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by REBECCA GRACE | AFA Journal Staff Writer
"Who chooses the curtains in your home? Who buys the sheets? How
many of you are married to men who know what ‘mauve’ is?"
asks Kimberly Fletcher, founder of Homemakers for America, Inc.
(HFA).
"We are the homemakers," she explained. "Men build the house. We
make the home."
HFA, a national citizenship organization, formed after an epiphany
during the 2004 presidential election as a means of uniting a diverse
group of women who share the core values of God, freedom and family.
The epiphany soon turned into an organized effort as 26 women gathered
together for the first time last November in Dayton, Ohio.
These women, who largely differed in age, ethnicity, income and
religion, became HFA’s first members.
Fletcher and HFA fellow members used grassroots efforts to promote
the goup’s Web site. Within two months of the first meeting,
HFA grew to a membership of over 200 women from 11 states. Presently,
HFA is made up of nearly 400 members from 16 states.
"I have truly felt inspired and directed by God to form this organization.
I have been led all the way," Fletcher said.
A
need for awareness
While HFA is diverse in its religious makeup, Fletcher, an accomplished
songwriter, a wife and mother of eight children and a former concert
promoter/event planner, is a devoted Christian.
"I have a firm testimony of the divinity and love of God the Father
and Jesus Christ, and it is that knowledge and faith that guides
my life," she said.
His guidance was evident in the development of HFA as the Lord
began prompting Fletcher to form the organization while she and
her family were working at a voting precinct in Trotwood, Ohio,
on Election Day. The Fletcher family, among other volunteers, passed
out detailed voter guides compiled by the Christian Coalition of
Ohio. While distributing these guides, Fletcher compared them with
the vague leaflets being distributed by the Kerry-Edwards campaign.
"I realized, then, the real difference in the philosophy that day,"
Fletcher said. "One group provided the facts and let the voters
decide for themselves. The other provided the voter with no information
and dictated to them how they should vote."
As a result, Fletcher was inspired to promote education and support
the individual right to make a decision.
An
outlet for change
Recognizing and valuing the responsibilities women have in the home,
HFA functions to "keep women informed and teach them how to be proactive
in their communities without sacrificing their homes and families,"
Fletcher explained.
HFA provides such opportunities through a variety of means including
its rapid response e-mail system, interactive Web site, state councils
and local chapters, and its programs, conventions and educational
endeavors.
"Homemakers for America, Inc. is a powerhouse – a one-stop
shop where you can ask questions, get answers, receive information
on issues and find out what avenues are available to be most effective
in influencing our families, communities, and our nation," Fletcher
summarized.
HFA welcomes any female 18 years of age or older who shares the
core beliefs of the organization. There is an annual membership
fee of $5.00, which provides members with resources, opportunities
and experiences needed for their voices to clearly resonate.
"We can no longer be silent…. Our elementary school libraries
are filled with books like My Two Mommies, and we can’t
even turn on PBS anymore," Fletcher explained. "We cannot hide our
heads in the sand. We must speak out.
"This [decay of America] is not a matter of Democrats versus Republicans,
liberals versus conservatives … or Americans versus terror.
It is as simple as good versus evil.
"Homemakers in America want to be heard," Fletcher added. "How
loud we are depends on our numbers."
HFA is launching a national public relations campaign to enroll
one million members by the end of May 2005.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
Homemakers for America
P. O. Box 369
Englewood, OH 45322
937-477-5200
pres@homemakersforamerica.com
www.homemakersforamerica.com
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