The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. Elects 2014-2015 Board of Directors

ARDMORE, Pa. - June 19, 2014 - PRLog -- The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. (JLP) has elected its 2014-2015 Board of Directors. Emily Schwarz will serve as President, replacing Immediate Past President, Halley Hetrick. Additional officers include: Carol Rose, Secretary; Skelly Holmbeck, Treasurer; Margie Patches, Sustainer Chair; Shauna Itri, Chief Operating Officer; Meredith Reinhardt, Director of Development; Meredith Carter, Nominating Chair; and Alexandra Powell, Parliamentarian. In addition, Erin Bushnell has been named President-elect for the 2015-2016 year. Ms. Schwarz is supported by Assistant to the President, Elizabeth Farr.

“It’s not what you have, or what you don’t have, but what you give,” says Ms. Schwarz. “I am excited to see what the members of the Junior League of Philadelphia have to GIVE this year.”

Ms. Schwarz outlined her primary goals during her acceptance speech at the League’s annual dinner on May 22, 2014. One of those goals is to start and complete the renovation of the JLP headquarters, located on Lancaster Avenue in the center of Ardmore, PA. Currently the location is home to the award-winning Junior League Thrift Shop, which recently celebrated its 10^th Anniversary.  The planned expansion will feature renovated meeting rooms and office space, available for League events and to the local community. The renovations are made possible by the successful conclusion of the organization’s first-ever capital campaign, for which League members and a small group of other friends contributed in excess of $1.4 million.

Another of Schwarz’s goals, also supported by the recently-concluded capital campaign, is to continue to develop new community projects that speak to the heart of the Apple a Day Healthy Living Initiative™. The JLP commenced Apple a Day in response to alarming statistics showing nearly 17 million American children are food insecure, and 1 in 3 Philadelphia-area children lives in poverty. Children living in poverty are at greater risk of suffering adverse health outcomes linked to malnutrition and epidemic hunger.

The League is committed to combating this trend through the Apple a Day initiative, with programming that strategically pairs access with education. Current community partners include:  SHARE Food Program, Greener Partners, Main Line Health/Lankenau Medical Center, Philadelphia Orchard Project, and SMITH Memorial Playground & Playhouse. Programming will center around increased access to healthy food, nutritional awareness, meal preparation on a budget, and making healthy choices. All of the League’s efforts will be focused on building a healthier and happier Philadelphia community.

About the Junior League of Philadelphia

The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The JLP reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.

To learn about future Junior League of Philadelphia events or become a member, please visit www.JLPhiladelphia.org.

The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization and a member of The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI).

The Junior League of Philadelphia, Inc.
27 W. Lancaster Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 645-9696