Since 1979, Zonta Club Central Coast has quietly transformed lives across our community. Zonta Central Coast is part of the global network – Zonta International – which has been advancing the status of women worldwide for over 100 years. Locally, the Club focuses on advocating for positive change for gender equality, climate justice, and an end to violence against women, complemented by practical projects, scholarships, and community events that make a tangible difference in the lives of women and girls.
Zonta Central Coast works in conjunction with Coast Shelter and several women’s refuges around the Central Coast. Many women and children fleeing domestic violence leave with very little, including clothes. Each winter, the Club organises brand-new warm pyjamas and dressing gowns for the women and children in our local shelters. With the support of the Central Coast Council and Bendigo Bank, Zonta also provides welcome linen and kitchen start-ups for women and children as they transition out of the refuges.
Zonta’s focus on Saying No to Domestic Violence is amplified through bold advocacy projects. You may have seen Zonta’s impactful “Walk in My Shoes” displays at Erina Fair or Westfield Tuggerah or admired their striking ‘yarn-bombed’ trees around Terrigal, Woy Woy, Ettalong and Wyong. These installations humanise statistics, amplify survivors’ stories, and prompt people to pause, reflect and engage in meaningful conversation. These installations undoubtedly spark community awareness and action.
Beyond these essential services and advocacy, Zonta invests in the education of young women on the Central Coast. Each year, they award study grants to girls completing their HSC and young Indigenous women performers at NAISDA dance academy in Kariong. Zonta’s biennial Women of Achievement Dinner shines a light on ordinary women achieving extraordinary things, sharing their story and honouring their strength in overcoming challenges.
Although the Zonta Club of Central Coast’s firm focus is on the Central Coast community, their efforts don’t end locally. Zonta, along with hundreds of community volunteers, have packed over 50,000 birthing kits in the last twelve years. These kits contain materials to support a clean birth environment and help reduce the risk of infection for mothers, babies, and birth attendants in developing countries.
Even with such seriousness at its core, Zonta injects joy and connection into its fundraising. From themed trivia nights to jazz luncheons, fashion parades, and movie nights, their events bring people together in spirited support of critical causes.
If you’d like to help make a genuine difference for women and children in our community, there are many ways to join in. Here’s some ways you can support Zonta’s work:
- Add Zonta Club Central Coast on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralcoastzonta/
- Attend a fundraising event and enjoy socialising while supporting a good cause.
- Volunteer to help pack birthing kits.
- Join as a member and attend monthly dinner meetings where members plan projects and enjoy guest speakers.
- Visit Zonta’s website www.centralcoastzonta.org to learn more or make a donation.
To get involved contact centralcoastzonta@gmail.com
