Junior League of Birmingham distributes nearly $500,000 in donations, scholarships in one day

The Junior League of Birmingham’s volunteers help contribute more than 55,000 hours of service annually in partnership with nonprofit, public and community-based organizations.

“The purpose of our organization is to improve the lives of women and children by working with community agencies to deliver services and assistance to those in need,” said Leigh Haver, President, Junior League of Birmingham.

This year alone the Junior League of Birmingham will have contributed more than $1 million to the Greater Birmingham community including: 28 Partnerships that include funding and volunteer support, seven JLB-controlled projects, grants through the Junior League of Birmingham’s Beeson Fund and Community Assistance grants.

Lucille Stewart Beeson was a humanitarian, philanthropist, inventor, collector, scholar and one of the first women to attend law school in the 1920s. Upon her death in January 2001, the JLB was named one of the 13 charitable organizations benefitting from Mrs. Beeson’s magnanimous gift and legacy. 

“Through the investment of more than one million in the Birmingham community this year, the Junior League helps to ‘change the face of Birmingham’ and allow for ‘new and expanded programs’ in accordance with Mrs. Beeson’s desires,” said Alison Scott, Beeson Community Fund Chair, Junior League of Birmingham.

This grant cycle, the Beeson Community Fund of the Junior League of Birmingham is donating $100,000 more in funds to support projects addressing the health, safety, education and financial stability of women and children in the Birmingham area.

The Beeson Community Fund is proud to announce the 2016 Grant Recipients:

• CASA of Jefferson County
• Childcare Resources
• Collat Jewish Family Services
• First Light
• Hand in Paw
• JLB SAIL grant
• Mother’s Milk Bank of Alabama
• Oasis Counseling for Women and Children
• One Place Family Justice Center
• St. Vincent’s Foundation
• The Exceptional Foundation
• YouthServe

The Junior League of Birmingham also announced their 2016 Academic Scholarship recipients. Twelve young ladies were granted $3,000 scholarships:

• Barbara Awad, John Carroll Catholic High School
• Rachel Blakerby, Hoover High School
• Virginia Estes, Homewood High School
• Brandy Gentry, Birmingham School of Law
• Caitlin Lott, Spain Park High School
• Margaret Marshall, Mountain Brook High School
• Madison McCaskey, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
• Kalyn McMillan, University of South Alabama
• Lydia Moore, Oak Mountain High School
• Kenecia Russell, University of Montevallo
• Alexis Stokes, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
• Reagan Williams, Ramsay High School

“The Junior League of Birmingham has been an integral part of our community for the past 94 years and we will continue to look for ways to assist the greater Birmingham area with trained volunteers and our financial resources,” said Lauren Roberts, President-Elect, Junior League of Birmingham.

About the Junior League of Birmingham

The Junior League of Birmingham, Inc., was founded in 1922 and today has nearly 2,600 women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. To learn more about the organization’s impact in the Birmingham community, visit www.jlbonline.com.

-Submitted by The Lollar Group