About Altrusa

The Altrusa International of Longview-Kelso Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit corporation (funds contributed are tax-deductible in the United States). The International Office is in Chicago. Altrusa is a foundation composed of volunteer business people and professionals interested in community service. It was founded in 1917 as a service organization for women in the United States. It is now also open to men and has expanded to 16 countries.

Each chapter is encouraged to have an international project, in addition to its other projects. Many of the projects emphasize helping women and children, as well as supporting worldwide literacy.

Altrusa International of Longview-Kelso in Washington state, was founded in 1949 and currently has 60 members. Visit the Altrusa International, Inc. District 12 web site (link http://www.altrusa.org/Who-We-Are.aspx) for further information.

Dr. Peggy Gurrad, the Orphanage Project Coordinator for the Longview-Kelso chapter of Altrusa International, began collecting donations for Amity orphanage assistance projects in December of 1998. Dr. Gurrad acts as a volunteer liaison and coordinator between worldwide donors and the Amity Foundation in China.

Peggy is a physician specializing in internal medicine.  She is retired from Kaiser Permanente in Longview, Washington.  She ensures that everyone involved is aware of exactly what is needed and how donations are spent. Like most of the volunteers involved in these projects, Peggy has adopted a child from the Jiangxi province of China.