Starting a Chapter

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Starting a Chapter

Plan an opening, informal event such as a picnic, luncheon, story-time, etc.
Get names and addresses of families to invite from:
- FRUA database
- personal acquaintances
- pediatricians
- ob/gyns
- fertility specialists
- adoption agencies (Ask for their mailing list in your area. If they won't do this, ask them to mail your information to families in your area.
During your event, see what families' needs are and get volunteers to help form a board of directors. For example, our national board has a Chairperson, Co-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Event Chair, Culture Chair, Fundraising Chair, Orphanage Support Chair, Internet Chair, Publicity Chair, Newsletter Chair, and Librarian. Each Chair has a committee.
The board can meet at regular intervals to plan events, gatherings, conferences, etc.
Important: Open a checking account under your city/state name and FRUA (for example, NJ FRUA or San Francisco FRUA). The account cannot be under an individual's name. As soon as you have your account, call FRUA at 703-560-6184 and leave a message for the treasurer with this information. You will now be considered an official FRUA chapter.
Decide how much you want to charge for membership. All members of your chapter will also be members of National FRUA. National membership will cost $20 a year per person. Any amount over $20 per person will be mailed back to you once a month by our treasurer. Most chapters are charging $35 per year: $20 for national expenses (four newsletters, fax, phone, Internet, national events, publications, mailings, and administrative), and $15 for their region.
Families in your area who wish to become members can do so through our national phone line, fax line, or PO Box. National FRUA will fax new membership forms and address reports at your request. The membership application form is also available on our web site, http://www.frua.org.
Notice: If you are interested in remaining a social club, rather than becoming a part of the formal organization, you are not authorized to use "FRUA" in your name. Only formally organized chapters and those in the process of organizing are authorized to use "FRUA" in their name.

Numbers to Know

If you have questions, please contact Karen Klein Berman, National Chairperson, by e-mail at info@frua.org or fax at 914-834-1955.

To order any publications, membership forms, brochures, or to leave a message for anyone at FRUA:

Hotline: 703-560-6184
Fax: 301-474-4516
E-mail: info@frua.org
Homepage: http://www.frua.org