Okinawa Enlisted Spouse Club
"Circle of friends making a difference in our community."
About AWWA
Lending a helping hand to people in need is an integral and valued element of American culture. Most U.S. citizens will try to make the time in their busy lives to contribute in some way to their community, even when far from home and living in a foreign country. Throughout the years, the American Women's Welfare Association (AWWA) has been quietly demonstrating this commendable American characteristic by fostering a relationship with the Okiinawa community through charitable donations, friendship, and community involvement.
AWWA has been a partner to the Okinawa community for the past half century—it began as the Ryukyu American Welfare Council which was established in 1952 under US Army Regulation 230-60 for purposes of coordinating and providing welfare activities in the Ryukyu Islands with the assistance of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands, the agency responsible for administering the Ryukyu Islands under the High Commissioner (an Army Lieutenant General). During Okinawa’s reversion from a U.S. Territory to a Japanese Prefecture in 1972, U.S. Forces wives' clubs from all four branches of the military on Okinawa founded the American Women’s Welfare Association.
From that time forward, AWWA has existed as a cooperative venture to provide a clearinghouse for charitable grant requests. AWWA assists member spouse organizations on Okinawa by evaluating social welfare requests for funding and ensuring that the clubs¿ significant charitable proceeds from their on-base gift and thrift shops are used to benefit worthwhile causes throughout the Okinawa Prefecture. The member spouse organizations that contribute through AWWA include:
| Army Community Group (ACGO) | |
| Okinawa Enlisted Spouses' Club (OESC) | OESC Thrift Shop on Kadena |
| Kadena Officers' Spouses' Club (KOSC) | Kadena Gift Corner & Kadena Gift Corner Annex on Kadena |
| Marine Officers' Spouses' Club (MOSC) | Island Treasures Gift Shop & Island Treasures Annex on Foster |
| Naval Officers' Spouses' Club(NOSCO) | Navy Fleet Gift Shop Home Store & Navy Fleet Gift Shop Kids Cottage on Lester |
The member spouse organizations also contribute through charitable auctions, bazaars and other fundraising events.
When you purchase beautiful new or used items at any of these locations and events, you are helping to provide support for worthwhile causes and activities in the Okinawa community. Last fiscal year, AWWA contributed over $314,000 to local organizations. Over the past ten years alone, member organizations have contributed nearly $3.5 million through AWWA to improve the quality of life of our fellow military families and Okinawa neighbors.
In this way, AWWA forges a vital link between American military families and our
