Junior League of Buffalo Community Impact

At the Junior League of Buffalo, our community outreach is focused on Families at Risk. It is from this focus area that all of our work grows. As an organization striving to improve everyday life, we have recently taken steps to increase our impact in the community, and streamline our volunteer efforts.

Female heads of households, living in poverty, face tremendous hurdles and are the face of poverty in Western New York. Two-thirds of families living in poverty in Western New York are headed by a single female. Many of these women and their families face health, education and self-esteem obstacles. By working to improve their economic situation, we are sure to create opportunities for tremendous growth and to help reduce the possibility of generational poverty.

Learn more about the road these women travel here, and read about Gina, beginning on Page 30.

Stay tuned for information on League's Community Impact!

Community Impact Service Opportunities

LifeCoach Child Care Assistants

When: Saturday February 4, Saturday March 10 or Saturday April 7, 2012
Time: 10 AM - 12 PM
Where: Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Avenue, Buffalo
What: Come join the JLB team and assist with activities for children while their mothers attend LifeCoach mentoring session

LifeCoach Site/Program Assistants

When: Organized work prior to March 10, April 7 or May 12, 2012 LifeCoach session
Time: Approximately 2 hours, on your own flexible schedule
What: Work with LifeCoach Site/Program coordinator to brainstorm and put together "take home" food or other goodies for mentees and their children prior to one of the LifeCoach sessions.

Gerard Place - Apartment Make-over

When: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Time: Morning of February 18th
Where: Gerard Place, 2515 Bailey Avenue. Buffalo
What: Work as part of a team to make-over an apartment at Gerard Place to be used as a model space. Organize and collect donated items, coordinate decor to fill the space, and/or get hands-on and make-over the room on February 18th.

Harvest House - Baby and Children's Registry

When: Monday February 6, 2012
Where: Harvest House, 1782 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
What: Sort baby clothes and other items that have been donated for use in the free "store" for caregivers who have been referred by outside agencies.

Every Woman Opportuity Center - Career Clothes Closet

When: Saturday March 3, 2012
Where: Every Woman Opportunity Center, 237 Main Street, Suite 300, Buffalo
Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
What: Sort, accessorize and display business attire for women in the EWOC Clothes Closet.

Handbag Happy Hour - Every Woman Opportunity Center Fundraiser

When: Friday March 16, 2012
Where: Salvatore's Italian Gardens
Time: 6:00 PM
What: Volunteer placements to be determined at this fundraiser that showcases designer and "previously loved" purses for silent and live auction.

Habitat Buffalo - Female Head of Household Work Site

When: Saturday April 14, 2012
Where: Habitat work site, City of Buffalo
What: Join a JLB team of volunteers to work on interior and exterior rehab projects at a work site for a FHOH owned home in the city of Buffalo.

Homespace - JLB Workshops

When: Monday April 16th and Tuesday April 17th, 2012
Where: Homespace, 1030 Ellicott Street, Buffalo
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Monday and 6:00PM - 8:00 PM Tuesday
What: Create and provide a 2 hour workshop to teenage mothers living at Homespace, on a topic selected by JLB team. Workshop topics to include parenting, cooking, gardening, interviewing or other life skills.

Priscilla Project - Mother's Day Tea Fundraiser

When: Saturday May 5, 2012
Time: TBD
What: Volunteer to staff the Priscilla Project fundraiser by helping with check-in, selling raffle tickets and other day-of-the-event needs. The Priscilla Project is a health mentoring program for pregnant refugee women run by Jericho Road Ministries.

Food for All: Food Access in WNY Roundtable Discussion

**Free Admission - Open to the Public**

When: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Where: University of Buffalo South Campus, 100 Allen Hall
Contact: Hadar Borden (Roundtable Comm. Chair), 984-0250 (hborden@gmail.com)

Female heads of households, living in poverty, are the face of poverty in WNY. Food, like water, is a basic necessity and a human right. The Junior League of Buffalo looks to build awareness of food access as a basic need, inherently connected to the success of female heads of households as they support their families, ultimately striving to end the cycle of poverty.

Topics Include:

Awareness of food system issues
Importance of community empowerment and polices
Define eating local; leading healthy lifestyle
Engagement opportunities for the community
Resources in WNY community for those impacted by the issue

Contributing Panelists include:
Diane Picard, Executive Director, Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP)
Jessie Gouck, Heathly Kids, Healthy Community
Susannah Barton, Executive Director, Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo