The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Incorporated, is a non-profit organization. The club was organized in 1958 by Florence Allen Holmes exclusively for charitable, religious, educational and scientific purposes as specified in Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding provisions of any Federal tax laws.
Florence Allen Holmes subsequently served as the eighth National President of the Association. The focus of the club was to create awareness in the community of the presence of Negro Business and Professional Women, to generate programs to enhance our youth and to render growth and stability to the African American family. Mid-Island Club is one of over three hundred clubs that make up the National Association that was organized in 1935. The first president of Mid-Island Club was Lila Barnes, who held the office from 1958-1961. The current president is Betty Brown-Greene. Past presidents are Gloria Smith, Lillie P. Francis, Barbara Ford, Constance Nichols, Mildred Green, Leora Heyward, Anne K. Williams, JoAnn Van Noy, Joanne E. Braxton, Claretha L. Smith, Marie E. Castillo, Deborah James Epps, Lois Branch, Kathryn Negri and Linda Wood-Hoyt.
The Mid-Island Club’s membership is comprised of dynamic, caring, business, professional and entrepreneurial women committed to making a difference through education, service, and technology. The club’s outreach is all of Suffolk County, New York and it takes great pride in following the aforementioned National Program focus and we have received National recognition for our outstanding work in the community, interactions with schools and churches and partnerships with other nonprofits.
The Mid-Island club has been very successful in identifying the needs of the community it services and takes action by sponsoring educational programs, creating events or holding workshops, health clinics, food drives, feeding the needy and supplying clothes and toys to children to address these and other needs. In addition, our service to youths is really the heart and soul of the club. We have an outstanding and very involved Youth Club which also follows the National program focus.
The Mid-Island Club has given out over $150,000 in college scholarships to graduating high school seniors through the years and sponsors many programs and events with a direct aim at enhancing the educational knowledge and personal growth of our youth.
In 2014 the Mid-Island Club received a grant from the New York State Council of Humanities for a Black History program that our youth presented during Black History month. If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Mid-Island Club please email us at midislandclub.ned@gmail.com
If you want to learn more about our National organization please visit www.nanbpwc.org.
