Statistically, women are responsible for the majority of the family and caregiving responsibilities in their families – from raising children to caring for parents or spouses. Often, women sacrifice other aspects of their life – work, mental and physical health, finances – to be the primary caretaker, which contributes to negative outcomes for women over their lifetime. This can be further exacerbated when there are additional community factors – such as lack of child education opportunities or cyclical poverty, which is why The Junior League was originally focused on improving literacy, nutrition and health in New York City’s Lower East Side. We knew then (and now) that any work to lift up children ultimately improves the family as a whole. Since its’ founding, The Junior League has remained deeply committed to this legacy and prioritizes impact that helps children and families.
Junior Leagues focus on the most pressing needs in their community related to supporting families and caregivers. This can range from running diaper banks to hosting after school programs for children to providing community free laundry days to hosting new mom classes.
The Junior League is launching teen and high school programs across the organization in September 2024 to proactively build girl empowerment and introduce girls to key leadership skills and trainings.
