March: the only month in the year designated for celebrating women. However, the National Charity League (NCL) spends more than one month out of the year focusing on the many accomplishments of women. 

Founded in 1925, NCL is a multigenerational referral-based mother-daughter organization that supports philanthropy, leadership and community through charity work. NCL has over 280 “chapters” across 31 states, including Marin, which has two chapters: the Marin Chapter and the San Rafael Mission Belles chapter.

Class of 2026 Grade Level Advisor (GLA) and Redwood parent, Cindy Patrizi has been with NCL for over nine years. She first joined NCL with her oldest daughter, Sophie Patrizi, who is a Redwood alum. Her other daughter, Lily Patrizi, is currently a Redwood senior and is the Ticktocker Council Representative for the NCL class of 2026. 

“NCL is a group of mothers and daughters who are coming together in a commitment to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences,” Patrizi said.

NCL consists of “Patronesses” (mothers) and “Ticktockers” (daughters in grades seventh through twelve). Organized based on grade levels, Ticktockers and Patronesses meet monthly.

Every year, mothers and daughters are assigned specific roles within the class they have to apply for. Large positions include President, Vice President of Membership, GLA, Philanthropy, Ticktockers, Communications, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and more. Chapter boards typically have around 10-12 core elected positions. 

Kathleen Goodhart has been with NCL for over 12 years, and is currently the NCL GLA for class of 2026. Goodhart has done NCL with all three of her daughters, one of which is also a senior. 

“The class GLAs gives a survey to all the moms and daughters asking what role they want. You’re required over a six year tenure to have two big jobs, we try to mix up the roles. Then the whole class votes on the officers,” Goodhart said. 

“By having a board of directors and

having executive positions like the president, it is helping them [Ticktockers] understand how to operate within a more formal structure using parliamentary procedure.”

Redwood senior and NCL class of 2026 Parliamentarian, Caitlin Titcombe said, “Usually the president, then one of the moms, goes up and talks about the agenda for what we’re doing that day. Some meetings we will work with different foundations, and get charity hours and other times we’ll have a guest speaker come in and talk to us.”

All year, NCL participates in charity work with local organizations like Blue Star Moms, St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County
, ExtraFood/Share the Bounty, Alzheimer’s Association and more.

“There’s so many different opportunities for volunteer work. There are opportunities to work with St. Vincent DePal, so you can bag lunches with your mom or your friends,” said Patrizi, “There’s another organization called ExtraFood where, every Sunday, you go to the farmer’s market and collect the vendors’ extra food to donate.” 

These volunteering events are notable, not only for the impact on the community, but the impact on the girls and mothers who participate in them. 

“Spending that time together volunteering is the best part of the organization to me because helping others makes people feel really good,” Goodhart said. “I think no matter who you are, if you’re helping someone else, that feels good and to do that together with your daughter is a nice shared experience.”

NCL’s unique mother-daughter style philanthropic work helps to strengthen relationships as well. 

“I think it brought me, my mom and my little sister, who’s also in NCL, closer, because we go and do the activities together and it’s a way to spend time with people you love,” said Titcombe.

The built in mother-daughter structure also allows for moms to guide their daughters.

“NCL is a great way to foster mother-daughter relationships when serving the community together, while also teaching the girls’ leadership along the way,” said Patrizi.

NCL also hosts non-charity events. The main ones being the NCL Mother-Daughter Tea and Senior Recognition. 

“The Mother-Daughter Tea is everything from who’s gonna do the invitations, to what philanthropy do we want to support? The tea lets those girls [freshman class] come together and learn how to host an event on their own,” said Patrizi.

The Senior Recognition event is a tradition that allows the senior girls to make speeches, while celebrating their dedication to the end of the six year program. 

“The senior celebration is important, because we have been in it [NCL] for 6 years, which is a pretty big chunk of our lives, and it’s a day to celebrate the seniors, but also, our moms and all the hard work that they’ve put in for us in NCL,” said Titcombe.

For these senior girls, this recognition may mark the end of their NCL work, but the skills and connections developed within the program are lifelong. 

“NCL has taught me a lot about kindness. You want to put out into the world what you want to receive, and I can do that with NCL.” Titcombe said.