The Junior League Says ‘Happy 100th Birthday’ to Four Leagues

April 17, 2012 - PRLog -- New York – The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., one of the largest, most effective women’s volunteer organizations in the world, today noted that four Junior Leagues – Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia and San Francisco – will each celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2012.

Delly Beekman, AJLI President, said, “These four Leagues, among our oldest, have improved the social landscapes of their communities through diverse and innovative projects. In the spirit of our founder, Mary Harriman, these Leagues found value in voluntarism and a commitment to creating lasting community impact. That spirit lives on today in 292 independent Leagues in four countries.”

The Junior League of Chicago’s more than 1,500 members donate more than 200,000 hours to the community each year while the League itself raises thousands of dollars for community projects. Among JLC’s enduring legacies are the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier; Children’s Place, the first pediatric AIDS facility in the Midwest; the first victim witness assistance program, which served as a prototype for court improvements across the country; in partnership with the Wood Family Foundation, the first pediatric psychiatry center in the country; and, in the 1920s, the first children’s theatre in the country. To commemorate their 100th year of service to Chicago, Centennial Days of Service committee members are organizing monthly, large-scale service projects.

The Junior League of Cleveland’s more than 500 members have donated countless volunteer hours and more than $2.3 million to the community, focusing on issues pertaining to children, education and women. From the early years of manning milk stations during the depression and acting as “Gray Ladies” throughout the WWII years through their current signature initiative of helping children aging out of foster care, JLC members have worked to ensure that community needs were identified and met. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, JLC launched a social media campaign – 100 Days, 100 Ways – a history-sharing program, on 100 ways that the League has had an impact on the Cleveland community. In March – Women’s History Month – the JLC launched A Picture’s Worth 100 Years, a closer look at many of the community impact work of the League throughout it’s history. You can find tap into both campaigns at www.jlcleveland.org, on Facebook at Junior League of Cleveland or on Twitter at @JLCleveland.  

Throughout the past century, the Junior League of Philadelphia has contributed more than $5 million and six million volunteer hours to the Greater Philadelphia region. JLP partners with other nonprofit organizations to ensure that families in their community have safe and affordable play spaces, nutritional meals, and an appreciation for education as a lifelong pursuit. Additionally, JLP championed historic preservation for Philadelphia’s cultural landmarks, having rescued both the Fairmount Water Works and Sweetbriar Mansion in Fairmount Park from neglect; raised funds to support children’s programming at local hospitals and institutions; and trained over 7,000 community leaders and volunteers. The League will mark this milestone with a black tie Centennial Gala celebrating “A Century of Achievement, A Future of Promise” to be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia. The JLP plans to unveil its new Healthy Living initiative, which focuses on nutrition, hunger awareness, and increased access to healthy food, during the Gala event.

Since its inception in 1911, the Junior League of San Francisco has provided the community with an estimated six million volunteer hours and more than $24 million through direct community grants, advocacy, and membership training and development. The tradition of improving the lives of people in San Francisco and the Bay Area continues today through the commitment and volunteer efforts of over 1,600 members that support nearly 65 community projects in partnership with local nonprofit agencies. To support the mission and projects, JLSF members raise more than $500,000 each year while advocating on behalf of issues like support for at-risk families, child abuse prevention and perinatal depression awareness.

About The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc.
Founded in 1901 by New Yorker and social activism pioneer, Mary Harriman, the Junior Leagues are charitable nonprofit organizations of women, developed as civic leaders, creating demonstrable community impact.

Today, The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) is comprised of more than 155,000 women in 292 Junior Leagues throughout Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.  Together, they constitute one of the largest, most effective volunteer organizations in the world.  For more information, please visit http://www.ajli.org/


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The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.