"Altrusa International provides community service, develops leadership, fosters international understanding and encourages fellowship by an international network of executives and professionals in diversified career classifications." -- adopted, 1990, Altrusa International.
First and foremost, Altrusa club members demonstrate their commitment to their communities through service, volunteerism and by raising money for local charities.
Members in Altrusa are expected and encouraged to participate in club projects and fundraising. However, members never are expected to give more than they are able, but the more active members are, the more they gain from membership. Fellowship at meetings and in service projects bring full value to being an Altrusan.
In 1917,Altrusa Institute was founded by Dr. Alfred Durham who envisioned a chain of national clubs where business and professional women could meet and exchange ideas. In 1918, Mamie L. Bass of Indianapolis felt that Altrusa could serve a higher purpose and, in June, Altrusa held its first convention in Indianapolis where Altrusa became a classified service organization for women.
Today, Altrusa has 496 clubs in 19 countries and 15,000 members worldwide with chapters in Puerto Rico, Chile, Equador, Mexico, India, Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Ireland, Great Britain, Bermuda, Canada, and New Zealand.
The Bloomington Altrusa club was founded in June 1957 and started what would become a long list of worthwhile, community-based projects. Members are focusing their energies and fund-raising efforts into a new service plan, Literacy for Life, by identifying specific literacy projects for the very young, students and older adults.
The Bloomington chapter meets the second Thursday of every month at 5:45 p.m. at the Indiana Memorial Union.