View this email in your browser

August 2022 Newsletter

Message from the President

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Whether this finds you relishing the last weeks of summer vacation or already in back-to-school mode, I am excited to share the great work Junior League of Tallahassee (JLT) members have already accomplished as we kick off the League year! Our JLT Board, Management Team, and Chairs have been busy planning and preparing for this upcoming year. There has been a buzz of excitement around how we are working on expanding our impact in the community this year - already, our team has connected with key community partners and stakeholders, hosted training for our members in leadership, and outlined this year's community projects. In addition, we welcomed 49 new members to our organization who will help us further grow our #JLTImpact

This past week, JLT hosted its 26th Annual Kids’ Boutique back-to-school shopping event, one of our signature projects. This year, we witnessed a significant increase in the number of Tallahassee families needing this assistance; in total, we were able to serve 247 Leon County elementary school students, supplying each student with a pair of shoes and outfits for the school year ahead. Thank you so much to our Kids’ Boutique sponsors and all those who donated to JLT this past year - it is because of you that we were able to increase the number of children served by more than 100! We also want to extend a special thanks to everyone who donated to our school supply drive: with your support, we were able to provide participating students a backpack full of school supplies just in time for the first day of school.

It is through the generosity of our sponsors that we can continue to make a difference in our community and the children and families we serve. I would like to extend a big thank you to World of Beer for partnering with JLT for their WOB Beer Fest in July. We were thrilled to be the beneficiary of the net proceeds from this event, which will go toward increasing our impact in the Tallahassee community.

Keep reading to see more of what our members have been up to this summer. If you would like more information about partnering with or supporting JLT, please contact me at president@jltallahassee.org. We cannot do our work or make an impact without the support of our community.

In Service,
Becca Piers
2022-2023 JLT President

Kids’ Boutique - Ready for School!

Every year, JLT works hand-in-hand with our Leon County elementary school guidance counselors to identify children that would most benefit from the Kids’ Boutique shopping experience. This year, 247 children went back-to-school shopping with JLT to pick out new shoes and clothing essentials. Backpacks filled with school supplies were provided to the children. This effort was successful through a donation drive and support from our sponsors to help the students step into the 2022-23 academic year with reinvigorated self-esteem to take the school year by storm!

We could not have done this without our generous sponsors who helped ensure we had the resources to make this experience possible for participating children.

AMWAT Moving Warehousing Storage
The Williams Group Broker by: Superior Realty Group
The Cookie Boutique
Governors Club
Arbor Properties
District 850
Chicken Salad Chick
Costco Wholesale
Mardi Gras Sno-Balls, LLC
Drip Drop Fitness

As our community prepares for the new school year, we understand the financial hardship many families experience as their children grow out of their clothing, and new school supplies are required to set their children up for success as they embark on another year in their academic journey. We are grateful to have the opportunity to give back to our neighbors as they gear up for a new school year.

A heartfelt thank you to Lauren Soto and Tara Taggart, Kids' Boutique Chair and Chair-Elect, respectively. The JLT Impact and leadership you both brought forth was felt throughout the event.

Thank You, Partners + Donors for a Successful School Supply Donation Drive

Leading up to the 26th annual Kids’ Boutique, JLT volunteers implemented a school supply donation drive to collect necessary school supplies to fill brand-new backpacks to be handed to participating students. JLT is grateful for the support of the local businesses that graciously hosted a donation box at their storefronts to help us raise awareness of Kids’ Boutique and collect supplies. A special thank you to Drip Drop Fitness, RedEye Coffee, and Arbor Properties for their support of this year’s event.

Welcome to JLT! New Members Attend the 2022 Super Saturday

The 2022-2023 New Member Class officially kicked off their new member year at Super Saturday. Hosted by Governors Club, our 49 new members were welcomed by our President, Becca Piers, to learn about JLT’s mission, vision, and community impact in Tallahassee through the years. New members participated in fun, team-building activities, which included diversity, equity, and inclusion training and opportunities to see how they can make a #JLTImpact.

Please join us in welcoming our new members! Interested in joining us next year? Please contact Maddie Rodnite and Laura Cochran for more information at newmembers@jltallahassee.org.

Hunger Awareness - Mighty Meals

This summer we connected with our friends at Second Harvest of the Big Bend (SHBB) to initiate plans for the 2023 Mighty Meals distribution event and help them pack 700 bags at one of their biggest packing events to date!

Did you know: More than 36,0000 children in the Big Bend live in “working poor” households?

Many families in our community live paycheck-to-paycheck, often not earning enough to cover basic necessities, including food. JLT has seen firsthand not only the work SHBB puts in to feed families and children but also how great the need is in Tallahassee.

In the last year alone, SHBB delivered about 11.5 million meals to those in need. JLT is grateful for our continued partnership with SHBB to execute our annual Mighty Meals food distribution event aimed at feeding Tallahassee families during spring break. With their support, we were able to distribute nearly 30,000 meals to our neighbors this past March. Food insecurity is a reality for many families in our community, and we are already planning for our 2023 event. If you are interested in sponsoring the 2023 food distribution event, please contact Jessica Cruz and Michelle Beers, Mighty Meals Chairs at mightymeals@jltallahassee.org.

Paint Your World a Better Place

This summer, JLT volunteers prepped and painted the camp room in preparation for the Oasis Center for Women and Girls' many summer camps. Many thanks to Tracy M. Eckles for leading the charge to make the space welcoming for the young individuals in our community. The Oasis Center for Women and Girls is a nonprofit organization that promotes the well-being of women and girls through a variety of programs that support mental and emotional health and leadership aptitude.

Copyright © |2021| Junior League of Tallahassee, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
PO Box 13428 Tallahassee, FL 32317

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.