The Junior League of Miami At-A-Glance

Download PDF version (156 KB)

In the beginning...and to this day. Women Building Better Communities. That's the Junior League of Miami.

The Junior League of Miami has served the South Florida community for more than eight decades. With a membership of nearly 1,000 volunteers, we reflect the many interests of women of varied professions and backgrounds, showcasing the diversity and strength of Miami as a community.

The mission of the Junior League of Miami is to promote voluntarism, develop the potential of women, and improve communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Our roots in the community run deep, as seen through the establishments fostered and founded by the League such as: the Children's Home Society, begun in the early 1930s, and the Miami Museum of Science, in 1949, and continues today through two Inn Transition Homes, helping women and their families combat domestic violence and homelessness.

As an international organization of over 170,000 volunteers, the Junior League is known for its accomplishments not just here in Miami but around the world as a force that invokes positive change. Whether by improving health care for women and children, reaching out to victims of domestic violence, or by promoting and preserving cultural institutions, The Junior League trains volunteers who get the job done.

Community Projects 2007-08

The volunteers of the Junior League of Miami work thousands of hours in our community each year, giving hands and heart to your dollars.

• Children’s Bereavement Center – Providing community-based peer support groups, education and advocacy for children who have suffered the death of a significant loved one, volunteers facilitate monthly orientations for new participants.
• Done In A Day – This committee provides trained volunteers in response to requests from the community agencies for short-term service by volunteers for special events.
• H.E.A.R.T. Program (Health Education, Awareness, Resources and Teaching) – This project seeks to maximizes community impact for families at risk and improve women’s health by supporting selected outreach programs.
• Inn Transition North – ITN 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. Our League volunteers mentor a family and participate in regular outings with the families in residence.
• Inn Transition South – ITS provides transitional housing for families and works to empower mothers to build strong families and harvest new opportunities. League members plan monthly life skills/parenting events for the women and organize activities for the children.
• Institute for Child & Family Health (All-Aboard Family Literacy) – Supporting this organization’s mission to provide mental health and prevention services to children and their families by the coordination and facilitation of family literacy nights and storytelling.
• Kathryn Menke Miller Community Service Awards – The Junior League of Miami awards college scholarships to high school senior girls for outstanding academic performance and community service.
• Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Supporting the Blind Babies Program for blind and severely visually impaired children, as well as training to their parents.
• The Sundari Foundation – The Lotus House women’s shelter operated by the Sundari Foundation, is a shelter providing transitional housing, job training and support services for homeless women.

Community Grants 2007-08

• America SCORES Miami – An after-school program that uses soccer, literacy and service activities to engage at-risk, elementary children.
• Community Smiles – Providing a wide variety of dental care for youth aging out of foster care.
• Community in Schools – Purchasing Leap-Frog reading program for students in after-school and summer programs.
• Continental Societies – Funding educational programs at Little River Elementary School and at COPE Center North focusing on health, education and employment.
• Kristi House – Assisting in the opening of a satellite office in North Miami-Dade County for child victims of sexual abuse.
• Neat Stuff – Providing new clothing to abused and abandoned children, allowing them to shop in a safe, affordable environment.
• Notre-Dame d’Haiti Church – Support for the summer camp providing safe and educational activities for children in Little Haiti.
• Pumps, Pearls and Portfolios – Providing women with training in safety, job skills, health and nutrition, self-esteem and empowerment.
• Shake-A-Leg – Providing educational water sports recreation and enrichment opportunities for children with disabilities.
• Thomas Armour Youth Ballet – Purchasing dance clothing and shoes for disadvantaged youth learning dance.
• Voices for Children Foundation – Providing foster teens aging out of foster care with food and clothing and funds to cover living and educational expenses.

Fundraisers & Partnerships 2007-08

The leadership and participation of members and community partners over the Junior League of Miami’s eight-decade history have bestowed a legacy of creative, entertaining and enterprising Fund raisers to support our many community projects, and ensure the ability of the Junior League to attain its vision of empowering Miami’s women, children and families.

• Junior League Golf Tournament – This year’s 4th Annual Junior League Golf Tournament will be held at Crandon Park Golf Course on Key Biscayne October 12, 2007. The day includes 18 holes of golf, a silent auction and awards luncheon. more
• Miami Magic – At the annual Fall event, we celebrate our Magic City and honor individuals who have made a significant impact on the South Florida community, both professionally and philanthropically, with all proceeds from the event going to the projects of the Junior League of Miami. more
• Women Who Make a Difference Luncheon – Our Spring fundraiser, in its seventh year, gives thanks to outstanding women in South Florida who "Make a Difference" in our community through their volunteer endeavors. more
• Nordstrom Grand Opening – The Junior League of Miami has been selected once again to help welcome a new Nordstrom to Miami and will be the lucky beneficiary of proceeds raised from the Grand Opening Gala.
• InStyle – The Junior League of Miami has partnered with InStyle magazine every spring during the past three years to host InStyle’s Miami Beach fashion weekend and receive all the proceeds from ticket sales.
• Community Partners – This Partnership is a program in which individuals, corporations, and foundations forge long-lasting partnerships with the Junior League of Miami. The program allows our partners to give support to our projects, events or other Fund raisers through sponsorship or multi-year pledges. more
• The Junior League of Miami Foundation, Inc. – The foundation was established in 2004 to help secure the funding of the JLM as it grows into its eighth decade of service. The goal of the Foundation is to increase our endowment to provide a solid financial base to support community projects. more
• The Ronni W. Bermont Endowment Fund – The fund was created to directly support the Junior League of Miami's community projects. Named in honor of our Past President whom we lost to cancer, the principal of the fund generates interest income to fund our community projects. more

Community Advisory Board:
Leona Ferguson Cooper • Thomasina Turner Diggs • Charisse Grant • Dr. Pedro Greer • Dr. Nilza Kallos • Ann Kashmer • Israel Kreps • David Lawrence, Jr. • Judge Cindy Lederman • Dr. Leda Perez • Thomas M. Rozek • Judge Deborah White-Labora

Junior League of Miami, Inc. • 713 Biltmore Way • Coral Gables, Florida 33134