Annual Report 2003-04

Message from Karen Cabrera
President, 2003-2004

It is with great pride and pleasure that I look back on the last year of the Junior League of Miami. Our work covered the county from north to south, continuing our strong tradition of promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

Our members worked in our community. With our continued focus of empowering at risk families, we made great strides in breaking the cycle of domestic violence at the Inn Transition South facility during its first full year of operation. We continued our work at Inn Transition North; we helped children and moms become better readers through the All Aboard Story Hour and had an opportunity to be Big Sisters during our Project Reach outings. We entered new areas of the community at the Hurwit Crisis Nursery and in the Foster Care Review project and returned to a member-favored project at Gladstone Center for Girls.

Our members raised money in our community. The Community Partners Campaign completed a third highly successful year. The Chili Cook-Off and the Women Who Make a Difference Luncheon continued their tradition of past successes at new venues. Miami Who Makes a Magic City made its debut under the stars at Fairchild Tropical Garden. At the end of our year, we bid a bittersweet goodbye to the Encore Shop.

Our members trained and learned in our community. We met with community leaders in our county and in our capital, advocating for our projects. We brought in new provisionals, developed new projects and trained chairs and leaders for the future of the Junior League of Miami.

We look forward to 2004-05 under the leadership of our wonderful new President Amy Sussman and a very cohesive Board that represents the interest(s) of our members and our community. They are bright, capable, caring and involved.

Thank you to our members and to our many community and corporate partners, advisors, contributors, supporters, friends, families and employers who have helped us to realized and sustain our vision of empowering Miami’s women, children, and families to conquer tomorrow’s challenges and to build a united community. We are women building better communities.

Sincerely,
Karen K. Cabrera

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Fundraisers

• Encore Shop This year we bid a sad farewell to the Junior League of Miami Encore Shop. Founded originally in 1932, the shop served the Junior League and the community well for many years. Changes in retail apparel shopping, cost of operations and lives of Junior League volunteering women shifted the financial equation for the shop as a fundraiser. Like most good-bye’s, it was difficult. Many in the community who patronized the shop will miss the great bargains it offered. Legions of members will cherish fond memories of volunteer shifts in the shop where new friendships were forged and funds for the community were raised.
• Chili in the Village The Junior League of Miami teamed up with the Village of Pinecrest to serve the best of both chili worlds on January 31, 2004. The Village hosted the International Chili Society competition and JLM opened up the “Best Chili in Town” competition to restaurants, caterers and novices. Along with all the chili one wanted to sample, the day featured live music, craft and food vendors, a kids’ zone, an exciting raffle, the South Florida Firefighters and University of Miami Cheerleaders to delight all! Celebrity Judges included Kelly Craig, Stephanie Sayfie and Hunter Reno. Gererous sponsors of this family-fun event included Village of Pinecrest, Burdines, Royal Caribbean International, Bacardi, Anheuser Busch, Dade Paper Co., Diana & Mark Huling, Angela & Kent Harrison, Kathleen & Sean Duran, and Doug, Hunter & Donna Reno.
• Women Who Make a Difference The Junior League of Miami celebrated its third annual Women Who Make a Difference luncheon and awards event before a sell-out crowd on Sunday, March 14, 2004, aboard top-rated, premium cruise line Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium in Port Everglades. The ceremony presented the awards in recognition of remarkable women in our community who have made a significant impact through their volunteer efforts in improving the lives of at-risk women and children. The committee was lead by: Chair Lauren Harrison, with Gretchen Kirtley and Lise-Marie Wertanzl, Assistant Chairs; Teresa Thornburg, Treasurer and Table Host Captain; and Ivette Berisiartu-Hofmann, Auction Chair. Committee members included Alexandra Aymerich, Elaine T. Cuervo, Leslie M. Hoy, Kyla Kowal-Caliendo, Allison M. Machado, Jennifer M. Quezada, Samantha L. Schosberg and Karin Wilborn-English Generous sponsors of the event included: Celebrity Cruises; Genovese, Joblove & Battista, P.A.; Gibraltar Bank; McClain & Company; Capretto Shoes; Aqua Spa; Montica Jewelry; Elemis Spa; Orchids by Jamie; and Saks Fifth Avenue Dadeland.
• Miami: Who Makes a Magic City An event celebrating all that makes Miami spectacular and honoring 22 of Miami’s greatest treasures, it was indeed “a night to remember!” * Arthur Agatston, M.D. * Michael Aller * Toby Lerner Ansin * Romero Britto * Butch Buchholz * Marc Buoniconti * Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. * Suzanne Delahanty * Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., M.D. * Jack Foley Horkheimer * Mitchell Kaplan * Dr. Modesto A. Maidique * Arva Parks McCabe * Budge Mead * Bryan Norcross * Jean Ellen Shehan * Laurinda Spear and Bernardo Fort-Brescia * Robert Steinback * Norman Van Aken * Dolores and Sanford Ziff. The event committee was headed by Tina Carlo and Maria Bequiristain as co-chairs. Committee members were Elizabeth Bacardi, Michele Baker Benesch, Jessica Ann Bennett-Porto, Cristina Courtney, Deborah Maya El-Assad, Zaria Goschalk, Corinne Maya Kayal, Melissa Kent, Kelly Lederman, Megan Lykes, Anne Beaumont Nichols, Hadley Nichols, Kristin Pearce, Jennifer Pfleger, Sharon Polo, Christine Quiñones, Katharine Rubino, Carrie Ruiz, Cybelle Santo Domingo, Meg Stamey, Christina Ureña and Ashley Walter.
• Community Partners

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Community Projects

• All Aboard Story Hour This past year concluded three successful years of the All-Aboard Story Hour project in which volunteers read stories and conducted hands-on activities with children at the Homeless Assistance Center and at JLM’s Inn Transition North and South. The children were extremely receptive to the story hours and craft activities, and cherished the free books they receive at the end of each session.
• Done In A Day Volunteers assisted in facilitating community events within the Junior League of Miami’s focus areas. At a major annual event, 70 JLM volunteers organized by the Committee assisted the 8,000+ runners in the Race for the Cure at Bayfront Park.
• CHARLEE/Gladstone Center for Girls Volunteers provided material and instruction for recreational therapeutic programs for girls in this residential program who have been removed from their homes following allegations of serious abuse. JLM volunteers worked with the girls of Gladstone on various projects, including decorating pumpkins for Halloween, creating Turkey sculptures for Thanksgiving, and hosting a holiday party complete with presents for each girl and a trip to the theater for Annie. Volunteers used these projects as ice breakers for conversation with the girls to help them realize there are people who care about them and want to help.
• Family Literacy Project For nearly four years the Junior League of Miami worked with the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation to create a signature project in the League’s focus area of early childhood education. In March 2004, the JLM general membership approved the plan for “Building a Family of Readers” as that signature project. The 2004-05 Committee will provide parenting skills training to families living in the League’s domestic violence shelters (Inn Transition North and South) and with families in the dependency court system. In addition to their planning work, the 2003-04 committee held a very special Mother’s Day celebration and training for moms on reading aloud to their children.
• Family Resource Center/ Hurwit Crisis Nursery JLM worked with this program that serves as a home for children between the ages of newborn to 12 years old who are between foster homes. JLM volunteers planned and conducted enriching outings with older children, while others remained at the nursery with the babies and toddlers who were too young to attend the outings. In March the committee spent a wonderful day at the Miami Seaquarium where the children were able to pet and feed the dolphins. The children were treated to ice skating, horseback riding, to the Miami Children’s Museum, to an IMAX movie and many wonderful memories.
• Girls Advocacy Project (GAP) Working with girls in the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Detention Center, JLM volunteers filled the gaps in the Juvenile Justice System with educational group discussions and activities for the girls. The goal was to provide girls with support while assisting them in improving the decisions they make in their daily lives. One of the year’s highlights was their Thanksgiving party. JLM volunteers, advisory board members, distinguished guests and 16 girls participated in arts and craft activities, a performance by University of Miami’s Inspirational Choir Concert and of course, a delicious catered Thanksgiving dinner.
• Inn Transition North Our flagship project provides housing and resources to women and children who are victims of domestic violence, as part of a public-private partnership with Miami-Dade County. Volunteers from JLM focused on providing informative activities for moms and constructive playtime for kids. September featured a potluck supper where mentees and mentors got to know each other and each resident received a complete set of Tupperware containers with proper food storage tips. October featured a discussion on personal hygiene with gift baskets for moms and naturally, a Halloween party. For Thanksgiving, committee members assembled baskets full of food items and grocery store gift certificates for residents to prepare their own Thanksgiving dinners. December featured a shopping spree at the Encore shop, a Holiday party and gifts for all the children donated by JLM members. Spring activities included a discussion on women’s health conducted by Barry University nursing students, a financial advice seminar, an Easter party and a trip to the Miami Children’s Museum.
• Inn Transition South Junior League of Miami assisted Greater Miami Neighborhoods in building a 56-unit complex in South Dade to address the needs of homeless families and families who are victims of domestic violence. The facility opened in 2003. JLM volunteers planned the tenant education program and participated in monthly activities with the residents. The December holiday party was a highlight of the year with 200 residents in attendance and 300 gifts collected for the children, thanks to the planning and work of JLM members and community partners. Each family received a huge package of gifts including personal items for the moms, and memories of a special time created by caring volunteers.
• Foster Care Review Volunteers assisted the citizen review panels by gathering specific information from foster care parents about children in their care. They conducted a review process involving direct mail, phone and in-person interviews, reaching out to foster parents representing nearly 2,000 children. They presented their findings in a detailed report.
• Project Reach – Big Brothers Big Sisters For the third year in a row, this committee worked with children in a group-mentoring program involving educational, recreational and cultural outings for the yet-to-be-matched “littles” of Big Brothers Big Sisters. A group of 10 to 15 at-risk children were treated on Saturdays to a variety of enriching outings arranged and hosted by JLM volunteers. Trips included exploring Metro Zoo and Parrot Jungle, sailing on Biscayne Bay with Shake-A-Leg, bowling at Don Carters, cheering on the Miami Heat, touring Fairchild Garden, painting pottery at Color Me Mine, attending the Nutcracker Ballet and lots more. The committee planned and conducted two or three outings each month that the children loved and looked forward to.