Presidentʼs Message
Welcome to our website. I’m glad you stopped by to find out more about the Junior League of Lansing (JLL). We are an organization of extraordinary women leaders, with a long history of dedication to building better communities.
Our Commitment to the Greater Lansing Community
Over 60 years ago in our Lansing community, a group of women who started out as the Junior Service League, joined the Association of Junior Leagues, International (AJLI), www.ajli.org. These women understood that they could increase their impact in the Lansing community by joining forces with women from around the world. Today there are over 270 Junior Leagues in four different countries and over 160,000 women making a difference in their communities as Junior League members.
With our focus on families and children at risk, the JLL has transformed our community by supporting over 100 organizations with donations of volunteer hours and funding. We are proud to say that the JLL played an integral role in bringing the American Red Cross and the Sight Conversation Program (which was later adopted by the Lions Club) to Lansing in the 1940’s. In the 1970’s, the JLL was one of the first organizations to pledge money for the Impression 5 Science Museum. The JLL started to extend our interest into public policy areas. In the 1990’s, JLL led the charge in bringing Ele’s Place, Ballentine Stepping Stones and Otto Health Clinic to our community.
Our Current Signature Project: Care Free Dental
Currently the JLL’s Signature Project is Care Free Dental. Over a three year period, we will be providing $30,000 for dental care and many volunteer hours to train parents and children in proper oral hygiene. Our $30,000 donation is equivalent to $270,000 worth of dental care if billed at fair market value!
Small Projects Make Big Differences
We also recognize that smaller projects can add up to make a big difference. At each of our monthly general membership meetings, members bring an item to donate to another nonprofit organization. These efforts translate into such things as dozens of warm winter coats, 100’s of toothbrushes and thousands of diapers for Lansing area children. JLL members also volunteer their time for “Done in a Day” activities which include building houses for Habitat for Humanity, stuffing over 700 backpacks for Lansing students through St Vincent’s Home, buying gifts for over 400 Foster Children in the Lansing area, and feeding the hungry through food drives and soup kitchens.
Developing the Potential of our Members
We are proud to say that our members are not only leaders in the non-profit sector but are also making a difference in the professional and business realm. Junior League members are attorneys, elected officials, business owners, vice presidents of companies, realtors, mothers and professional volunteers. The majority of boards in the Lansing area either have, or have had, a JLL member serving, leading and making a difference. The training our members receive in while participating in JLL activities is a vital part of preparing these women to be leaders of distinction in our community.
I joined the Junior League more than 13 years ago because I was passionate about making a profound difference in my community. In the friendships, training and opportunities to serve others through the Junior League of Lansing, I found exactly what I was looking for. I hope that in your visit here, you will too. I invite you to join in carrying on the tradition and mission of the Junior League of Lansing by becoming a member or partnering with us as a “Community Partner”. Together we will build a better Lansing community, one project at a time.
