My D was thinking of joining to meet new people, get out of the house more and have stuff to do. Are there any current or former Junior League members who can offer some insight?
I know there are a lot of stereotypes about Junior League and I know every chapter is probably different…
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I was in League during the 90’s and my daughter is a current member. A lot has changed since that time. League has made a huge effort to be more inclusive. When I joined, you had to be recommended by a current or former member. When D joined, she submitted her application and was selected through a lottery. The process may be different depending on the locale,
Each new member is part of a class. I recall attending various events centered around the work each League committee did. We had a show house and a thrift store that were important parts of our fundraising efforts. Our volunteer projects centered around the needs of mothers and children; as an example, League launched a child care center for the children of women being treated for outpatient substance abuse. They couldn’t attend their group sessions as they had no one to provide care for their children. League met that need. After I completed my provisional year, I served on a committee focused on public policy. The next year, I was part of the Show House gala committee. There were quite a few varied opportunities.
A popular committee these days is “Done In a Day” which provides opportunities to volunteer that are literally done in one day. A lot of variety, a lot of opportunities to meet and greet, a lot of exposure to various people and projects. This coming year D is involved with strategic planning for League. So, lots of variety.
League will be whatever your daughter makes of it. It is a good way to meet people and serve your community. Good for her!
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I know a ton of people in our JL. The ones my age have ended up with great part time jobs as result of connections made there.
Daughter was in until last year when just ran out of time but she loved the service focus and great social events. It’s also a good networking tool and good if you move to a new city that has a chapter since you can create an instant group of acquaintances by transferring. Now women are assigned a placement on a committee and I’ve know people to not love it as much if don’t like their placement.
Our local chapter has also gotten a lot more diverse with more minorities in membership and in the leadership positions. It is very much like a grown up sorority with mandatory meetings and certain number of volunteer shifts required. Ours still requires references.
Junior League Member here since 1990. During my Active Member years that lasted until the early aughts, I had amazing experiences in six different chapters. The early years of my career involved a lot of moving to cities where I did not know a soul. Thanks to JL, I was able to meet people in my new community right away.
Had amazing experiences with some very “meaty” volunteer opportunities. These included advocacy and public policy work, providing pro bono consulting to not-for-profits, marketing, public relations, and many, many others. One chapter even offered a multi-week “Board Clearinghouse” course; by the end of the session, I was prepared to be placed on a not-for-profit board. Have served on not-for-profit boards ever since.
Active membership was also lots of fun! Was able to meet and become friends with lots of wonderful women that I never would have met had I left my socialization to the office and the club/bar scene.
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I joined the League in 1983 and am still a sustaining member. My husband’s job transfers led me to 3 different Leagues during my active membership years. In each move, my League membership was invaluable in making friends and becoming a part of my new city. While each League was a bit different, they were all wonderful experiences. Among the 3, I did have a favorite and that is the city we chose to relocate for retirement. That League does a very good job providing social and volunteer opportunities for us older women so it is still an important part of my life.
Back in the day it was somewhat challenging to become a member in some cities if you didn’t have connections. My mother had been in the League so she and all her friends would work together to propose and endorse the daughters. I believe the process has changed quite a bit since then and varies based on location. The League has become more inclusive and much more flexible in terms of how/when you fulfill your volunteer commitment.
I’m very grateful for the volunteer experiences I had through the years.
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DIL was in it for a few years and loved it. Made some good friends, good connections and they had good community service projects. (Think it was up to about 4-5 years ago)
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Thanks for all your input! I’ll tell my D!
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