Get in with the New Placements

Trying to decide where to volunteer next year? The Junior League of Washington (JLW) has 46 placements that give back in a variety of ways – through direct work in the community, through fundraising, and through League programs that help cultivate and develop our volunteers.

In 2017-2018 – our 105^th anniversary year – JLW will have four new volunteer opportunities: 105^th Celebration Committee, Member Communications, Washington School for Girls, and The Reading Connection.

Read on to learn about what each of these committees will do, and don’t forget to participate in this year’s placement fair – running from May 1-26.

105^th Celebration Committee

The Junior League of Washington is getting ready to thrive in 105! 2017-2018 marks our 105th anniversary, and we will celebrate throughout the League year. The Celebration Committee is a special anniversary year committee that will be responsible for coordinating a year of celebration and recognition of JLW, our members today, and our bright future. The committee will be managing communications campaigns throughout the year, as well as a birthday party in the fall and a day of service in the spring – so members involved with specific events will be busier around those dates. If you are dedicated to JLW and passionate about celebrating the fantastic work we do, don’t miss out on this placement – because it probably won't be available again until our 110^th. If you have additional questions, please contact Erin Buechel Wieczorek.

Member Communications Committee

Be a connector and join the Member Communications Committee! New for the 2017-2018 year, this in-League placement addresses how JLW communicates with its members to share news of events, Membership Credit opportunities, League information, and other important news. It's perfect for someone who wants a smaller, more intimate committee (4-6 women, plus the chair) and the flexibility to do work on your own time. You'll also get to know JLW well because you'll work with all committees and councils to help communicate their opportunities and activities to members. Potential volunteers should have solid communications skills, flexibility, and creativity. The monthly time commitment is around 4-8 hours with monthly meetings. Additional questions can be direct to Jennifer Lim.

The Reading Connection Committee

JLW is pleased to announce our newest partnership with The Reading Connection (TRC). In the 2017-2018 League year, we will be volunteering with TRC’s Read-Aloud program, which inspires children (and volunteers) through the power of reading aloud and a love of great books. This program trains and deploys community volunteers to serve children living in shelters and other housing complexes – situations where parents are likely to be too stressed to read for the fun of it. At each Read-Aloud, JLW volunteers will read quality, age-appropriate books to the children, encouraging engagement and interest, then coordinate activities and conversations based on the theme of the books. Every child selects a book to keep after every weekly session – because when kids enjoy a book, they’ll want more. Volunteers will be expected to plan and attend one Read-Aloud session per month with a team of four to five of your JLW peers. For more information about this placement, contact Christina Prevalsky.

Washington School for Girls Committee

Let’s hear it for the girls! Another new community placement for the upcoming year is at the Washington School for Girls – which is currently the recipient of a multi-year, targeted grant. This committee will work on literacy skills with girls grades 3-8 during their Saturday School Program (9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.). Volunteers will have the opportunity to help improve literacy in the DC ward that needs the most help. The girls are bright and eager to learn, and many don’t have much opportunity to work with an adult one-on-one regularly. Potential volunteers should be comfortable around kids of all ages and different socioeconomic levels as well as have the ability to generate excitement and motivate children to learn. WSG is in Anacostia; the location is easy to find and offers free parking. If you have additional questions, please contact Jennie Kronthal.