Day: January 28, 2024

“What is our purpose?” At our first Hotline Co-Chairs meeting, we knew we had a strong heritage to uphold with this publication. So, we kept coming back to this core purpose, looking to ground ourselves in our forthcoming roles.

The Hotline, our print newspaper, has a longstanding significance for the Junior League of Philadelphia (JLP). The pre-social medium, it kept the pulse of all our goings-on, from weddings and births and all our League activities. And it was, and continues to be, an important way to bridge the Sustaining Members and Active Members.

We realize if the Hotline serves as such a major channel of communication for the JLP, perhaps there is some opportunity to expand on our workas incoming Hotline Chairs: How can we capture all of our League’s hard work in photos? How can we celebrate events and happenings in a timelier manner? How can we highlight our efforts for potential members and the community? And what about showcasing our non-profit partners?

With this in mind, we decided it was time to expand on the enduring work of the Hotline. Don’t worry, we are still committed to publishing our multi-issue print piece. But, in addition, we also rolled out this coordinating blog on our JLP website to house all our photos and timely updates. We also coined a new name for these two sister publications, The JLP Works, paying homage to both our collective work as an organization and our heritage aiding the renovation of Philadelphia’s historic Fairmont Waterworks building in the 1970s.

To submit photos and content to either the blog or biannual print publication, please contact us at hotline@jlphiladelphia.org or reach out to your committee’s Hotline liaison. Our goal this year is to ensure all our committees and their works are celebrated in print.

More to come,

Victoria Denaro & Serena Zelezny

P.S. Many thanks to Jamila Robinson, last year’s Hotline Chair, for laying the foundation for us. We also offer a nod of gratitude to our Council Chair, Veronica Gillenwater, the Management Council, and the Sustainer Leadership Council for their support as we expand the impact of this publication, to our 2023-2024 Committee for its willingness to forge this path with us, and to the Website and Brand & Marketing Committees for partnering with us to bolster our League communication – we’re looking forward to it!

Our Foods to Families: Kids in the Kitchen Committee has been busy over the past few months. They’ve been planning six-week long curriculum plans over the summer to be used for Methodist Services Kids in the Kitchen program. “We really hit the ground running with our first meeting in August. We do a lot of the leg work earlier and try to reach out to those in the committee often with updates,” said Committee Co-Chair Laura Riechl.

Compared to last year, the committee has focused on preparing as much as possible in advance to ensure an impact-filled Junior League year. “We try to get things planned ahead of time, so we have something to work with, because once they start the program with the kids, there isn’t a lot of time to reorient,” said Co-Chair Monica DiRenzo.

The program educates Philadelphia-area children on the delightful and creative aspects of making healthy food enjoyable. In addition to providing curriculum, every week the committee also supplies cutlery and food to go along with the lesson. Carole Boughter, the executive director of Methodist Services, emphasized the impact the JLP has made on their organization: “The Junior League of Philadelphia has been instrumental in helping Methodist Services shape effective learning mechanisms for students and instructors.”

In September, the committee held a special event at Methodist Services, providing a behind-the-scenes perspective of how Methodist Services programs, such as Kids in the Kitchen, aid in the battle against food insecurity. DiRenzo thought it was a valuable opportunity for members of the League to see the inner workings of Methodist Services.

Over the years the Kids in the Kitchen Committee has modified and evolved their program based on the needs of Methodist Services and has grown to become an integral part of their organization. “It’s really amazing to see what our partners do and the good things they have to say about the Junior League,” Laura Riechl said. She noted Methodist Services recently built a community garden with funds supplied by a grant from the JLP.

Methodist Services and the Kids in the Kitchen alike are excited to what is ahead of them in the new year.

Committee hosted 13 service projects this fall

This fall, the Done in a Day (DIAD) Committee planned 13 events that helped our community by serving meals, collecting food, planting trees, and helping at community events.

One of DIAD’s biggest accomplishments was the fall service weekend held in October. Throughout the weekend, DIAD offered numerous volunteer opportunities with several of the League’s longstanding community partners, including Face to Face, Cathedral Kitchen, Riverbend Environmental Center, and the Jewish Relief Agency. In this one weekend, JLP members prepared meals, delivered food to families in need, and helped one of our partners prepare for their largest fundraiser. The DIAD Committee wishes to thank everyone who volunteered and made the weekend possible.

During the holiday season, DIAD was also proud to help families in need by hosting a food drive with the Garden of Health, working a hot chocolate bar during the Community Center at Visitation’s Polar Express Toy Drive, and packing boxes of food with the Jewish Relief Agency.

In the New Year, the DIAD Committee is looking forward to planning more events with our community partners, establishing new relationships with organizations, and offering more opportunities for members to volunteer in the community.

On September 14, 2023, Junior Leagues across the globe held events, actively engaged in community service, and heightened awareness to foster positivity within themselves, their communities, and the broader world. 

The Junior League of Philadelphia held an exclusive Sip & Shop fundraising event at the JLP Thrift Shop, featuring a Kendra Scott pop-up shop. The Thrift Shop implemented a Buy More, Save More discount. During the gathering, participants visited the Thank You card station, crafting expressions of gratitude to our valued Community Partners. 

This special occasion served as a profound reminder of the transformative impact of collective goodwill and the positive change achievable when we join forces for a shared purpose. Let’s continue to propagate love, joy, and positivity each and every day!

Submitted by New Member Program Chairs Lauren Smith & Meghan Kaiser

Greetings from the New Member Program Committee!

Over the summer, we successfully hosted 27 “Meet the Junior League of Philadelphia” recruitment events throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. These intimate meet-up style gatherings allowed New Member Program Advisors, Chairs, and Actives to effectively convey our mission, vision, impact, and experiences to potential new members. In response to our President’s call to action, we went the extra mile and organized “one more” round of “Meet the Junior League of Philadelphia” events during the second week of September in Media, New Jersey, and Rittenhouse. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to every JLP member who helped us spread the word about recruitment!

Through our collective efforts, we warmly welcome 111 women of diverse backgrounds into the Junior League of Philadelphia 2023-2024 New Member class! New Members’ journey began with a Kick-off on September 10 at the Warwick Hotel with opening remarks, a delicious breakfast, and the opportunity to meet and connect with New Member Program Chairs and Advisors, Vice-President of Membership Development, President-Elect, President, Chief Operating Officer, and Sustainer Leadership Council Representative. Over 40 New Members attended this event! We then hosted a virtual Kick-off event on October 22, after extending our recruitment deadline to mid-September.

We are delighted to provide New Members with opportunities to connect through Advisor-led small groups based on their geographic location and encourage New Members to attend trainings, socials, and volunteer opportunities aimed at deepening their understanding of JLP’s mission as well as meeting their requirements. Our efforts to engage New Members don’t stop there—we are thrilled to announce that New Members received name badges so they can be easily recognized at JLP events! Additionally, we are actively working on collaborative initiatives across councils, including a lineup of signature events. We wish to thank the Thrift Shop Committee for assisting us by presenting an informative session at the Thrift Shop and Headquarters on November 9. We were delighted to host the Annual Winter Holidays Cookie Exchange as it made its return for the third consecutive year, along with the ever-so-popular Ugly Sweater Party! Lastly, we’re excited to present the informative and inspiring “Meet the JLP Councils” series in the coming months as part of our continued New Member programming.

We could not do this impactful work on our own. Our committee is comprised of 10 dynamic and dedicated Advisors, each bringing a wealth of Junior League experience and enthusiasm: Carolyn Zaccagni, Christine Scott-Waldron, Frances Cannup, Jamila Robinson, Jane Nevins, Kate McKelvey, Lauren Sneed, Meredith Caemmerer, Rachel Silver, and Whitley Harris.

New Members, your Junior League adventure has just begun, and we can’t wait to meet you on the other side as Active members in the spring.

Submitted by event Co-Chairs Annamarie Hellebusch & Debbie Vozzo

Sustaining members of the Junior League of Philadelphia gathered at The Union League’s Liberty Hill in Lafayette Hill on September 27 for the fall dinner and evening program. While mingling, many enjoyed a spectacular view from the event room of the beautiful fall foliage before sunset.

Our speaker, Bill Valerio, PhD, who is the Director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill engaged 44 Sustainers in a wonderful discussion about the stories of artists in Philadelphia. Dr. Valerio was born in Italy and came to Philadelphia in 2002 to attend Wharton. Dr. Valerio said, “In the two years of my education, I came to realize Philadelphia is a wonderful place to live, and I became involved through MBA internships with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. After many years here, I was offered a position at the Woodmere.”

Dr. Valerio shared with the audience that Woodmere is undergoing a major expansion as it renovates a newly acquired estate, which is named the Frances M. Maqurie Hall for Art and Education. Woodmere will create fourteen new galleries for its collection and an art studio for education.

Dr. Valerio was an engaging and incredibly knowledgeable speaker and art historian. It was a wonderful evening and a great start to the JLP Sustainer year.