2023-2024 Community Projects and Partnerships

The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) year runs from June 1 to May 31. The 2023-2024 year will be the first year in our new focus area, Children’s Mental and Physical Health. For the next five years, the JLC will partner with organizations in our community that promote healthy living, support mental well-being and provide access to healthcare and food for children from kindergarten to fifth grade in priority areas of Mecklenburg County.

This year we will be working with the following organizations:

Done in a Day: The Junior League of Charlotte’s Done in A Day project enables the League to assist community agencies that do not have a need for League volunteers on an ongoing basis but may have a need to staff a one- or two-day special event or have a one-time need for extra volunteers. All volunteer requests must serve Mecklenburg County residents, support our Children’s Mental and Physical Health Focus and be community-based, hands-on opportunities.

Families Forward: Families Forward partners with families living in poverty in Mecklenburg County. They provide personalized mentoring with a Family Liaison Mentor, as well as educational workshops and access to resources through the staff. During the workshops, they provide childcare for families attending the workshop. Volunteers will work with a small group of children or one-on-one sessions during the workshops. Families Forward will provide programming to guide the session. There will also be opportunities for homework help and basic tutoring. Volunteers will also assemble backpacks and essential needs baskets for participants throughout the year.

Los Angeles de Charlotte: Los Angeles de Charlotte provides an opportunity for children to learn how to play soccer. Classes on nutrition and health-related topics are also provided to students that participate. JLC members will assist with soccer practices, local tournaments and additional instructional opportunities provided by the program. Knowledge of Spanish will be useful, but not a requirement.

Promising Pages: Promising Pages collects new and donated books and distributes them to students and organizations, with the goal of eliminating the book desert and providing a free resource to those that need it most. This year, volunteers will lead the Feed The Body, Feed the Mind (FTBFTM) program. FTBFTM partners with local food banks (specifically Second Harvest and Loaves and Fishes) to provide books for distribution at the same time as mobile food pantry events. Currently, the FTBFTM program only operates when staff at Promising Pages have the capacity to attend drives, but their hope is to increase the number of food drives and children reached substantially with the JLC.

Renaissance West Community Initiative/Kids in the Kitchen: Renaissance West Community Initiative (RWCI) uses a holistic community redevelopment approach focusing on multiple critical factors, including mixed-income housing, educational opportunities, youth & adult development programs, health & wellness services and commercial investment. Their goal is to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by starting early in life by providing high-quality educational options for everyone regardless of income. JLC volunteers will serve through a multitude of projects that focus on the child, family, neighbor, assist with the mobile food pantry and plan special events throughout the year. Kids in the Kitchen merged with the RenWest committee in 2021.

Kids in the Kitchen is an international initiative of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) to empower children to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues. The JLC will provide lessons and demonstrations related to the preparation of healthy meals and snacks in partnership with local community organizations, chefs and nutritionists.

Thompson Child & Family Services: Thompson Child & Family Services is the leading provider of clinical and prevention services for children and families across the Carolinas. The agency strives to change the lives of at-risk children and families through therapy-based care. They have four locations specializing in clinical and behavioral treatment, developmental education and proactive care. Their mission is to strengthen children, families and communities through healing, teaching, worship and play. Volunteers will serve by planning quarterly events for children of the Friends of the Children Program. Volunteers will also serve as Reading Buddies and/or Tutors.