Modern Widows Club - Minneapolis

Modern Widows Club serves to empower widows to lean into life,
build resilience and make a positive difference in society.

“Modern,” for us, means, “Living for today while honoring yesterday.” We currently have widows who range from ages 26 through 65+ and every person’s voice is precious and valuable. It’s a space to laugh, cry, contemplate, dream, and empower leaving all judgments at the door.

Every day in America nearly 2800 women become widowed, but no one talks about it.
The US ranks 3rd in the world for the most widowed women at 14 million.

US Stats: (US Census Bureau and the 2015 World Widows Report)

• The average age of a widow is 59
• Of the 14 million widows, 66% are over 65 yrs and 34% are under 65 yrs
• 70% of all married women will face the stage of widowhood
• Widows live an average of 15 yrs longer than their partners
• Of the 14 million widows, 49% earn less than $25,000 a year and widowhood is often a ticket to poverty
• Over 740,000 widows live in extreme poverty unable to provide food, shelter and basic necessities
• Secondary Losses often crush widows as they lose their homes, jobs, insurances, credit, status, security, identity, faith, intimacy, confidant, parenting partner and best friend. Widowhood is an all affront attack on women’s health
• Losing a spouse is 100 stress points on the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale and ranking #1. With all the other losses, she often is near the 300 stress point level which places her in an 80% chance of becoming seriously ill

Modern Widows Club was founded in 2011 in Orlando, FL by Founding Director Carolyn Moor by welcoming two widows to mentor into her personal home. That has grown into a national organization of over 20 statewide chapters, led by over 50 widows leaders that reaches 25,000 widows worldwide. 

We are honored to promote June 23, International Widows’ Day, a United Nations day of observance raising awareness for widows and their need for advocacy.