2024 for charity partners Edina Education Fund/Mental Health Campaign and KARA/Invisible Children
2010-2019
2019
Edina Feds celebrated our 50th year
2016
Annual dues raised to $100 and Edina Living Magazine dedicated their front page to an article featuring EFWC
2014
Mahjong was added as a social activity to the other 11 existing EFWC Social Clubs
2011
EFWC's first website was created
2000-2009
2008
Feds Fest theme was Champagne, Rubies and Roses and was held at the Westin. We began using a credit card machine for the first time, making it easier to collect over $60,000 for Philanthropies
2007
Members could choose to receive the Club’s monthly newsletter, Jottings, by email for the first time
2005
Dues went from $50 to $75
2004
EFWC's 5th Feds Fest was held at Interlachen Country Club and raised $40,000 to give to philanthropy
1990-1999
1999
EFWC members voted to discontinue Santa House and instead voted for Feds Fest to be the primary fundraiser
1994
Edina Feds celebrated our 25th anniversary and the GFWC celebrated 100 years
1980-1989
1988
EFWC appeared on KARE-11 TV with anchor Joan Steffend to do a ribbon cutting to celebrate Santa House
1987
Annual dues went from $20 to $35
1983
The friendship committee was created and nicknamed "Honeybears"
1970-1979
1979
Santa House contributed $8,500 to the Philanthropy Fund
1976
EFWC’s motto changed to "Founded on Friendship and Strengthened by Service”
1975
The Edina Feds was 5 years old and had over 100 members
1972
The Edina Fed’s 53 members launched the Santa House which became a major fundraising project for the club
1970
The Edina Feds had 40 members and dues were $10 a year
1969
1969
In October 1969, seven women formed a club whose purpose was to develop friendship and promote and participate in service for social, economic, educational, scientific and philanthropic needs. The Edina Federated Women’s Club (EFWC), otherwise known as The Edina Feds, was born.
A LEGACY OF GIVING
The Edina Federated Women’s Club, known to the community as the Edina Feds, has contributed over $1,000,000 to support hundreds of local charitable organizations: Edina Give and Go, Southside Family Nurturing Center, Corner House, Oasis for Youth, 66 West, the Edina Educational Fund, KARA/Invisible Children, Every Meal, Pinky Swear Foundation and many other entities serving women, children, and families.
About our Philanthropic Arm
EFWC Philanthropies, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization. Such organizations operate for charitable purposes and generally benefit the great good of the community.
-
We have been privileged to provide funds to the groups below. We know our contributions have made a difference.
66 West
Accessible Space
Adoption Option
Alternatives for Autistic People
Alzheimer’s
American Cancer
American Lung Camp
Amicus
ARC
Arneson Park
Ascension Place
At Home Group
Best Friends
Boy Scouts
Camp Challenger
Camp Fire
Camp Indian Chief
Camp Ozawizenbia/Epilepsy
Campfire Girls/Boys
Camphill Village
Care Partners
Caring We Dliver
Chi Rho Center
Children’s Heart Fund
Children’s Home Society
Children’s Theatre
Christian Medical Society
Chrysallis Center
Community Emergency Service
Community Emergency Service
Community Resource Pool
Contact Twin Cities
Cornelia Park Playground
Corner House
Cornerstone
Courage Center
Crisis Connection
Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes ResearchDiscovery
Dorothy Day Center
Ebenezer Society
Edina ABC
Edina Art Center
Edina Battered Women Support Group
Edina Care Center
Edina Chemical Awareness
Edina Children’s Leisure Committee
Edina Community Education
Edina Community Library
Edina Crime Prevention
Edina Education Fund
Edina Excellence in Education
Edina Family Resources
Edina Fine Arts
Edina Fire Department
Edina Give and Go
Edina Highlands Adult Care
Edina Historical Society
Edina Parks/Seniors
Edina Parks/Trees
Edina Police K-9
Edina Resource Center
Edina Schools Special Ed
Edina Project Pride
Edina Senior Citizens
Edina Special Children’s Group
Edina Teen Center
Emergency Assistance Program
Emergency Food Shelf
Emergency House
English Learning Center
Every Meal
Families Moving Forward
Family Plus
Feds Vision Project
Feed Our Starving Children
Foster Family Program
Free Art Museum
Friends of Wayside
Friendship Ventures
Girl Scouts
Give and Take Center
Goodwill
Grant Hussey Foundation
Groves Academy
H.O.M.E
Habitat for Humanity
Harriet Tubman
Hearing and Service Dogs
Hemophilia Camp
Hennepin County Service Volunteers
Hennepin County Child Protection
Hennepin Dental Film Library
Humane Society
Ileitis/Colitis Foundation
Illusion Theatre
Incarnation House
INSTEP
Kaiser Roll
KARA/Invisible Children
KTCA
Learning Ctr for Homeless Children
Legal Aid Society
Leukemia Research
Li’l Children’s Farm
Loaves and Fishes
Lupus Foundation
M.S. Singles Counseling
M.Y. Nursery School
MADD
Michael Dowling School
Midwest Challenge
Midwest Hospice
Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
Minnesota Challenge
Minnesota Zoo
Minnesota Food Bank
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Teen Corps
MS Achievement Center
Mt. Olivet Careview
N.C. Little
National Kidney Foundation
National Multiple Sclerosis
NIP Senior Program
NIP Sexual Assault
N. Commons Interfaith Hospital
Oasis for Youth
Operation Smile
Opportunity Workshop
PACER
Parents for Community Action
Perspectives
Pinky Swear Foundation
Potter’s House
Pride in Living
Project Charlie
Promise Program
Rebuild Resources
Reuben Lindh Learning Center
Ronald McDonald
S.H.A.P.E.
SAVE
Sarah’s Oasis for Women
Second Harvest Food Bank
Seton Center
Sexual Assault Services
Sharing and Caring Hands
Shriner’s Hospital
Sojourner Shelter
Southdale YMCA
Southside Family School
Southside Family Nurturing Center
St. Joseph’s Home for Children
St. Mary’s Health Clinic
St. Patrick’s Church
St. Stephen’s Shelter
Store to Door
Storefront Youth Action
T.T.T. Camp
Tasks Unlimited
Teenage Medical Service
The Caring Tree
The Colony
Tree House
Trinity Mission
Troop Donations
Urban Ventures
VEAP
Very Special Arts
Vietnamese Summer Program
Vinland Nature Center
Vision Loss Resources
Washburn Child Guidance Center
Women n Transition
Women’s Resource Center
Y.E.S./Neon
Young Life
Youth Action
Youth Emergency Service
Youth Frontiers
Youth Investment Camp
ZOOM
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Feds undertake a variety of smaller volunteer projects as needs arise. Recent examples include giving holiday gifts to abuse victims at Cornerstone, creating Halloween gift bags for senior residents at Vernon Terrace, packing food for backpacks at Every Meal, giving gift cards to teenagers at Good in the Hood, donating clothes and toiletries to Sojourner, packing food at Feed My Starving Children, and making blankets for local charities. Members also elect to contribute club funds to organizations with new or pressing challenges such as the Edina Educational Fund, Covid 19 efforts or Second Harvest Heartland food distribution in SW Minneapolis during the pandemic.
