About Us

What is the Junior League Legacy?

A Rich History of Serving Our Community

The Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale has created several of Broward County's top charitable organizations. Founded in 1937, we have invested millions of dollars, matched by millions of volunteer hours, in improving the lives of our neighbors right here in Broward County. We have trained thousands of women to address community needs and to take on leadership roles at every level.


The following is a list of some of the organizations that we have created. Click any of the links in the list below to visit the homepage of that organization:

 

Our Mission

The Junior Leagues are organizations of women whose mission is to advance women's leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training. Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

 

Who We Are

The Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale was organized in 1937 as the Fort Lauderdale Junior Service League to provide the community with willing volunteers in civic and child welfare work. The first project was assisting Mrs. Parson's Day Nursery for working mothers. The Nursery is now known as Jack and Jill Children's Center. The Junior League...

  • Has over 500 volunteer members
  • Emphasizes leadership training for members
  • Dedicates resources to projects that most positively impact families and children.
  • Promotes volunteerism and encourages community involvement beyond the Junior League
  • Is a Member of Associations of Junior League International (AJLI)

 

Junior League — A Training Organization

The Junior League:

  • Prepares women for effective life-long volunteer service
  • Provides leadership development
  • Provides skills training opportunities
  • Provides hands-on experience with a direct impact to our community.

 

Junior League - Meeting Community Needs

Junior League members extensively research community issues, needs and challenges.  Members then select a project and dedicate resources to solving the problem.

  • More than 50 organizations have benefited from the Junior League's assistance.
  • More than 10,000 hours of volunteer time annually dedicated to community service projects (valued at more than $300,000 in woman-power).

The Junior League supports its projects through extensive volunteer time and expertise, as well as effective collaborations with other organizations in the community, solicitation of grants, community fundraising events and fund development.

Since 2000, the Junior League has provided...

  • $200,000 to fund the Junior League Play Station at the Holiday Park
  • Approximately $200,000 to start the FLITE Center
  • $40,000 for Ronald McDonald House
  • Numerous "Done in a Day" volunteer projects throughout the year  

 

Current Community Projects

Each year the League researches and initiates projects or expands services in response to community needs. Typically, projects are supported with financial, administrative and volunteer assistance until they become self-sufficient or responsibility is assumed by an appropriate agency.

  • Done In A Day - Members come together to target short term volunteer projects that can be accomplished in a single day. Projects have included but are not limited to: 
    • Preparing meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House
    • Collecting cribs for the babies at Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center
    • Hosting a Halloween party at Kids in Distress
    • Collecting gifts for the children at Jack and Jill Children's Center to give their caregivers
    • and more ....
  • Childhood Fitness and Nutrition - Programs to successfully address the obesity epidemic as it affects children living in Broward County through nutrition education and the promotion of a physically active lifestyle. 
  • Food Insecurity -  A household is considered food insecure if they experience limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods at any point throughout a year. It may be helpful to frame food insecurity as the absence of its antithesis, food security, which the World Food Summit of 1996 defined as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”  Our volunteers support a variety of projects to support families in need of healthy food options. For example, we participate in Feeding South Florida events multiple times a year. 

 

Junior League - How We Support Our Projects

As a training organization committed to preparing women for effective lifelong volunteer service, the Junior League provides specific leadership development and skills training opportunities, as well as hands-on experience. The costs associated with our two-fold purpose - training and community service - are met through membership dues and fundraising activities. Our membership dues and financial contributions more than cover all administrative costs of the organization; therefore, we can ensure that all financial support garnered through our fund development efforts are returned to the community. Look at our current fundraisers under the Fundraisers section of our website.