The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) is the largest and oldest international service organization of volunteer women in the world. It is comprised of fifty-two State Federations including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, eight regions, and four hundred and twenty-one districts. The GFWC was organized in March 1889 and received its Charter by Congress in 1901. The objective of its membership is to promote and enable communication and unification of the women's clubs and similar organizations throughout the world for the purpose of mutual benefit and for the promotion of education, preserving natural resources, encouraging healthy lifestyles, contributing to world peace and international understanding, and supporting participation in the arts. Through six departments--the Arts, Conservation, Education, Home Life, International Affairs, and Public Affairs and with the support of many national foundations and corporations, the GFWC has in the past successfully organized a series of projects for the benefit of its member clubs. The Federation also cooperates closely with various specialized associations as well as with local public agencies and private groups such as American Library Association, CARE, America's Clean Water Foundation and many others, in order to maximize the effectiveness of the community service work.