Susie Istock
28 September 2006

Junior League of Boston Volunteers To Help Rebuild a Better New Orleans

Eight Members From Boston To Join Efforts 

Boston, MA (September 28, 2006) – Eight members from Boston will join an unprecedented show of support for New Orleans, as more than 700 Junior League members and volunteers join together the first week of October to help rebuild the New Orleans community. More than 525 members will travel to the Crescent City from 199 U.S. cities, Canada and theUnited Kingdom to join Junior League of New Orleans members and supporters for this week-long project.

Entitled “Leagues Rebuilding a Better New Orleans,” the all-volunteer effort will be held from October 1 through October 8, 2006. During that time League members, their families and friends will undertake several revitalization projects in devastated parts of the city, particularly around the Freret Street neighborhood.

Work in the Freret area will include the restoration on 12 houses, clean up of a neighborhood cemetery, weeding and planting of a community garden, and painting and sprucing up the main commercial corridor of Freret Street. Volunteers are also slated to tackle tough yard cleanups in several other neighborhoods, as well as a handful of landscaping and beautification projects in City Park.

Junior League of Boston members participating in “Leagues Rebuilding a Better New Orleans” include Winston Jenkins, Kirsten Alexander, Tiffany Cott, Aviva deBeer, Caroline Michaud, Meg D’Angelis, Sarah Cloonan, and Priscilla France. These members have collectively logged more than 24 years of volunteer work through the Junior League of Boston and are looking forward to their collaborative work with members from other Leagues in New Orleans.

“Much progress has been made to revitalize News Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but there is still more work to be done,” said Winston Jenkins, coordinator for the Junior League of Boston. “We are honored to be able to support our sister League and their community in their time of need, and it is our hope that the ‘Leagues Rebuilding a Better New Orleans’ program will breathe life into this community and inspire volunteers to continue their efforts.”

While the purpose of the project is to make a real difference in neighborhoods that are still suffering more than one year after Katrina, the Junior League members will also use the opportunity to educate volunteers from around the country about the extent of the devastation in New Orleans. To that end, volunteers will take bus tours of the city’s devastated areas and meet with community leaders who will speak to them about the many pressing needs that still exist. As well, the American Red Cross will be on hand to provide a tutorial on personal and professional disaster preparedness as part of a partnership with the Association of Junior Leagues International to prepare its 293 Leagues to address future disasters in their communities.

“It was important to the Junior League to mobilize our international network of volunteers and resources and help the restoration of New Orleans,” said Sandi Kemmish, President of the Association of Junior Leagues International. “The hundreds of volunteers who are giving their time, energy and personal resources to this cause are a testament to the Junior League commitment to voluntarism.”

Support for the project has been overwhelming. Many Leagues have also raised money to help the residents of these hurricane-affected areas and defray some of the costs of the upcoming volunteer effort. The Junior League Disaster Fund also provided grants to the Junior League of New Orleans and other Leagues affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma shortly after these occurred. The Junior League of New Orleans officials say they are humbled by the outpouring of support, and, working in partnership with sister Leagues and others in the community, they are looking forward to helping rebuild their beloved city.

ABOUT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BOSTON 

Founded in 1906 by Sarah Lawrence, the Junior League of Boston is an organization of women committed to voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving its local community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The Junior League of Boston is made up of 1,200 women from the greater Boston area.

The Junior League of Boston joins 293 Leagues across the world to form the Association of Junior Leagues International. These Leagues have nearly 170,000 members in Canada,Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.  Together, the represent one of the largest international volunteer organizations for women interested in making a positive impact in their communities. For more information, visit the website www.ajli.org.