Junior League of Phoenix Inc

In addition to our quality volunteer training, we are focused on helping reduce food insecurity.
The alleviation of local hunger continues to be one of the greater Phoenix community's most significant social challenges. This heartbreaking trend of adults and children suffering from hunger and food insecurity on a regular basis has continued and worsened since the great recession. With the unknown but substantial effects of the 2020 Coronavirus and the already stepped up requests from food banks, Arizona is on the verge of an even more pervasive problem with hunger and food insecurities.

We recently determined that the JLP will work hard to help alleviate the most pressing basic needs through community programs at Harvest Compassion Center and with St. Vincent de Paul. Both community partners engage with thousands of those in need each week so we know that our work will have a far-reaching impact.

Not only will our ongoing training help produce highly qualified and knowledgeable JLP volunteers who help nonprofit organizations within our community programs, but they also assist by serving as key volunteers with many different social service and human service-oriented organizations. In these volunteer roles we do everything from govern the nonprofit as board members, to participate in much needed service delivery positions such as providing food boxes to children and helping families learn to plant their own food and embrace healthy diets.

The Junior League of Phoenix is comprised of more than 1,000 women who contribute more than 100,000 hours annually of volunteer service to the Greater Phoenix community. As previously mentioned, our volunteers have an advantage of having access to highly credentialed individuals who train members on the best practices of volunteerism, communication, fundraising, service delivery, etc.

We are responsible for creating or have been a founding partner for the following organizations and events: Crisis Nursery; Ronald McDonald House, Ryan House; Komen Race for the Cure; The Arizona Science Museum; Rosson House; Phoenix Museum of History; Orpheum Theater; Children’s Museum of Phoenix and many others.

We aim to continue developing the potential of women, promote voluntarism and strengthen the community by assessing local needs and developing programs around those critical needs that will be supported by our trained volunteers.
Every year JLP provides both funding as well as expert volunteers to assist with several nonprofit programs. The programs below illustrate what the organization plans to do next in 2020/2021:
1) Harvest Compassion Center (HCC): More than a local food bank, it is a one-stop shopping experience where anyone living in Arizona can choose their most needed food, hygiene, baby and clothing items free of charge. Currently located in Phoenix, Maryvale and Chandler, the HCC is schedule to open its fourth center to help increase accessibility to healthy food options, clean clothing, and additional life essentials.
2) St. Vincent de Paul: The program that JLP will help fund and staff with volunteers is The Ivy Center for Family Wellness will provide wellness educational opportunities for the whole family, including:
a. taking families into the urban farm to teach them how to plant their own healthy food—including the children in the planting and harvesting process
b. inviting families to the Ivy Center test kitchen where culturally competent registered dietitians will show families how to prepare and buy high quality, low cost healthy foods
c. Preparing and handing out fresh food boxes to families that attend the SVdP evening meal
3) We will continue working on signature programs from the past few years: Kids in the Kitchen, ROCKETS, and Phoenix Food Day & Healthfest. For more information on these programs: www.jlp.org