New JLC Year New Community Partnerships

NEW JLC YEAR NEW COMMUNITY PLACEMENTS

by Tammy Stanard

The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) is pleased to announce new Community Placements for 2020-2021. JLC members are looking forward to getting involved and working with these organizations to ensure all children in the Charlotte area meet school readiness requirements. Children who are ready for school, emotionally and physically, will learn more and be prepared for success in school and eventually beyond the classroom.

Renaissance West Community Initiative

The Renaissance West Community Initiative (RWCI) has a holistic approach to community redevelopment. RWCI focuses on multiple critical factors including housing, education and development programs, health and wellness services, and commercial investment. RWCI’s model of mixed-income housing offers the environment and amenities to help residents thrive by elevating the standard of living for the lowest-income residents, while providing affordable housing opportunities for residents in higher income brackets. RWCI contributes to a great future by providing high quality educational options.

JLC members will serve through a multitude of projects that focus on the child, family and neighbor, assist with the mobile food pantry, and plan special events throughout the year.

PARENTCHILD+

ParentChild+ uses education to break the cycle of poverty for low-income families. The organization engages early in life and helps toddlers, their parents, and their family child care providers access a path to possibility. For families living in underserved communities, ParentChild+ is a first step on the ladder to success, a “personal booster club” for each family it serves.

JLC members will work with families on literacy programs, financial literacy programs, teaching computer skills, and programs that work to increase the bonds between parents and children by modeling playing together and talking together.

Thompson Child and Family Focus

Founded in 1886 as an orphanage, Thompson Child and Family Classroom Central equips students in need to effectively learn by collecting and distributing free school supplies to their teachers. Classroom Central serves teachers and students in nearly 200 schools across six school districts in the Charlotte Region. Supplies are distributed through Classroom Central’s Free Store, Mobile Free Store and several other community-supported programs such as ClassVROOM Central and Classroom Up. JLC members will assist with special events throughout the year, as well as supporting the Learning Library,

Focus has grown into a non-profit operating across the Carolinas. Each location provides comprehensive education, treatment, and care for children (birth to 18 years) in need. At their most intensive level, Thompson heals children who have been severely abused and provides them with the support and services they need until they are secure in a loving and stable home.

Thompson’s goal is to create a stable foundation on which children and families can learn to thrive for a lifetime.

JLC members will help through serving as reading buddies and by planning quarterly events--such as Friendsgiving and Father

Daughter dances. and volunteering at the Free and Mobile stores.

Bright Blessings

Bright Blessings is a volunteer-led organization that impacted 17,000 homeless and impoverished children in 2019 through its core programs, Bless-A-Birthday, Bless-ABaby, Gift of Literacy and Gift of Care. These programs provide individualized birthday celebrations, and essential gifts of comfort and need to babies and families who otherwise lack the most basic of care necessities.

JLC members will assist in packing materials for different programs and delivering the packages. JLC volunteers also have the opportunity to assist with birthday parties.

The JLC will be supporting these incredible organizations, along with 8 others who are returning partners, by providing funding and volunteer support from our members to improve the Charlotte community.

Are you interested in supporting JLC community partners? Check them out and get involved! You can also follow the JLC on social media or visit our website (jlcharlotte.org) for opportunities to participate in our initiatives.