Committee Highlight:
Research, Education and Development (READ) Committee
T
he Research, Education and Development (READ) Committee coordinates ongoing research to identify community needs and Junior League interests. The Committee uses this information to develop projects and programs for JLOC Members and works to promote voluntarism through partnerships with the community. Over the 2022-23 Junior League year, the READ Committee worked to develop two new community placement opportunities for Junior League of Oklahoma City volunteers at ReMerge Oklahoma and City Care. These new community placement opportunities are a unique way for Members to engage in the
Oklahoma City community through providing educational resources to mothers facing non-violent felony offenses and providing direct assistance to the pets of our unhoused neighbors. “It has been such an honor to lead the READ Committee this past year. I am so proud of the READ Committee’s hard work and accomplishments in developing the two new community placement opportunities. I am so excited to see these placements grow as Junior League volunteers begin to serve the community at ReMerge Oklahoma and City Care in the upcoming League year,” said Myriah Downs, READ Committee Chair.
New Community Project Supporting Women with ReMerge CONNECTION TO JLOC VISION & MISSION
The Junior League’s new community project with ReMerge Oklahoma focuses on developing the potential of women through education by supporting and tutoring ReMerge Oklahoma clients as they seek the completion of a GED. The project supports the JLOC focus of health, as research shows that people who have completed high school or GED programs live longer and have better health outcomes. Research also informs us that children will complete the same level as education
of their parents and often go beyond that level. By supporting the clients of ReMerge Oklahoma to complete their GEDs, we are also impacting the health outcomes for the children of clients. The JLOC project with ReMerge Oklahoma supports JLOC’s focus of alignment and enrichment of lives through an intentional partnership.
to study and prepare to complete their GED. Once the client has taken the HiSET (GED), volunteers can follow up with the client to celebrate or to review and work on areas of improvement. WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT UNIQUE
This project will be a one-on-one project, and while JLOC volunteers can sign up to attend together, they will be responsible for making a schedule with the ReMerge Oklahoma client and meeting with them regularly.
PLACEMENT DESCRIPTION
JLOC volunteers will work with clients of ReMerge Oklahoma who have not completed high school
New Community Project: Pet Hotel at City Care CONNECTION TO JLOC VISION & MISSION
The Junior League’s new community project with City Care focuses on homelessness and poverty as a community health issue. City Care is dedicated to empowering JLOC volunteers to provide a community health response impacting the Oklahoma City metro community, and JLOC will be at the forefront of change to build a better Oklahoma City. City Care’s Night Shelter was created to be the beacon of light for those who have been turned away everywhere else and need respite. City
Care considers it to be the front door - an opportunity to connect with the most vulnerable and get them into permanent housing solutions as quickly as possible. PLACEMENT DESCRIPTION
JLOC volunteers will run the Pet Hotel at City Care by checking in and out pet guests at the City Care Night Shelter. WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT UNIQUE
opportunity to support the homeless population of Oklahoma City. This new community project was created in response to feedback from a survey that was led by the READ Committee. The survey indicated that working with the homeless population in Oklahoma City is an area of interest and concern of JLOC Members. The READ Committee noted the interest and worked hard to create a project to meet this need.
This project will focus on working with animals. JLOC does not currently have a project that works with animals. In this community placement, JLOC volunteers will also have the
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