articles

Junior League of Lafayette Awards $17,000 to Local Nonprofits

By Katie Falgout, Marketing Committee Chair: Junior League of Lafayette September 11, 2019

Junior League of Lafayette’s Collaborative Opportunity Grants Committee awarded their 2019-2020 grants, which consist of volunteer support hours as well as financial contributions, to local nonprofit organizations. A total of $17,000 in grants was awarded to 13 local nonprofit organizations during the League’s General Membership Meeting, held at the CAJUNDOME on Tuesday, September 10, 2019. Annual grants are funded through Junior League of Lafayette fundraising activities such as Tinsel & Treasures, Kitchen Tour and the League’s sales of its four member-written cookbooks. According to Junior League of Lafayette President, Angelle Adams, “By awarding the Collaborative Opportunity Grants, Junior League of Lafayette is able to expand upon the impact that these 13 nonprofit agencies make in the community. Our collective efforts combined are so valuable in improving the lives of women and children in Acadiana.”

In 2018-2019, Junior League of Lafayette contributed more than 27,000 volunteer hours, valued at more than $496,000, to support community agencies and programs throughout the Lafayette community.

In the 2018-2019 fiscal year Junior League of Lafayette statistics included:

• 663 active volunteer members.

• 17,120 individuals served through numerous community programs including NO FEAR NO FUTURE, Jump with Jill, Kids in the Kitchen, SMILES, Junior Quiz Bowl, Girls on the Run, Collaborative Opportunity Grants, and our League’s newest programs – The Diaper Bank and Women’s Lunch and Learn Series.

2019 grant recipients include the following:

United Way of Acadiana | Day of Thanksgiving

Junior League of Lafayette will collaborate with United Way to purchase, sort, package and distribute additional groceries for Early Head Start families’ Thanksgiving meal, plus books for parents to read to students during the Thanksgiving break. Often times, these families do not have enough food to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal and rely on local shelters or food banks for their meal. The Day of Thanksgiving will allow these families to have a Thanksgiving meal at home – a meal they would not be able to afford otherwise.

DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana | DREAMS Manufacturing Company

DREAMS Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides activities and opportunities for individuals with special needs. In 2018, DREAMS Manufacturing Company, a meat pie making company, was opened and now employs 21 individuals with disabilities. Junior League of Lafayette will purchase the ingredients to make the meat pies for a week, and Junior League of Lafayette volunteers will assist DREAMS Manufacturing Company employees in making the pies during the week.

Miles Perret Cancer Services | Giving Tree

Junior League of Lafayette will assist with Miles Perret Cancer Services Giving Tree, an annual gift-giving program that offers help, comfort and making the holidays a little bit brighter for local families fighting, surviving and living with cancer. 42 “Milesy” ornaments (42 gifts) will be purchased and wrapped for children of the Miles Perret Cancer Services families.

Second Harvest Food Bank | Scott Middle School Pantry Program

Junior League of Lafayette will collaborate with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide healthy foods and simple, kid-friendly recipes to approximately 100 students and their siblings to prepare while parents are at work during the Mardi Gras holiday.

New Hope Community Development of Acadiana | Spring Party

Junior League of Lafayette will assist with facilitating the New Hope Spring Store and Spring Party for students who participate in the after-school tutoring program. These students earn New Hope Dollars by doing all their homework, doing extra work and exercising self-discipline. During the New Hope Spring Store, students can spend their New Hope Dollars and are encouraged to purchase gifts for their family, teachers and friends, along with a special gift for themselves. Volunteers will assist with purchasing items for the store and serving as shopping assistants, as well as planning games and purchasing food for the Spring Party.

Catholic Charities of Acadiana | Housekeeping Starter Kits

Junior League of Lafayette will purchase items for a total of 125 housekeeping starter kits: mop, mop bucket, broom, dustpan, small trash bin, laundry basket, toilet brush, dusters, trash bags, and other basic cleaning supplies along with an inspirational card. These starter kits will be given to residents at Emily House to maintain the cleanliness of their space during their stay at Emily House and will go with them when they move into permanent housing.

Healing House | “Celebration of Life”

Junior League of Lafayette will collaborate with Healing House to host an event inspired by the Mexican celebration of the dead. Healing House families will be invited to spend a night celebrating and paying tribute to their deceased loved one with each family bringing their loved one's favorite dish as a potluck supper and doing remembrance activities such as decorating a picture frame to hold their loved one's picture, working together as a family to create a memory book about their loved one, and lighting candles for an end of the night prayer service. This project will allow families to work together in remembering their loved one while processing the loss.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church | IHM Career Connections

Junior League of Lafayette will assist Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with their Immaculate Heart of Mary Career Connections events in October, January and April. Immaculate Heart of Mary Career Connections project is committed to developing and educating our disenfranchised members of the community. These events aim to empower youth, especially female youth, between the ages of 12 and 19 years of age, with extensive knowledge of various careers, the education and training needed for those careers, as well as providing job shadowing and mentoring opportunities.

Basin Arts | Student Dance Showcase

Junior League of Lafayette will assist Basin Arts with their Student Dance Showcase, a free performance opportunity for local dancers ages 5-18 years old, combined with dance classes and workshops for students, teachers and parents. Junior League of Lafayette members will help with logistics in planning the event and volunteer the day of the event. This project provides a free community performance that connects children through the art of dance, shares diverse dance styles, fosters camaraderie among local dancers, and exposes the physical and mental health benefits of dance for all ages.

Autism Society Acadiana | Lending Library Expansion

Junior League of Lafayette will purchase new books for the library as well as library software to help keep track and make books searchable for check out. Volunteers will help apply barcodes to the new and existing inventory and organize them into categories. In Lafayette Parish, Autism Society Acadiana serves over 570 families and individuals touched by autism, as well as professionals who work with people on the spectrum. The Lending Library Expansion will provide more resources for parents, caregivers, professionals and people living with autism.

Hearts of Hope | Counseling Area Improvement Project

Junior League of Lafayette will partner with Hearts of Hope in improving the counseling room to provide a more comfortable and calming space in which sexual assault survivors can feel safe to address their trauma. Hearts of Hope provides trauma-informed group counseling services to adult and child survivors of sexual assault, as well as to the caregivers of children who have been sexually abused.

Foster the Love Louisiana | First Nights Program

Junior League of Lafayette will purchase and assemble 16 bags for the First Nights Program. This program provides support for children entering foster care and to the families that take them in. The bags are age and gender appropriate and are filled with clothing and hygiene essentials. Foster the Love Louisiana’s goal this year is 900 bags each costing approximately $50 to assemble. Completed bags are presented to the local Department of Children & Family Services office for distribution.

The Merle F. and Herbert Hanna Foundation | The Clearport Learning Center/Girls Night

Junior League of Lafayette will assist The Clearport Learning Center’s mentoring program in putting on their Girls Night in March. The program provides the students with a mentor who visits the center monthly to spend time with the girls and holds small group discussions about responsibility, goal-setting and other life skills. Girls Night provides a meal as the students gather with invited female community members to discuss topics that have been previously submitted by the students. Afterwards, students enjoy fellowship through planned activities and arts and crafts.

###

About Junior League of Lafayette

Founded in 1957, Junior League of Lafayette is committed to building a better Lafayette. Our members are extraordinary women who are dedicated to improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. By focusing on the organization’s mission, Junior League members have raised millions of dollars over the years which have been invested right back into the community to directly impact the lives of women and children. Learn more by visiting www.juniorleagueoflafayette.com