The Heart of the Matter – Community Impact Results By: Alicia Morris Rudd In our fourth year of our School Ready community focus, the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) continues to work to ensure all children are school-ready by focusing on the health and educational needs of children from birth to fifth grade in priority areas of Mecklenburg County. Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, JLC members volunteered more than 4,000 hours with 12 local partners, virtually and in person, a value of $62,800 to our community. According to this year’s Community Impact Council (CIC) Manager Shannon Eckard, “The biggest challenge our volunteers faced this year was finding creative ways to serve our community partners in a largely virtual environment. What I’ve been most impressed with is our member’s commitment to both the JLC and the Charlotte community as a whole.” Eckard has been “incredibly proud to lead the Community Impact Council through this time of unprecedented change,” and is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing women in the JLC.
Through the JLC’s unique programs and projects, members learn not only how to manage and train volunteers but also how to collaborate with community agencies to maximize a volunteer’s impact and thus aid a greater number of underserved children in Mecklenburg County. Our Community Impact Council is divided into three teams for maximum impact and volunteer support: Children’s Health, Healthy Mind and Ready to Learn. In the JLC’s last year of our School Ready community focus, incoming CIC manager Carolyn Benton is most excited about the opportunity for more in-person volunteer activities with next year’s community partners. Carolyn is also looking forward “to working with CIC volunteers and our community partners to transition away from our School Ready community focus to the recently approved Children’s Mental and Physical Health focus.” No matter the League’s focus, community impact is always at the heart of this organization.
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