Community Outreach

Making an Impact: The JLSD Community Outreach Council

The Junior League of San Diego (JLSD) Community Outreach Council is dedicated to creating positive community impact and providing direct service programs. We support the San Diego community by focusing on advocacy, community partner outreach, volunteering, and increasing awareness of our Focus Area: Food Insecurity.

Through our community improvement projects, we use our leadership skills to identify and contribute to bettering conditions. We advance sustainable change that benefits the overall well-being of the community.

The Community Outreach Council includes five committees. Each focuses its efforts on making a direct impact within the San Diego Community:

  • Community Donations
  • Community Impact
  • Community Events
  • State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC)
  • Community Grants

 

Want to learn more? Visit JLSD Diaper Bank and Period Pantry for more information about the JLSD Diaper Bank and Period Pantry.

How to Help: If your organization would like to run a Donations Drive with the JLSD, please submit a Donation Request Form.

 

The JLSD Diaper Bank & Period Pantry

The Junior League of San Diego (JLSD) Diaper Bank & Period Pantry is dedicated to addressing both diaper and period product insecurity. Crucially, we aim to enhance the well-being of families throughout San Diego County. Consequently, we collaborate with local nonprofit organizations to distribute essential hygiene products to individuals affected by food insecurity.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the San Diego community in unforeseen ways. Specifically, there was an increased need for childcare, which inhibits the ability to work. This need can contribute to a family’s difficult choice to feed their family, buy diapers, or purchase feminine products. Hence, the Junior League of San Diego identified an opportunity to create a Diaper Bank and Period Pantry (feminine product bank) to support the community.

The JLSD Diaper Bank and Period Pantry has successfully donated thousands of diapers and feminine products to the following community partners: Alliance for Africa, Monarch School, Rady Children’s Hospital, Jewish Family Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services Transitional Housing Program, Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, Casa de Amparo, and San Diego Youth Services.

Current Community Project: Diaper Bank and Period Pantry

The Junior League of San Diego (JLSD) Diaper Bank & Period Pantry is dedicated to addressing diaper and period product insecurity, aiming to enhance the well-being of families throughout San Diego County. In collaboration with local nonprofit organizations, we distribute essential hygiene products to individuals affected by food insecurity.

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted the San Diego community in unforeseen ways such as the increased need for child care which inhibits the ability to work and can contribute to a family’s difficult choice to feed their family, buy diapers or purchase feminine products. The Junior League of San Diego identified an opportunity to create a Diaper Bank and Period Pantry (feminine product bank) to support the community.

The JLSD Diaper Bank and Period Pantry has been able to donate thousands of diapers and feminine products to the following community partners: Alliance for Africa, Monarch School, Rady Children’s Hospital, Jewish Family Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services Transitional Housing Program, Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, Casa de Amparo and San Diego Youth Services.

Want to Learn More? How to Help 

Community Impact

The Community Impact Committee plans and executes community service projects with dozens of non-profit organizations in San Diego that address immediate needs through single day, high impact volunteer shifts. The Community Impact committee works directly with Community Partners to plan the overall goals and needs of the organization pertaining to the volunteer shift request. 

For information on Impact opportunities or to request an Impact volunteer shift please contact impact@jlsd.org or submit an Impact Shift Request Form.

Examples of Community Impact service project Community Partners:

  • PATH San Diego
  • Feeding San Diego
  • Coastal Roots Farm
  • Interfaith Community Services
  • San Diego Food Bank
  • Olivewood Gardens
  • Kitchens for Good
  • Father Joe’s Village
  • Community Resource Center
  • Mama’s Kitchen
  • Monarch School
  • St. Paul’s Senior Center
  • Hope Through Housing
  • Hearts to Hands Food Drive

Community Events

The Community Events Committee develops programming and plans events (both internal to JLSD members and external to the community) that help educate and inspire others in our focus area of food insecurity. The goal of Community Events is to bring the community together and to provide opportunities for education, gaining skills and experience and fostering connection. The Community Events committee is central to the JLSD Focus Area of Food Insecurity.

Examples of Community Events:

  • Annual Impact Forum 
  • Community Improvement Projects 
  • Cooking with Crockpots

For information on opportunities with Community Events please contact communityevents@jlsd.org

SPAC- State Public Affairs Committee

The JLSD SPAC Committee is part of the California State Public Affairs Committee (CalSPAC). The Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee’s mission is to take action on state and national issues that affect our projects and focus areas, to facilitate communication among the member Junior Leagues of California on public policy, to educate League members on selected issues, to provide training in advocacy skills, and to act as the representative of member Leagues.

Since 1971, the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee (CalSPAC) has represented the interests of its member Leagues and their community projects to policymakers at the national, state, and local levels. CalSPAC advocates for legislation favorable to its member Leagues’ projects and issues in education, family support, health, anti=human trafficking and violence prevention. 

The members of the CalSPAC delegation advocate for specific legislation relevant to member league issues, educate their home Junior League members about advocacy and public policy, and coordinate the exchange of information from community-based league projects to policymakers. Since 1992, CalSPAC has sponsored or co-sponsored multiple pieces of legislation seeking to enhance and improve the lives of Californians.

Examples of SPAC Initiatives:

  • Bubbles and Ballots
  • Wine SPACtator
  • There Ought to Be a Law
  • Bill Tracker Ad Hoc Committee
  • Day at City Hall

For more information on SPAC/CalSPAC please contact SPAC@jlsd.org

Community Grants

Our newest committee, Community Grants, was established with the dedicated mission of securing grant funding to support our community partners. Focused on grants related to Food Insecurity and the Diaper Bank and Period Pantry, the Grants team works to obtain funding that directly benefits the San Diego community. Awarded funds are used to purchase essential goods and organize volunteer initiatives, ensuring meaningful and tangible support for those in need.

For more information on our efforts to obtain funding from grants, please contact jlsdgrants@gmail.com