Contents
Winter 2026
3 Safe Sitter® Rises to the Occasion Again & A Season of Giving: JLNO’s Annual Gift Drive Brings Joy to Educare New Orleans
LAGNIAPPE STAFF
JLNO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Editor: Tara Waldron
President: Michelle Clarke Payne
Assistant Editors: Angelique Dyer and Lynn Spearman
President-Elect: Shelby Wynne
4 Junior League of New Orleans Announces 2025 Volunteer of the Year
Writers: Danyelle Colton, Angelique Dyer, Samantha Murphy Frost, Bess Meeks, Michelle Clarke Payne, Reynecia Ricks, Tara Waldron
5 Junior League of New Orleans Gives ALICE A Voice
Photographers: Delana Lynn Photography
6 Extending A Welcome to the 2025-2026 New Member Class
Secretary: Phoebe Hathorn Treasurer: Genevieve Moffat Assistant Treasurer: Margaret Saik Business Council Director: Alexa Sturtz Communications Council Director: Lynn Spearman Community Council Director: Emily Vorhoff Membership Council Director: Savanna VanAusdale Planning & Development Council Director: Krystal Hebert
PUBLISHER STAFF
7 In Case You Missed It!
Art Director: Tiffani Amedeo
8 League Faces
Ways & Means Council Director: Lovie Rodgers Nominating Committee Chair: Hope Clay Sustaining Advisor to the Board: Kristin Van Hook Moore
Production Manager: Rosa Balaguer Production Designer: Meghan Rooney
On the Cover: 2025 Volunteer of the Year, Kenya Myles, volunteers at TOUCH-A-TRUCK®Photo by Delana Lynn Photography
Chief Executive Officer: Todd Matherne
President's Message
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hen our community faces hardship, the Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) steps up to meet the moment. When devastating floods impacted our Texas neighbors, JLNO mobilized quickly, raising more than $15,000 in direct aid to support relief and recovery efforts. During National Diaper Need Awareness Week, our members and partners once again showed the power of collective action, exceeding our goal by collecting more than 20,000 essential items for families across Greater New Orleans. And when the government shutdown left many local families uncertain about their next paycheck or meal, JLNO answered the call once more. In partnership with local nonprofits, we launched a communitywide food and essentials drive and committed to supporting our JLNO Diaper Bank community partners with 100% of their supply needs through the end of the year—ensuring no family would go without. Through every storm and every struggle, JLNO continues to uplift, serve and stand beside our community. Because when New Orleans needs us, we’re already there. Michelle Clarke Payne JLNO President, 2025-2026
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Photo by: Delana Lynn Photography
A Season of Giving
JLNO’s Annual Gift Drive Brings Joy to Educare New Orleans
SAFE SITTER® Rises to the Occasion Again !"#$%&%'()%#&*+,)"#-+.$(
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unior League of New Orleans wraps up another successful season of training children through its Safe Sitter® program! A total of eleven full-day sessions made up of 163 boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 14 (grades 6-8) were held between July and October 2025. The classes are great for building confidence and independence for when kids are babysitting or staying home alone. The day stays busy as students engage with the instructors and each other through a mix of lecture, role playing and hands-on exercises. Sessions are limited to 32 participants, giving each attendee ample time to take in the new information and practice the skills taught, whether that is diapering a baby or performing CPR and mouth-to-mouth on a practice mannequin. In addition to teaching first aid, CPR and choking rescue, the course teaches safety precautions and basic child care. For example, students learn what to do if the power goes out or if the weather turns ugly. Most importantly, they learn how and when to call for assistance. Finally, the training touches on the practicalities of babysitting for others and running a babysitting business. It prepares students to have conversations about pay, expectations and emergency contact information upfront. Safe Sitter® is a national training program, and the Junior League of New Orleans is honored to be considered a Gold Status provider by the national organization. Be on the lookout for more Safe Sitter® opportunities in Spring 2026!
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ach December, just as the city slips into its glittering holiday rhythm, members of the Junior League of New Orleans gather at Educare New Orleans with carloads of brightly wrapped toys. For more than a decade, JLNO’s annual holiday gift drive has become a cherished tradition, lighting up the classrooms of Educare with laughter, gratitude and hope. Located in the Bayou District, Educare New Orleans is part of a national network of high-quality early childhood centers designed to give every child, regardless of income, a strong start. Serving infants through age five, the school blends research-based teaching with family engagement and social support. In a city still rebuilding from generations of inequity and disaster, Educare’s mission is clear: to level the playing field from a child’s very first day of school. The partnership between JLNO and Educare began in 2014 and has grown stronger each year. In mid-December, JLNO members help sort and deliver gifts, which are carefully chosen and donated by our volunteers for each individual child. The drive fills the school’s hallways with boxes of color. “The energy is excitement, happiness, and joy,” shares Educare School Director, Angelique Shorty-Belisle. Shorty-Belisle goes on to explain, “It matters because it’s all about the kids, and it’s genuine. That day, the child is celebrated and the gift they receive may be the only gift they receive.” Educare’s model depends on community partnerships like this one. The school’s “two-generation” approach focuses as much on parents as on children, offering resources that strengthen family stability and confidence. JLNO’s continued involvement helps sustain that mission, reinforcing the idea that early childhood education is not only about learning letters and numbers, it’s about nurturing potential, dignity, and joy. In a season built on giving, JLNO’s partnership with Educare reminds us that the greatest gifts are often the smallest ones—wrapped in kindness, delivered with care and opened with wonder.
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Junior League of New Orleans Announces 2025 Volunteer of the Year !"#%'30145*0#/"0+#
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he spirit of service rests in the foundation of the Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO), and has been the organization’s driving force for over 100 years. From the members who serve quietly yet strongly in the background to the ones who are front and center leading initiatives to push the needle on projects such as the JLNO Diaper Bank or birthday celebrations at Covenant House, local women are making a huge impact on the league and the City of New Orleans in a time when their passion, hard work and enthusiasm are needed the most. In an effort to highlight these outstanding women, JLNO launched a new annual award—the Volunteer of the Year Award— recognizing a Junior League of New Orleans Active Member who has demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and dedication. This woman exemplifies everything JLNO stands for—not just through her time and energy—but through her passion, initiative and commitment to the mission of JLNO and to the community around it. The Junior League of New Orleans is proud to honor Kenya K. Myles, MSN, RN, as the inaugural JLNO Volunteer of the Year. Kenya’s service to JLNO began even before she became a member when she coordinated and hosted a diaper drive and sorting shift with the youth ministry at her church, Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. As a registered nurse at the Ochsner Medical Surgical Unit on the Westbank, Kenya saw firsthand how many families needed essential supplies and how important it was to support the work of the JLNO Diaper Bank, ensuring that babies and families continue to receive essential supplies, particularly during and despite the pandemic. Two years later, in 2020, she officially joined the Junior League of New Orleans. Since becoming an Active Member, Kenya has served in several leadership roles within the league and has coordinated five diaper drives—four for JLNO and one for another nonprofit—totaling over 30,000 diapers. She has had the opportunity to represent JLNO in a variety of volunteer assignments, such as packing school supplies for the GNO STEM Back to School Back Pack Giveaway, sorting
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clothing donations for the Hurricane Laura Evacuees and Dress for Success, hosting diaper drives for Diaper Need Awareness Week, putting together bingo prize baskets and coordinating birthday celebrations for the residents of Covenant House and sorting and distributing thousands of diapers to JLNO’s community partners. She has also participated in training sessions on financial literacy and the Abolish Movement to end human trafficking. Throughout her five-year tenure as a member of JLNO, Kenya has grown exponentially in the areas of professional volunteerism and nonprofit leadership and credits her mother for the inspiration to volunteer with organizations like the Junior League of New Orleans. “My mother is the one who taught me the importance of giving my time, talent, and monetary gifts to those who are in need, less fortunate, or just because. If ‘blessed to be a blessing to others’ had a face, it would look like my mother. I am because she is,” Kenya shares. Congratulations to Kenya Myles, whose spirit, creativity and commitment to the Junior League of New Orleans truly embody the heart of voluntarism and the heart of JLNO!
Junior League of New Orleans Gives ALICE A Voice !"#!0$$#&006$
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n August 24, 2025, Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) members were given the opportunity to participate in an interactive poverty simulation that sheds light on the daily challenges many people in our community face. This simulation was hosted by Women United and JLNO, in partnership with United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Newcomb Institute at Tulane University. It focused on the importance of the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report–a report highlighting the large population of working individuals in the United States who earn more than the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford basic necessities in their communities. Participants were able to put themselves in the shoes of an ALICE individual and were given scenarios in which they had to make decisions about rent, groceries, childcare, transportation and more. ALICE households are often faced with making impossible choices:
fill a prescription or pay the heating bill? Get the car repaired or send your child to a quality daycare? ALICE individuals have a job and earn enough money to keep them just above the poverty line. Approximately 41% of the U.S. population are ALICE—individuals who are living paycheck to paycheck and cannot make ends meet. This simulation helped to paint a more realistic picture of the financial hardships many families in the New Orleans area face each day. During the simulation at JLNO Headquarters, not a single “family” was able to feed themselves every week. ALICE families are often just one emergency away from falling into financial ruin. The event was eye-opening to participants, raised awareness and gave a voice to ALICE households. It showcased the gaps in our community and facilitated discussion about what support is needed so that fewer households are living on the edge of crisis. To find out ways that you can help, please visit unitedwaysela.org/alice-report/.
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Extending A Welcome to the 2025-2026 New Member Class !"#!0$$#&006$
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ith the start of another league year, Junior League of New Orleans is presented with the opportunity to welcome the 2025-2026 new member class! Each March, Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) opens its membership applications for women in the Greater New Orleans area looking to connect with other women and make a positive impact on their community. Each woman must be 23 years old as of June 1 to be eligible for membership. For the 2025-2026 year, JLNO is pleased to welcome 130 new members to the organization–a 40% increase from last year. To kick off the year, new members were invited to attend a welcome dinner, where they shared a delicious meal and engaged in a scavenger hunt around JLNO’s Headquarters on Carondelet. They were put into groups and given fun clues that led them around the building, giving them the opportunity to familiarize themselves
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with the membership space. One first-year Active member, Anne Kenny, remarked on her excitement over joining the Junior League of New Orleans last year and carrying on the legacy of her mother and grandmother, who were dedicated members of their respective leagues. Anne’s comments mirror many of our newest members as she explains, “I’m most looking forward to fully immersing myself in the spirit of the Junior League. Especially forging meaningful connections with women who share a passion for service and personal growth. I’m excited to learn from experienced members, contribute my own perspective, and take part in projects that make a tangible difference in our community.” If you are interested in joining the Junior League of New Orleans, fill out the New Member Interest Form at jlno.org/membership and be the first to know when our next round of membership applications opens!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!
A summary of recent happenings at the Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) !"#+0"'024%#+426$
JLNO Celebrates Find the Good Day with the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) JLNO celebrated the Associationwide initiative, “Find the Good Day,” at its September 18, 2025, General Membership Meeting. The initiative overlapped with National Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 15-21, 2025) and perfectly aligned with JLNO’s ongoing commitment to solve diaper, period product and adult incontinence supplies shortages in the Greater New Orleans area. Collaborative and heightened efforts towards these two initiatives included donation drop-offs at various locations, including Ochsner Health Center for Children, Louisiana Children’s Museum and Sam’s Club and a JLNO Diaper Bank Sort Leader training following the evening meeting. Ultimately, Junior League of New Orleans exceeded its goal for the week by collecting an incredible 20,900 essential items for redistribution to the community in need.
Get on Board (GOB) Program Reaches New Heights JLNO’s annual and highly anticipated interactive workshop, “Get on Board,” returned to Headquarters on October 4, 2025, equipping attendees with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for stronger board leadership and governance. This year’s event hosted 75 individuals who represented 32 nonprofit organizations, which was double the previous year’s attendance (and the most recorded since its 2008 inception). Participants had an opportunity to earn CPE (continuing professional education) and CLE (continuing legal education) credits for completing the workshop. The one-day event also featured a networking mixer that allowed leaders to build connections and highlighted opportunities for service across nonprofit organizations.
Community Assistance Fund (CAF) Grants Awarded This year’s Community Assistance Fund (CAF) award recipients were recognized at JLNO’s General Membership Meeting on October 21, 2025. CAF committee members reviewed over 70 applications before deciding on four finalists, who each received a $5,000 grant. Winners of a 2025 CAF Grant included: En-Hacore Community Center Orientation, Youth Run NOLA, Dinerral Shavers Education Fund and Street Side Library. With the inclusion of the $20,000 awarded in 2025, JLNO has now awarded $174,950 to over 22 nonprofit organizations since 2020 through CAF.
TOUCH-A-TRUCK® Rolls into the Pontchartrain Center Presented by Ochsner Children’s, TOUCH-A-TRUCK® returned to the Pontchartrain Center on Saturday, November 15, 2025. Families were thrilled by the special appearances of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile and Colgate dental van while little ones delighted in the return of trucks, big machines and the Manning Family Children’s Hospital helicopter! Attendees even had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for $2,500 in Disney gift cards powered by Cox. The event started on Friday with a special field trip day, serving 945 students from 15 schools. More than 70 volunteers and 32 sponsors helped ensure the success of TOUCH-ATRUCK® throughout the weekend, with special contributions from Cox, American Safety, Maritime Partners, Morris Bart, Raising Cane’s, Sunbelt Rentals and many more that heightened the experience for all attendees. In total, the event is estimated to have raised over $70,000 to support the mission and projects of the Junior League of New Orleans.
Holly Jolly Market Moves to Ursuline Academy with Resounding Success Holiday cheer was on full display the first week of December at JLNO’s Holly Jolly Market (HJM), cheerfully hosted at Ursuline Academy of New Orleans. Over the course of the two-night event, the new location offered ample space for 40 local vendors and plenty of parking for the nearly 1000 attendees. The first night’s soldout Preview Party (a 21+ event) featured sips from Tap Truck NOLA and snacks from Central City BBQ and Las Cruces. The array of beautiful items on display by local vendors—from Festive Fascinators (Bella Gifts to Geaux) to HJM shopping bags and ornaments (Golden Lily)—gave shoppers an opportunity to support local businesses and check off their list by discovering curated, unique gifts for their loved ones this season. League members, guests, students, staff, parents and grandparents alike were even able to enjoy photos with Santa and the Grinch. Overall, the 2025 Holly Jolly Market attendees left the event with full bags and full hearts.
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League Faces
New Members of Junior League of New Orleans gather together for a New Member Meetup at The Chloe, July 2025.
Catherine Rigby, Shelita Domino & Shelby Wynne attend Level Up 2025 Girls Leadership Program to share about JLNO and JLNO’s Safe Sitter® program, July 2025.
Junior League of New Orleans hosts a diaper donation drive at the Sam’s Club on Airline Highway in honor of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 2025.
Junior League of New Orleans Joint Council leaders engage in discussions about leadership and purpose with a panel of sustainers at JLNO Headquarters, September 2025.
The 2024-2025 JLNO Board reconnects at Esprit’s League Night Out event at Oak & Ale, September 2025.
Erica Washington volunteers as a Safe Sitter® trainer for one of the fall classes, October 2025.
Junior League of New Orleans members work together at a volunteer shift to sort diapers for the JLNO Diaper Bank, October 2025.
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JLNO members celebrate the spooky season with Esprit’s League Night Out event at The Gilded Perch, October 2025.