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Mission
The Junior League of Philadelphia Incorporated is an organization of women whose Mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
The Junior League of Philadelphia is committed to addressing the many aspects of health and wellness in underserved communities in the Greater Philadelphia area. The JLP has approximately 900 trained volunteers who contribute more than 75,000 hours of service worth an estimated $1.5 million annually. Approximately 17 committees support the community needs of the Greater Philadelphia area as well as the institutional needs of the organization.
Community Programs
Since 1912, the Junior League of Philadelphia has been involved in programs that change lives. Whether it’s creating community gardens or providing nutritious meals to families in need, the Junior League offers women an opportunity to make meaningful change happen. Currently, over 17 million children are food insecure, and nearly 1 in 3 children in our region live in poverty and do not know when or where they will eat their next nutritious meal. The Apple a Day Healthy Living Initiative™ is the Junior League of Philadelphia’s response to this alarming community need.
The Apple a Day Healthy Living Initiative™ is a multi-tiered community initiative with the goal of creating a positive impact on the health and wellness of adults and children in the Greater Philadelphia area. Apple a Day programming encompasses both interactive educational curricula and a focus on increasing the region’s capacity to supply and distribute healthy food to families in need. Please download this brochure for more information on our Apple a Day Healthy Living Initiative™.
The Junior League F.E.E.D.s Philadelphia by Facilitating increased access to fresh produce, Educating children and adults to experience the connection between healthy eating and healthy living through hands-on nutrition and exercise education programs, Empowering individuals to become advocates for their own health and well being by providing free health and wellness screenings, and Distributing more than 3,500 pounds of fresh produce annually in areas classified as food deserts so that adults and children in our community will live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
In 2012-2013, the first year of implementation for Apple a Day, the Junior League donated $21,500 to community partner Greener Partners to install a hoop house to extend their growing season to the winter months and underwrite community supported shares to feed 32 low income families over 26 weeks. The League sponsored two urban community orchards through collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchard Project, and volunteered with the Vetri Community Partnership to educate hundreds of children about nutrition and etiquette. League members also hosted seven interactive educational events for hundreds of children at Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse in Fairmount Park.
Membership
JLP volunteers bring a vast array of talents and skills to their volunteer work. Approximately 85% of our volunteers are employed in a wide range of professions and industries. The JLP reaches out to all women and no woman is excluded from membership because of race, religion, national origin, or disability.
Training
The JLP believes that effective service is accomplished through the efforts of highly skilled and well-informed volunteers. All new volunteers are required to complete an intensive training course and thereafter choose from a wide range of training programs each year. Through these programs, volunteers acquire the skills, knowledge, and empowerment to effectively serve the community and the organization.
Operation
The JLP is managed by a Board of Directors comprised of 10 volunteers who have served the JLP and the community with distinction. The President is the Chief Executive Officer and official spokesperson for the JLP. The JLP’s operations are primarily financed through membership dues and volunteer supported fundraising events. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the JLP welcomes your review of our Audited Financial Statements, IRS Form 990, and the JLP Annual Report.
History
The JLP was founded in Philadelphia in 1912 and is a member of The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) which is comprised of 293 Junior Leagues throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the U.K.