Yours in Volunteering,

Mary-Katherine

Giving Tuesday was quite the success! We have received $8,925 in donations and promises to donate thus far, and will provide a final total in January. A big shout out to The Mill Market & Deli for hosting a community day to support the League - we received many reports of delicious sandwiches from members. Thank you to all members who made a contribution, made an ask, or shared information about the League with others -- it truly was a team effort!

FINAL ASK FOR GIVING TUESDAY: Keep an eye out for a post on the private Facebook page regarding thank you note writing. As our web system does not have a section for donors to provide an address, and we like to send handwritten thank you notes, we request that each member review the list of donors, "claim" the people they know and write a personal note of gratitude.

Each month the JLCV newsletter will feature a different committee or chair position to assist members both new and old in understanding the League and all its moving parts. This month's spotlight is on the Advocacy Committee.

Who We Are 
The Advocacy Committee is part of the Community Projects Committee. Previously, Advocacy (along with Diaper Bank and DIAD) was a standalone committee. Earlier this year, JLCV members involved in these committees combined under one heading to collaborate and coordinate to support JLCV initiatives together. Members Amanda Herzberger, Jessica Rossi, Lindsay Cahill Lord, Agnes Kuo, Becky Monty, Cathy Foutz, and Krystal Granzow make up the Community Projects Committee, which is chaired by Karen Spach. Sustaining member Charity Clark, the founder of the Advocacy Committee four years ago, regularly guides and supports the advocacy initiatives that the committee takes on. 

What We Do
This fall, the CP committee members, working closely with Advocacy and Diaper Bank initiatives, continued to explore a bill to address the need for a Vermont-wide solution to end diaper need. A sample diaper need working group bill, which would create a cross-sector working group to explore a Vermont diaper need solution, was drafted by Charity last year. Continuing the ongoing networking that began when the diaper bank was established, DB co-lead Amanda Herzberger met with key stakeholder organizations, both private and public, and national diaper bank contacts to explore other states' experience with bills of this kind and survey opinions about what fixing diaper need might look like here in Vermont. 

Additionally, members involved in the DB and Advocacy initiatives met with key Vermont lawmakers, including hosting Rep. Ann Pugh who chairs the House Human Services Committee at the Diaper Bank, to discuss the bill. DB co-leads Amanda and Jessica have also opened up conversation with Rep. Maida Townsend and Rep. Jessica Brumsted and will soon connect with Sen. Richard Westman, as well as key partners like John Sayles of the Vermont Foodbank.

Charity spoke with Sen. Ginny Lyons who chairs the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. Sen. Lyons responded enthusiastically to a bill and is taking the lead on introducing it. Charity has been in touch with Sen. Lyon’s Legislative Counsel about some of the details of this bill, which will be finalized later this month. 

How YOU Can Get Involved

Every member of JLCV has an advocacy role—this can be as simple as “talking up” the work of the League to friends and family or informing co-workers and neighbors about the very real presence of diaper need in our communities. As the process of establishing a 2022 Diaper Bank Working Group continues, member outreach to your local lawmakers will be important, as will visible, public support of the initiative in your communities. Unfortunately, JLCV’s time in the Card Room at the State House has been cancelled due to COVID, and the in-person nature of the session remains unclear. 

Keep an eye on the calendar for more “Done in Your Seat” (DIYS) projects relating to advocacy and the diaper bank, in addition to the member/legislator directory, partnership update, and key organization directory from earlier DIYS projects. 

Stay tuned for a training available in early 2022 to assist members with advocacy-related skills and an overview of the process to introduce a bill to the legislature.

A native of New York City, Jill moved to Vermont when she was 14. She went on to study at UVM where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. 
 
It was during a volunteer experience as a facilitator with Camp Knock-Knock that she became acquainted with the Junior League. In 2014, she joined JLCV as a provisional member and rapidly progressed through the League, becoming President in 2018. 
 
During Jill’s tenure, she (along with baby Keegan) signed the lease on our JLCV Headquarters in South Burlington. This new “home” for the diaper bank has helped propel one of the League's signature programs. 
 
Jill’s favorite JLCV Memory?
“My favorite JLCV Memory is dancing with fellow JLCV members to Frank FM at the Vermont Food Bank Sort A Thons. We would go to the Food Bank for a Saturday Morning DIAD. Frank FM plays the best music!!."
 
Quotes: 
“Some of my nearest and dearest friendships were made through Junior League.”
 
“I developed the majority of my leadership skills through volunteering with the Junior League. I went on to be a clinical supervisor at the Howard Center. I even conquered Google Docs – which I now use on a regular basis!”
 
As a JLCV Sustainer, Jill continues to inspire us in the League! She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Administration, while raising her two daughters Tinsley and Keegan. We hope to see Jill at future League events and thank her for continuing to support the league as one of our “Spotlight Sustainers”

There are diaper repackagings on Monday December 6th and Tuesday December 28th! Please sign up on the website, or ask Amanda or Jessica if you would like to stop in another time.

Calling all transfer members! Special diaper repackaging on December 13th from 6pm-8pm. We will chat about ideas from other leagues for community projects while we work. Anyone is welcome. 

Thank you to everyone who helped get the Diaper Bank ready for Giving Tuesday! We truly appreciate your hard work! Winter is here and so is the snow! If anyone lives or works close by and is willing to stop by occasionally to shovel the loading dock and put down salt please let Amanda/Jessica know. We are always looking for more small boxes that can fit around 100 diapers. As your holiday packages arrive, please keep this in mind and drop off any boxes at the Diaper Bank near the front table. Thanks in advance!