About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., San Francisco Chapter is a group of mothers and daughters who have come together in a commitment to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences.
Members shall reside in the San Francisco area. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, San Francisco aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

The San Francisco Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. was chartered in December of 2004. As the first “urban” chapter in the NCL, Inc. family, the San Francisco Chapter has had a huge impact on the mission statement and direction of NCL, making it less of a “social” and more of a philanthropic entity over the years. We are committed to hands-on philanthropic engagement within our community.

San Francisco Chapter Mission Statement

To foster mother-daughter relationships as part of a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. 

Join Our Chapter

Interested in joining our chapter? Membership opportunities are dependent on chapter openings.

If you know someone in our chapter, talk to her about getting started, membership obligations and our membership drive timeline.  If you do not know someone in NCL, you are invited to complete this Membership Inquiry Form.

Membership Inquiry Form

For any questions regarding Membership, requests for transfers or assistance with connecting as a Sustainer, email us.

The San Francisco Chapter of NCL is excited to welcome new members to our 280+ strong chapter every year.  Our members represent over 18 middle schools and over 10 high schools who are focused on strengthening the mother/daughter bond through philanthropic work and personal growth opportunities.  We look forward to meeting you!

Membership Drive Timeline

Kickoff:  1/1/2024

Membership Inquiry Form Due:  1/31/2024

Prospective Member Meeting (required):  2/7/2024, 6:30pm. Details & invitation provided after submitting an inquiry form.

Application Due: 3/1/2024

New Members Announced:  4/1/2024

Membership Begins: 6/1/2024

 

Membership Eligibility

• Mothers and Daughters (or daughters with a female mentor) with high school graduation years 2030 and 2027.  All other classes are currently at capacity.
• Mothers and Daughters must either live in or attend school in San Francisco (place of work in San Francisco does not count).
• Boarding school students are ineligible. If you are seriously considering boarding school in your future, we kindly ask that you do not apply.
• Membership Dues:  New Member Mother $280, New Member Daughter $260 (active members will be $225/$260 respectively)

Membership Requirements

• NCL is a 6 year commitment (7th – 12th grade)
• Mothers must attend 5 meetings minimum
• Daughters must attend 6 meetings minimum
• Members must complete 15 philanthropy hours and 10 leadership hours
• Members must hold one chapter job each year, mothers must hold one leadership position job during their tenure

FAQ’s

Are there other chapters in San Francisco?  Yes, our sister chapter is called Golden Gate.  They operate under the same set of NCL, Inc. (National) requirements.  

Can I apply to multiple chapters?  No.  You can only apply to ONE chapter.  However, you can attend the Prospective Member Meeting for either chapter.  It is CRITICAL that you indicate the correct chapter in your application (San Francisco or Golden Gate).

What do the dues cover?  Our dues primarily cover fees from National (website, accounting, chapter support) and local costs such at our Annual Tea, meeting venue costs, and class level meeting/experience costs.

What are leadership hours?  Leadership hours are earned by performing your assigned job, participating in National online programming, and any other general support you offer the chapter.

How do members earn philanthropy hours?  Philanthropy hours are earned by working with our philanthropy partners, either through events advertised on our website, or through activities occuring at events/meetings.

Can my daughter participate from boarding school?  It is not possible to participate from boarding school due to the local nature of our membership requirements.  We kindly as that if you are considering boarding school in your future, you do not apply.  The loss of members to boarding school is disruptive to the class and also prohibits the potential for other daughters to join who plan to stay in a local high-school.   

Do I need a sponsor to join?  No – the requirement for sponsors has been eliminated.  You simply need to express your interest!

Which SF-NCL classes are accepting new members?  We are accepting applications for the class of 2030 and 2027.  All other classes are at capacity.

How are new members chosen?  Once completed applications have been submitted (by the deadline), all applications will go into a blind draw, by class.

Can my daughter’s philanthropy hours be applied toward high school service requirements?  Philanthropy hours earned via NCL may be applied to high school service hours at the discretion of the high school.

 

Have questions or would like to learn more about the NCL San Francisco Chapter? Please contact us at membershipsanfrancisco@nclonline.org.

 

 

Community Service

We understand and serve communities in partnership with local and national nonprofits. Each NCL, Inc. chapter promotes social awareness by considering the local community’s needs and selecting appropriate non-profit organizations to support through different volunteer activities.

We work with the following philanthropies:

• AIDSWalk San Francisco
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Brady Riding – Horses in California, Inc.
• Children’s Book Project
• Children’s Council
• Disaster Response
• Family House
• Guide Dogs for the Blind
• Habitat for Humanity San Francisco
• Hamilton Families
• Holy Family Day Home
• Homeless PreNatal Program
• Horizons at San Francisco Friends School
• Meals on Wheels San Francisco
• National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
• National Service Project 2024: Literacy
• Operation Gratitude
• Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center
• Presidio Native Plant Nursery
• Randall Museum
• Raphael House
• Refuse Refuse
• Richmond Neighborhood Center
• SF Food Bank
• St. Anne’s Home
• St. Anthony’s Foundation
• Surfrider Foundation
• Susan G. Komen
• The Guardsmen
• There With Care

The San Francisco Chapter of NCL excels in providing a wide variety of philanthropic opportunities to our members. Our philanthropy partners include opportunities in the following categories:  service for the homeless, the hungry, children with disabilities, the elderly, women and family services, the environment, and healthcare.

 

 

Leadership Development

We build capable, courageous leaders through opportunities to learn, reflect and develop. Our leaders become successful in their education, career and communities by learning the necessary skills during their NCL experience.

Examples of skills developed include:

• Confidence
• Consensus building
• Team building
• Conflict resolution
• Event planning
• Parliamentary procedure

Our Chapter Board of Directors:

• President: Kathleen Darling
• President Elect: Kelly Canady
• Secretary: Leah Alvarez
• Treasurer: Rose O’Driscoll
• Parliamentarian: Sara Morimoto Swain
• Vice President Communications: Kathleen Jackson
• Vice President Membership: Carol Bulgatti
• Vice President Philanthropy: Kelley Myerberg
• Vice President New Members: Maggie Shepard
• Vice President Ticktockers: Maria Kelly
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Cheryl Lewis

 

Cultural Experiences

We preserve National Charity League traditions and core values, while appreciating the growth that comes from connecting with different communities and cultures. We continually strive to build stronger ties with our communities and the individuals within them. It is through this understanding that we grow and develop broader worldviews that will shape and support our lives.

• Traditions – We celebrate the richness of our history through traditions that honor the past while serving the future.
• Values – We embrace values that make us strong as an organization of mother-daughter leaders.
• Community Connections – We build connections through experiences that impact our communities.
• Etiquette – We encourage and mentor kind, respectful and gracious social conduct.

Each year, our chapter coordinates a wide variety of cultural and leadership experiences.  Some examples:

Annual Kick-Off:  Our year officially starts June 1st, but knowing how busy summer travel gets, we save our Annual Kick-Off for late August.  This past year, we had a wonderful mother/daughter experience with “silent yoga” on Baker Beach, and then participated in a beach cleanup.  We even had the opportunity to see two sea lions released back into the wild!

Annual Tea and Reflections: These National traditions are combined into one event in the spring, where we gather as a chapter to enjoy a light lunch and celebrate our accomplishments.

Senior Reflection & Recognition:  Another National tradition, the senior class and their mothers gather for dinner in the late spring for their very last gathering as an NCL class!

Class Grants:  In the fall, each class researches, writes, and proposes a “grant” that serves as a December activity for the class.  Prior grants have included the beautification of the entrance to Presidio Native Plant and Brady Riding, kit building for the clients at Homeless Prenatal Program, holiday gift wrapping for the children at Raphael House – and more!

Experience Days:  Class-level events focusing on age-appropriate cultural, leadership, and/or personal development needs.  These might include a session on skin care, a lesson on resume writing & LinkedIn, or a personal safety class.  Experiences are curated by class mothers and designed with the daughter age and grade-level experience in mind.

Patroness-Only Events:  Once or twice a year, a Mother-Only event is hosted with a special speaker.  In the past these have included wellness, adolescent development, sex lives of teenagers . . . 

All Chapter Events:  Our All Chapter Events are for both mothers and daughters.  They typically have a theme and often a special speaker, and a time for the classes to have their own meetings.  We then break out into class groups for a philanthropy activity!

National Events:  NCL, Inc., our parent organization, hosts a variety of cultural and leadership events and activities over the course of the year, all available on-line.  They include topics like etiquette, brain health, leadership training, and more.